what does Affirmative Action Mean??

Question

Iam not sure of that term?

Answer 1

I am a HR director and I have studied affirmative action and the qualifications of being and Equal Opportunity Employer for many years. Affirmative action in a nutshell just affirms that all employers regardless if they are private or public owned cannot discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnic background, or sexual orienation. It levels the playing field and employers must hire the most qualified person regardless of the above mentioned factors.

Answer 2

Affirmative Action is the belief that government funded companies should take every action to insure their employees are not being discriminated against due to race, sexual orientation or gender

A few background things.

1. The term "affirmative action" was found in Lyndon B Johnson's executive order 11246 (see below) 1965

2. an example of the use of this was Griggs v. Duke Power 1971. Janitors were given an academic test. Blacks tended to do worse on these test than whites (because of their educational opportunities). However, the results of the test had NO CORRELATION to how good a janitor a person was. It was a discriminatory test, and unfair. This began to slew of affirmative action cases- as there were now laws in place against using this sort of discrimination

Lyndon B Johnson 11246 "During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows:

"(1) The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The contractor will take AFFIRMATIVE ACTION to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Such action shall include, but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices to be provided by the contracting officer setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause."

Answer 3

Affirmative Action was developed to ensure qualified individuals regardless of race or gender would be given equal opportunities who were not rightfully considered due to deep seeded prejudices and bias backward thinking cowards dead set on continuing unconstitutional hiring practices just because they could.

Answer 4

.This means when a person makes a positive decision or choice which will enhance their life.

It can also be political, in that affirmative action is often practised in the work place, in order that women and men get an equal chance of getting work, promotion and recognition

Answer 5

is a policy or a program whose stated goal is to redress past or present discrimination through active measures to ensure equal opportunity, generally concerning education, employment or seats in parliament and/or government


Affirmative action began as a corrective measure[2] for governmental and social injustices against demographic groups that have been said to be subjected to discrimination in areas such as employment and education. The stated goal of affirmative action is to counteract past and present discrimination sufficiently that the power elite will reflect the demographics of society at large, at which point such a strategy will no longer be necessary.

Some groups who are targeted for affirmative action are characterized by race, gender, ethnicity, or disability status. In India, the focus has mostly been on undoing caste discrimination. In South Africa, the focus has been primarily race-based and, to a lesser extent, gender-based discrimination. When members of targeted groups are actively sought or preferred, the reason given is usually that this is necessary to compensate for advantages that other groups are said to have had (such as through institutional racism or institutional sexism or historical circumstances).

The theory is that a simple adoption of meritocratic principles along the lines of race-blindness or gender-blindness—or simply relying on elites to behave fairly—will not suffice to change the situation for several reasons:

Discrimination practices of the past preclude the acquisition of 'merit' by limiting access to educational opportunities and job experiences.[3]
Ostensible measures of 'merit' may well be biased toward the same groups who are already empowered.[4]
Regardless of overt principles, people already in positions of power are likely to hire people they already know, and/or people from similar backgrounds.[5]

Answer 6

it means that black people in america did not share the the fruits of the america that they built. not voting, no drinking at white water fountains,secondary schools and so on. what ever you can think of bad for black people in america was affrimitive action!!

Answer 7

Another form of racism,sexism,etc.Only this is LEGAL. Equal rights should be just that,and that alone. Equal rights to compete on a level playing field.NO one should be afforded preferential treatment.If you are not qualified,you don't get in,not hired,join the organization,yada,yada,yada.

Answer 8

Basically hiring incompetents to fill position normally filled by competents, to balance racial ethnicity.