Preview

The Affirmative Action in the United States

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1074 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Affirmative Action in the United States
Jamie DuvaMgt 434Affirmative Action Paper As we know by now affirmative action is an effort to improve the employment and educational opportunities of women and members of minority groups through preferential treatment in job hiring, college admissions, the awarding of government contracts, and the allocation of other social benefits. First undertaken at the federal level following passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, affirmative action was designed to counteract the lingering effects of generations of past discrimination. The main criteria for inclusion in affirmative action programs are race, sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability, and age. The definition is a broad terminology and the word can be used in a variety of many affirmative action discrimination cases. In the definition in does not state affirmative action laws for Caucasian males and disabled people; it is rare to see the Caucasian male in affirmative action cases but they do occur from time to time. So across the board everyone is protected under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Affirmative action programs are intended to positively protect the private and public sector employees. To generalize if the company has 50 or more employees and the income is 50,000 or more, the employees are covered by the affirmative action right and the Civil Rights Law of 1964. There are many differences from the private and public sectors; there are many different laws that protect the two different sectors but, the two sectors employees are covered. Still the laws differ, if an employer has the minimum employee requirement the employee will have many benefits; the company will become diverse and well respected throughout the company, it will ease the mind of the employees who work there from discrimination, it can open doors to many diverse and cultural ideas, the company can inspire many upcoming companies, etc. Many affirmative action programs are put into place to protect everyone from any


Cited: nswers. (2009). definition of affirmative action. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/affirmative action Job functions. (2009). federal laws. Retrieved from http://www.jobfunctions.bnet.com/43467(2010). law facts. Retrieved from http://academic.udayton.edu/race/04needs/affirm21.htm | |

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    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
  • Better Essays

    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
  • Better Essays

    Affirmative action applies to actual steps that are designed to not only lessen discrimination- whether in education, employment, or contracting- but also to try compensate the effects of past discrimination. The main motive for affirmative action is the Constitutional principle of equal opportunity, which believes that people with equal abilities should have the same opportunities. Affirmative action is a term of prevalent application relating to government policies that directly or indirectly compensate professional schools and admission to universities, jobs, and other social goods and resources to persons on the basis of membership to particular protected groups in order to pay back those groups for past discrimination caused by the society as whole. Affirmative actions are steps taken to amend conditions effecting from past discrimination or violating a law, especially with connection to employment. Gerapetritis (2011,25) writes that it is a program , in which is a management tool is intended to assure equal opportunity in hiring, recruiting, promoting, training, and compensating individuals. Affirmative action programs distinguish broadly in the extent to which they strive to stop discrimination. Some programs might solely associate reviews of the hiring process for minorities, women, and other affected groups. While other affirmative programs even completely prefer members of affected groups. In such programs, they use minimum job requirements to make a pool of qualified applicants so that members of the affected group are given a chance.…

    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Good Essays

    In this paper will be presented a critique of ADA and Affirmative Action with pros and cons to determine if they have been effective to overcome past policies, practices, and barriers that affect equal employment opportunities for individuals.…

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines Affirmative Action as “positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded. When those steps involve preferential selection—selection on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity—affirmative action generates intense controversy.” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2001)…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Better Essays

    Affirmative Action

    • 37361 Words
    • 150 Pages

    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
  • Good Essays

    Should a man be hired for his skills or for the color of his skin? Is racial diversity in the business world more important then the most qualified workers? Affirmative action has become an important topic in today 's society to better diversify the different races in America. Affirmative action is a set of public policies that were designed for the elimination of discrimination toward race, color, sex, etc. These policies are under attack today because of the unfairness toward the more qualified people. Increasing opportunities for a minority that has suffered past discrimination is the cause for affirmative action, and for the reverse discrimination toward the majority. Many people view discrimination toward one race today to compensate for the discrimination of another race in the past as unfair. This reverse discrimination is unfair treatment toward the majority. Affirmative actions are policies created to give preferential treatment to the discriminated, but also discriminate as well.…

    • 726 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    One of the most significant current discussions in legal and moral philosophy concerns affirmative action. Affirmative action is an action or policy intended to eliminate discrimination against ethnic minorities, women, and the disabled in workplaces and educational institutions. In employment and educational institutions, affirmative action does the followings: names and demolishes discriminatory barriers for instance biased testing or recruitment; performs outreach to the inadequately represented women and minorities by administering colleges, women and minority organizations. Also by allowing race or ethnicity to be one of the considered factors during evaluation of qualified candidates, affirmative action provides diversity to both workplaces…

    • 1457 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1972 The Equal Opportunities Act of 1972 set up a commission to enforce the…

    • 925 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Affirmative Action

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages

    On Wednesday June 11, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, made a Statement of Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, on behalf of the Government of Canada.…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Affirmative action

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Marielena Hincapie’s article “Let Us DREAM” from the Huffington Post, published December 10, 2010 explains the argument on the passing of the DREAM Act and how she and the DREAMers are hoping for a better future and that will happen if the DREAM Act is passed, Marielena is in favor of the DREAM Act. She is the executive director of the National Immigration Law Center she’s a public interest lawyer who protects the rights of immigrant workers as herself, she serves on the American Bar Associations Commission on Immigration and on the executive committee of the National Lawyers Guilds Labor and Employment Committee.…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Powerful Essays

    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