Which best describes a key element of equal employment opportunities?

The correct choice captures the essence of equal employment opportunities, which is centered around the principle of fairness and non-discrimination in the hiring process. This principle ensures that all candidates are evaluated based on their skills, qualifications, and experience rather than personal characteristics such as race, gender, age, or other factors that could lead to bias.

In the context of employment law, this approach aims to create an equitable workplace where opportunities are accessible to everyone, reflecting a commitment to diversity and inclusion. By hiring without regard to personal characteristics, organizations can foster a diverse and talented workforce, which has been shown to enhance innovation and performance.

The other choices highlight practices that may contradict the concept of equal employment opportunities. For instance, selecting candidates based on race promotes discrimination rather than equality. Promotion solely based on tenure could ignore merit-based achievements, while giving preference to local candidates may inadvertently disadvantage qualified applicants from outside the area, both of which detract from the ideal of meritocracy in employment practices.