Preview

affirmative action

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1131 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
affirmative action
Affirmative Action in the Workplace When you think of affirmative action in the workplace do you think of equal rights for all, or just equal rights for minorities. Affirmative action is the extent to which employers make an effort through their personal practices to attract retain, and upgrade members of the protected classes of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, (Bernardin & Russell 2013). In easier terms affirmative action is known to be the equal opportunity measures that Federal contractors and subcontractors are legally required to adopt to prevent discrimination against employees or applicants on the basis of color, religion, sex or national origin (Wikipedia 2013). Below I’ll introduce some ideas of how affirmative action is used in the workplace, through affirmative action plans, promotion within the workplace, and affirmative action with private companies. Affirmative action began in the United States as a tool to address the persistent discrimination against African Americans in 1960 (Wikipedia 2013). During that time most Americans who were not considered in the highest social class, males, and from European decent, where passed over for employment opportunities and advancements in the work place. When President John F. Kennedy mandated affirmative action into the workplace for the Federal Government and sub-contractors he ensured that all applicants are employed, and that employees are treated fairly during employment without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin (Wikipedia 2013). Affirmative action attempts to compensate for past discriminatory practices by requiring federal contractors to engage in "good faith efforts" to expand outreach and recruitment of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities (University of Virginia 2013).
Many companies today have Affirmative Action Plans that they use to recruit future employees. Federal affirmative action regulations require that government contractors develop a written affirmative


References: Bernardin, J &Russell, J (2013) Human Resource Management: An Experiential Approach (6th ed.) New York, NY Huebsch, R Houston Chronicle (2013) Affirmative Action Ethnic Diversity in the Work Place. Retrieved October 30, 2013 Scott, S Houston Chronicle (2013) What are the advantages and disadvantages of Affirmative Action in the Work Place http://smallbusiness.chron.com/disadvantages-affirmative-action-workplace-10728.html Wikipedia, (2013) Affirmative Action in the United States
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Case Study: Fisher II V. The University Of Texas
    • 2122 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Case Study: Fisher II V. The University Of Texas

    The continuation of the application of affirmative action in the labor market. “Affirmative action is one of the most controversial government interventions in the labor market since the abolition of slavery.”(Jonathan Leonard) Affirmative action pertaining to the labor market takes a very different stance. Under Executive Order 11246 (part of the Civil Rights Act), “ you are not to discriminate against any employee because of race, color, religion and sex, as well as take affirmative action to ensure that there is a diversity of employees”. The contradiction of this statement is astonishing, and to have that nailed in the coffin known as our Constitution, is the ultimate blow on the use of this policy in the workplace. The fact that we must not consider race, but consider it in terms of diversity is overall a confusing concept and forced employers to establish ‘quotas’ to meet racial goals. This is very beneficial for white collar or craft jobs, where employers are hesitant to hire minorities or women because they do not believe they can handle the burden of the job. This maybe one of the only circumstances where federal pressure is advantageous, and statistics show that establishments are growing to give more job openings specially for african americans, hispanics and other minorities, decreasing its 89% white-hiring percentage. The effects of these kinds of policies are significant on a 99% confidence level or better, and have resulted in better representation in establishments(especially minority females) and also benefit companies in their own employment growth. However, these job openings are mainly in unskilled positions reducing the production of specially-skilled members of society, and basically producing only white specialties. Studied by Ashenfelter and Heckman(1976), taking african americans as an…

    • 2122 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Jordan Roberts Business Ethics Final
    • 2357 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Jordan Roberts Business Ethics Final

    Affirmative actions plans are used to benefit society, it is a management tool designed to ensure equal employment opportunity. It includes the policies, practices and procedures the University implements to address underutilization in its workforce and to ensure that all qualified applicants and employees receive an equal opportunity for recruitment, retention, selection, advancement, training, development and every other condition and privilege of employment. Affirmative action goes beyond non-discrimination. Whereas equal opportunity is passive, affirmative action is positive, constructive action. The general premise underlying affirmative action is that absent discrimination, over time an employer's workforce, generally, will reflect the gender, racial, and national origin/ethnicity profile of the labor pools from which the employer recruits and hires its employees. Affirmative action attempts to compensate for past discriminatory practices by requiring federal contractors to engage in "good faith efforts" to expand outreach and recruitment of women, minorities, persons with disabilities and certain protected veterans, thereby making them aware of employment opportunities and providing access to be able to pursue such opportunities. I believe that this would be illegal as the university has a right to actively seek to recruit minorities to the school but it cannot discriminate against the non-minority students who would be discriminated by eliminating the remaining spots if the quota of 20 was not fulfilled. some employers voluntarily adopt affirmative action policies and will make an extra effort to hire a diverse workforce. Once a company adopts an affirmative action policy, they should follow it to avoid lawsuits from potential employees. There was a case in July 2013 which was called Fisher v Texas. In 2008, several high school seniors who had been denied admission at the University of Texas-Austin filed a lawsuit. The…

    • 2357 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    HRM 100 Week 3: Early Civilizations Matrix
    • 1549 Words
    • 7 Pages

    HRM 100 Week 3: Early Civilizations Matrix

    The purpose of this paper is to review the subject of affirmative action, and the policies that go along with it. The paper will be recommending to a board of directors that their business implement affirmative action policies. This argument will be supported by points and facts that are in favor of the implementation. It will also fairly discuss points against the implementation of affirmative action. The paper will cover points about how affirmative action policies relate to compliance…

    • 1549 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Mgt 434 Affirmative Action Plan Paper
    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Mgt 434 Affirmative Action Plan Paper

    In this paper, there will be a description of “the elements of affirmative action and how it applies to the public sector and private sector of employment” (Bennet-Alexander & Hartman, 2007). This paper will describe “how affirmative action interacts with Title VII requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act” (Bennet-Alexander & Hartman, 2007). Other factors that this paper will address will be “what happens if employers do not meet the goals of the affirmative action plan, what employers are subject to affirmative action plans and why, and what do the affirmative action plans require employers to do.” (Bennet-Alexander &…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Running Head: Affirmative Action by Barbara Simmons
    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Running Head: Affirmative Action by Barbara Simmons

    References: Ballington, J. (September 01, 2010). Implementing affirmative action: Global trends. Ids Bulletin, 41, 5, 11-16.…

    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Critique of Ada and Affirmative Action Paper
    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Critique of Ada and Affirmative Action Paper

    Affirmative Action has a long history. It was first used in the 1960’s in the Civil Rights Act. In 1965 the President ordered Affirmative Action to be applied to federal contractors (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2001). Imposing Affirmative Action resulted in organization creating quotas. Quotas are known as a “plan” to allow a specific amount…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Affirmative Action: The Black Civil Rights Movement
    • 197 Words
    • 1 Page

    Affirmative Action: The Black Civil Rights Movement

    The use of affirmative action, in the United States, is more detrimental and destructive to the lives of Black people than helpful and advantageous. As prescribed by the Black civil rights movement, affirmative action is defined as programs which are created to destroy racial barriers, enforce fair socioeconomic opportunities amongst the masses, and induce a communal sense of “positive” discrimination in favor of the states’ minorities (Affirmative Action). Additionally, these programs are most notably used in relations to employment and education and executed lawfully through the use of the United States’ Supreme Court. After the conclusion of American slavery and the Jim Crow Era, affirmative action was created, through President Kennedy’s…

    • 197 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Pros And Cons Of Affirmative Action
    • 1495 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Pros And Cons Of Affirmative Action

    Affirmative action is a policy with a set of criteria’s designed to ensure equality for all groups within a society to provide everyone with an equal opportunity to obtain success. Affirmative action in American society is renowned for allowing minorities and women a chance for equal access to education and a chance to access equal employment. Affirmative action can lead to the adoption of quotas for jobs and colleges in which a certain amount of potential employees or appointments must come from formerly underrepresented groups of people.…

    • 1495 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Affirmative Action
    • 37361 Words
    • 150 Pages

    Affirmative Action

    The Century Foundation is a progressive nonpartisan think tank. Originally known as the Twentieth Century Fund, it was founded in 1919 and initially endowed by Edward Filene, a leading Republican businessman and champion of fair workplaces and employee ownership strategies, all with an eye to ensuring that economic opportunity is available to all. Today, TCF issues analyses and convenes and promotes the best thinkers and thinking across a range of public policy questions. Its work today focuses on issues of equity and opportunity in the United States, and how American values can be best sustained and advanced in a world of more diffuse power.…

    • 37361 Words
    • 150 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rocket boys
    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rocket boys

    Affirmative action is the broad spectrum of policies designed to redress inequalities in employment and education through a system of preferences to minorities according to Ellen Bailey of Yale University. It was originally designed to help improve opportunities for African Americans during the civil rights movement; however it soon grew to include other minorities groups and women too. In the United States where individuals in certain social, racial, gender and economic groups have distinct advantages to education and jobs, affirmative action provides important opportunities that would otherwise be closed to many people who do not belong to these groups. Until each person is allowed to pursue his or her goals unfettered by institutional and personal discrimination, affirmative action is absolutely necessary.…

    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Affirmative Action Analysis 18
    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Affirmative Action Analysis 18

    Affirmative action was first referenced to in 1961 with the signing of Executive order 10925 (Brunner). With this the Committee on Equal Opportunity was created, and was mandated that "projects financed with federal funds ‘take affirmative action ' to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias" (Brunner). Three years later, in 1964 President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights act that prohibits any form of discrimination (Brunner). On June 4, 1965, President Johnson defined the concept of affirmative action saying, "that civil rights laws alone are not enough to remedy discrimination" (Brunner). Supporters of affirmative action say that the government must make up for the past by aiding groups that have been discriminated against. They argue that goals for hiring are necessary to integrate fields traditionally closed and minorities because of discrimination. Does achieving these goals help the American population?…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Affirmative Action Should Be Changed or Ended All Together
    • 1618 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Affirmative Action Should Be Changed or Ended All Together

    Affirmative action is an instituted list of policies to make up for past discrimination against groups based on race, religion, national origin, and gender. From its beginning, affirmative action has given minority groups opportunities for employment, promotion at work, new business ownership, school admission, scholarships and financial aid. President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced affirmative action during the civil rights era in 1965. It was used "as a method of redressing discrimination that had persisted in spite of civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees." (Brunner) The purpose of affirmative action was to end racial inequality and set a level playing field for all races. Affirmative action allowed minorities a fair chance to pursue education and career advancement. It originally was intended for temporary assistance and was supposed to crush existing racially biased ideas in society. What was once a noble and valiant idea in 1965…

    • 1618 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Affirmative Action: Unfair Discrimination In Canada
    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Affirmative Action: Unfair Discrimination In Canada

    Affirmative action began out of necessity in order to benefit women and minorities because of the fact they had been disadvantaged for so many years. Although affirmative action has had its positives in helping minorities and women in the workplace, people’s views are evolving and we are seeing a significant drop in racism and feminism. With that in mind, there are some negative aspects with affirmative action today. For instance, business has suffered some repercussions. Affirmative action has forced some businesses to demand quotas and ratios of minorities and women in the workforce. In saying this, a less qualified applicant could possibly land a job in which they applied for simply because he or she is a minority, which results in preferential treatment.…

    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Affirmative Action and Hate Crimes
    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Affirmative Action and Hate Crimes

    In a country the size of the United States, different races and different views on the equality of each race exist. Affirmative Action was a put in place by the Federal Government to help conserve the protection of rights towards minorities, whether it be determined by race or sex, during the time after the civil war when they people were still being discriminated upon based on these two aspects. Affirmative Action created a situation that allowed minorities a guaranteed spot within a workplace or a school, eliminating racism and allowing the minority to be recognized for its accomplishments. This may not have been the best solution for the problem but at the time it was put in place it was a necessary mean to try and correct an evil. Affirmative Action is still in place today even though it shouldn’t be. It creates discrimination by trying to get rid of it. Administration officers and CEO’s of companies feel the need to fill the percentage that they were given so they turn their backs on more qualified persons. With Affirmative Action, a white man may lose a chance to get a job or go to college, simply because the position must be filled with a black man, to meet the designated quota assigned. Also majorities look down on the minorities who get into colleges and get jobs over them by saying that they only got the job because someone just needed to get the spot filled so that they wouldn’t get shut down. This makes the minority feel worse about themselves because really don’t know if they got into the school or got the job based on their own merits or not. People in todays society want to make the most money possible so they will hire who they believe will do the best job whether it be an African American woman or a middle aged white man. Affirmative Action was a necessary step to correct the wrong doings of our ancestors, but is not the correct solution,…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Affirmative Action In America
    • 1385 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Affirmative Action In America

    Affirmative action is a controversial topic topic, especially in American society. Affirmative action is an active effort to improve the employment or education opportunities of members of minority groups and women. It also means a similar effort to promote the rights of other disadvantaged persons. In America, affirmative action is for a disadvantaged group to have equal opportunities, regardless of: race, religion/creed, sex, national origin, and disability (OFCCP). Many surround the words affirmative action around race, but socioeconomic status, gender, and various other background characteristics play a role. These factors and more especially in the realm of education. Affirmative action is beneficial due to its history and who it affects.…

    • 1385 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics