Examples of Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a government policy that gives qualified groups preferential treatment in hiring or other business decisions. These groups may be members of racial or ethnic minorities, women, people with disabilities, and some veterans. Affirmative action is not limited to job hiring; it may also apply to admission to higher education or government contracts. It may also provide other social benefits. Below are some examples of how affirmative action is used.

Students of color

Affirmative Action for students of color has been around for a long time. It is an important issue for many people. We discuss the issue with our friends and family, and react when cases like the Harvard vs. North Carolina case come up. Unfortunately, the media and public perception of affirmative action have been negatively affected by these early legal challenges. In fact, we’ve seen an increase in lawsuits and public outrage in the wake of the North Carolina v. Affirmative Action case.

Proponents of affirmative action argue that it is essential to include race when making admissions decisions because of the effects it has on student outcomes. Unfortunately, the academic community has not been up to the task of reform and has blocked access to information. They also try to enforce racial preference policies across all institutions and skirt legal restrictions. So the quest for workable reforms is much more difficult than one might think. Affirmative action for students of color is likely to get its first major test when the Supreme Court considers the issue.

Individuals with disabilities

Affirmative Action for individuals with disabilities (AA/D) is the process of addressing barriers to employment for people with disabilities. Agencies must identify applicants and employees as disabled, and should make reasonable accommodations, if necessary. Some of these accommodations may be worksite accommodations, flexible hours, or auxiliary aids. These accommodations are part of the agency’s affirmative action responsibility under the law. While AA/D is a voluntary program, many employers do not fully implement the law.

When creating an affirmative action plan, consider the types of employees you want to hire and advance. Your goal is to create a culture where people with disabilities can succeed. Designate an official to lead all affirmative action activities and write an equal opportunity policy statement. Review your personnel processes to ensure that individuals with disabilities are considered for all job openings. Be careful not to stereotype anyone. Job qualification standards should be job-related and consistent with business necessity.

Women in business

While women make up nearly half of the workforce, they only represent about a quarter of company board members. This lack of diversity is not solely the result of discrimination; it must be addressed, both in the past and in the present. Statistics show that men hold 95 percent of senior management positions in Fortune 2000 companies, compared to only eight percent for women. Without affirmative action programs, women would not have equal access to top positions and would have to compete with less qualified candidates for those positions.

Despite widespread criticism of affirmative action programs, they are widely used in federal and state public procurement markets. These programs help minority firms obtain contracts that would otherwise be out of reach for them. The programs were created in the late 1970s to promote minority enterprise, counteract past discrimination, and reduce unemployment among minority businesses in urban areas. Yet they have been challenged in court in the past two decades and have been dismantled in many instances.

Members of disadvantaged groups

The federal government has long supported Affirmative Action for members of a disadvantaged group. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established a Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity to promote nondiscrimination in hiring processes. President Johnson signed Executive Order 11246 requiring federal contractors to take affirmative action and provide equal employment opportunity to all workers without regard to race, religion, national origin, or gender.

In addition to promoting diversity in hiring, Affirmative Action for members of a disadvantaged group promotes businesses owned by “disadvantaged” individuals. Although many beneficiaries are poor compared to their peers, some have become extremely wealthy. In South Africa, the “Black Economic Empowerment” program benefited an estimated $500 million in wealth, and the beneficiary is now the country’s president.