Which of the following actions is considered retaliatory under EEO laws?

Retaliatory actions under Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws refer to adverse actions taken against an employee as a result of their participation in legally protected activities, such as filing a complaint regarding discrimination or harassment. Providing a negative reference for an employee who has filed a complaint is considered retaliatory because it may discourage the employee from speaking up about unlawful practices in the workplace. The act of giving a negative reference can be seen as retribution for the employee's protected activity, which violates EEO regulations aimed at protecting employees from such retaliation.

In contrast, firing an employee for poor performance, while potentially harmful, could be justified if there are legitimate performance issues unrelated to any EEO activity. Promoting an employee for their hard work is a positive management decision and cannot be classified as retaliatory. Offering training for all employees is also a neutral action that promotes professional development and has no connection to retaliatory intent.