...Affirmative Action In an effort to improve this organization and to provide a positive workplace environment, it is my recommendation that the Board of Directors of this company should implement and sustain an affirmative action policy to ensure equal opportunity for all employees. Such a policy should establish specific standards to prevent discrimination against any employee based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status. This affirmative action policy should also comply with all equal opportunity laws and regulations. The underlying motive for affirmative action is the Constitutional principle of equal opportunity, which holds that all persons have the right to equal access to self-development (Encyclopedia of Small Business, 2006). Discrimination is illegal as well as immoral. The adverse treatment of an individual based on class or category goes against the belief that America is the land of opportunity. Affirmative action attempts to correct and prevent further discriminatory actions. A thorough analysis of the make-up of this organization will provide a basis with which to begin drafting an effective affirmative action policy that will ultimately ensure that the workforce of this company is diverse, adequately trained, and promoted equally. The goals of this proposed affirmative action policy is to ensure that all prospective employees that are members of a protected-class receive proportionate consideration, the pursuit of fair...
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...Many have argued over the years that affirmative action in schools or the workforce is necessary for the fusion and equality of our culture. In the book, Taking Sides, two different authors discuss each view of either side of the issue. Affirmative Action began as a government policy to aid in ending racial discrimination and promote equal opportunities to minorities. Both Robert Staples and Roger Clegg have a solid view of where they stand on the issue of affirmative action. Staples agrees that affirmative action is necessary to achieve racial equality. He does not believe that the United States has reached the point of being a color-blind society. Staples sees racism still being present in our modern society. Staples argues that the argument against affirmative action is only a plot to keep the white men at their privileged status at the expense of the minorities. Staples points out affirmative action is not a program used exclusively by blacks. White women are often the primary beneficiaries. Also, he recognizes that minorities, specifically blacks, are still being treated unfairly and unequally. Staples argues that there is no clear definition for Affirmative Action. It tends to be interpreted differently by many people. It has been estimated that five million people of color have gotten their jobs due to affirmative action. His stance on the issue of affirmative action is that it is the fairest way to include everyone to an equal opportunity, whether it is in the schools...
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...Affirmative Action or Affirmative Discrimination Affirmative action refers to an attempt at equality in the society. It claims that each person receive equal opportunities in the classroom as well as the work force. Not only would this would be subjected to minorities but to women as well. Every sector in America should be equal and unprejudiced - or so proponents say. However, adopting affirmative action would force many employers to replace hard-working employees with those less qualified simply as a consequence of their gender or ethnic background (Sterba, 2003). We can analyze this concept from the perspective of two opponents as “Arguments for ‘Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination’” and “Arguments against ‘Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination’”. First of all, with reference to “Arguments for ‘Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination’”, the fact of affirmative action is that it attempts to end discrimination with discrimination, that is, reverse discrimination. The purpose of affirmative action is to correct the past discrimination based on race, sex, religion, etc. But the way that affirmative action taken to achieve this is to sacrifice the rights of others, which leads to reverse discrimination: as we are all members of some minority or majority groups, helping one group would certainly disadvantage others. For example, in USA, under affirmative action, a company might prefer to hire the minority like women or colored people instead of white...
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...The policy of affirmative action should be abolished in the Unites States as this practice is not making good to US society on its policy against discrimination. It is in effect violating what it is supposed to protect and could lead to other worse consequences like creating crippling effect upon minority groups because of its obvious message of inferiority , reverse racism , lowering standards of accountability hence rewarding race instead of hard work , showing that the people hired through affirmative action can lead to unqualified workers , leading to create a true `color blind` society , condescending to minorities about their need for affirmative action , demeaning the achievement of minorities , by attributing their success due to affirmative action and not hard work . Affirmative action has a crippling effect upon minority groups because of its obvious message of inferiority. Affirmative action assumes that minority groups are of inferiority quality and hence they should be taken care of and they should not be allowed to compete in the market place. It is actually unfair to these minorities because it has actually described them as being unable to fend for themselves within the business /work environment. Not only that it is demeaning to minorities but it also unfair to white males that rely on their skill rather then their color . Therefore, further sustaining the policy is simply an act lack of common sense and realization on how it is to live in free economy...
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...Job Discrimination: Its Nature * Discrimination in its root meaning refers to the act of distinguishing one object from another. * In modern usage, the term refers to "wrongful discrimination," or distinguishing among people on the basis of prejudice instead of individual merit. * Discrimination in employment involves three basic elements: * It must be a decision not based on individual merit. * The decision must derive from racial or sexual prejudice. * The decision must have a harmful impact on the interest of employees Forms of Discrimination: Intentional and Institutional Aspects * Discriminatory acts can be categorized according to the extent to which they are intentional and institutionalized. * An act may be part of the isolated behavior of an individual: * Intentionally discriminates based on personal prejudice. * An act may be part of the routine, institutionalized behavior of a group. * The act must intentionally discriminate out of personal prejudice. * An act may be part of the isolated behavior of a single individual who unintentionally discriminates because he or she uncritically adopts the practices and stereotypes of his or her society * An act may be part of the systematic routine of a group that unintentionally discriminates because group members uncritically incorporate the discriminatory practices of society. Discrimination: Its Extent * Discrimination exists when a...
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...Is Affirmative Action still necessary? Introduction This topic will explore if Affirmative action is still necessary in the 21st century. Affirmative Action is the encouragement of increased representation of women and minority group members, in employment. It has been commonly referred to as a positive discrimination policy or program designed to counter discrimination against minority groups and women in areas such as employment and education (dictionary.com). “Pro” position There are several reasons to justify Affirmative Action. It was developed to assist society’s less-advantaged members by promoting affirmative action policies is to remedy the effects of past discrimination. Along with the use of the Affirmative Action policy there is the recognition that wrongs have been committed in the past and acknowledgment that there is a moral obligation to set things right (pros and cons). African Americans are not the only, or even the main beneficiaries of affirmative action. There are a wide range of groups that have benefited from Affirmative Action. Some of the groups include women, Native Americans, Arab Americans, Latino/as, Asian Americans, and African Americans. According to the United States Department of Labor, it found that white women are the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action (aapf.org). “Con” position The opposing view point states that it is reverse discrimination. Those opposed of affirmative action do not contest the moral obligation to...
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...African Americans. Through the years there was continued discrimination against minority groups, this discrimination made it hard for them to advance in life. Affirmative action is a policy designed to redress past intuitional discrimination that minority groups have received. Affirmative action programs require institutions that have engaged in discriminatory practices, to increase opportunities for women and members of minority groups. Although this can seem beneficial to correct past discrimination Affirmative action is considered to be controversial, and its way of repairing discrimination can be view as causing more decimation. Affirmative action is considered controversial because, in order to correct...
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...of duty. The coupling of the ADA with the U.S. Veteran’s definition makes for a very dire societal footing for the countries returning marred daughters and sons. The question is does the same government, for whom they made personal sacrifices, owe a qualified candidate from a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) any preferential treatment such as a government contract on a sole source bid. This paper will examine the utilitarian and deontological considerations of the government when employing sole source bid method to SDVOSBs and Affirmative Action’s set aside program. Background In order to honor American citizens who have made significant sacrifices while performing their duty by serving in a U.S. military branch, the U.S. Federal government has made provisions for SDVOSB for the purpose of aiding the wounded and disabled veterans of the United States. This provision is to help SDVOSBs compete against other businesses that have been well-established in the Federal marketplaces. This provision is further supported by Presidential Executive Order 13360 which calls for a significant increase in federal contracting and subcontracting opportunities for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. The central feature of the...
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...Affirmative Actions program were created to correct past prejudices and injustices that had an adverse impact on women and minorities in employment and college admissions. These programs were set up so these individuals could experience an equal opportunity when a simple agreement of not discriminating was not sufficient to correct the issue of prejudice (Kovach, Kravitz & Hughes, 2004). Many companies and universities have specific policies to employ people from diverse backgrounds in order to create a more positive organization culture. Many organization realize that affirmative action programs are controversial publicly and inside the workplace. Oftentimes the court system upholds affirmative actions programs when organizations use Title VII as a defense of the practice. One of the biggest arguments against affirmative actions is the concept of reverse discrimination. If an organization is using preferences versus qualifications for their decisions, these actions could be considered discriminatory against persons within the majority race. Since minority have suffered many years of disadvantage due to prejudice and racism, the perceived discrimination against the majority in these situations would be minimal at best. Sometimes individuals who benefit from affirmative action have issues with the connotation that they have received...
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...Veterans Affirmative Action Program v. Traditional Affirmative Action The affirmative action programs seen today did not originate in their current form. The programs were created in the 1960’s by President John F. Kennedy when he signed an Executive Order requiring federal contractors to ensure that applications are reviewed and opportunities given without regard to race, creed, color, or national origin. His successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson extended that Executive Order to encompass gender as well. The programs do not grant favoritism towards those protected. Individuals still must have the requisite job experience and educational qualifications necessary to earn the job on their own merit. Affirmative Action programs are designed to promote equality in a few key areas such as the workplace and educational institutions. Some arguments for Affirmative Action are that they give groups who have been denied opportunities in the past an equal chance to succeed. For example, statistics show a person who comes from an educated family is more likely to be educated themselves. This higher chance of educations has translated into more opportunities for success. Affirmative Action opponents claim that the programs reduce the sum of the individuals they were created to support, to simply a race and gender. The programs can lead to employers unofficially saying that an applicant is qualified for a job because of their creed or sex. The Disabled Veteran’s Affirmative Action...
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...Affirmative Action In America University of Phoenix, Axia College Affirmative Action In America Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This statement will always ring true especially on the subject of equal opportunity employment and Affirmative Action. While Affirmative Action seemed to be a hot topic in the past, it is still one that should continue to be addressed. Affirmative Action is needed in the American workplace to improve morale and create equity among all Americans. The history of Affirmative Action (AA) is a long one. The first federal law passed was The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law started the term, “Equal Opportunity Employment” and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The first legislation to pass was Executive Order number 11246 on September 24, 1965 (Aberson & Haag, 2003). This essentially stated that employers needed to take affirmative action to ensure no one was discriminated against for their race, religion, color, or country of origin. In more recent years, employers have added sexual orientation, abilities, and ethnicity to their list of nondiscrimination. Unfortunately, during these times white men were not always accepting of women and minorities in the workplace. Women who joined the workplace in the 1960s and 1970s were expected to do chores for the men in the workplace. They would also be sexually harassed and abused by their male coworkers...
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...A Defense of Diversity Affirmative Action It is certain that there has been racial discrimination in the United States, and some minority groups are still disadvantaged. Affirmative action has striven to alleviate this problem, but it has met with objections. In the article, “A Defense of Diversity Affirmative Action,” the author James P. Sterba (2003) has entered the controversy, and holds that there should be more affirmative action. This paper argues that while Sterba has made some valid points, many of his points can be challenged, and his argument is narrowly focused on the sole issue of racial inequity and the sole solution of affirmative action in university admissions, with the result that it ignores many business ethics issues and broader social interests and solutions. Sterba has made some claims and then presented his recommendations. It is logical to first lay out the claims, and then the recommendations that flow from the claims. Sterba makes the claim that society in the United States is “far from being color-blind (racially just) or gender-free (sexually just)” (p. 217). He states that there is considerable discrimination in hiring. For example, among men who had participated in job training programs, the jobless rate for whites, light-skinned blacks and dark-skinned blacks were 14.5%, 11.1% and 26.8% respectively (p. 218). Sterba also claims that universities do not voluntarily follow the policy of attempting to obtain a student body that reflects the ethnic...
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...Counter arguments, Disproving other side, Con affirmative action Affirmative Action has been a long debated issue in United States. One group believes affirmative action should be abolished and other group thinks it serves an essential purpose. Our group believes Affirmative Action is fair and we still need it to eliminate discrimination and establish inequality to make our country is a better place. The continued use of affirmative action is still needed to address our existing discrimination and to break down all the barriers to make sure each individual have an equal opportunity so that they can prove themselves in the society as per their talents and abilities. Compare to other countries United States have made significant progress in recent years in creating equal access to opportunity, but we still need to accomplish more. Affirmative action worked as a proven solution that had been addressing existing discrimination and promoting equal opportunity. Ending affirmative action would end the dreams of opportunity for many. “The fundamental purpose of affirmative action is to further equal opportunity and counter or prevent current discrimination. Importantly, affirmative action programs have a positive impact not only on women and people of color, but all members of our society”. This program ensures equality and provides opportunity to many women, people of color, disabled, and veterans. It is a path where they can compete and be evaluated fairly for jobs and education...
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...Affirmative Action The intention of this paper is to make a real argument against the performance of affirmative action using logical arguments ethical theories, and perspectives. This paper will examine in what way a Utilitarian, Deontologist, Virtue Ethicist, Relativist and an Ethical Egoist would debate against the use of affirmative action. The case will be made by demonstrating why this practice is unquestionably unethical and discriminatory. Affirmative action is frequently used to give subgroups a benefit when applying for jobs, colleges or other organizations. In some cases, companies are financially incentivized to be racially diverse and in other instances extra points are given for test results. The result of these practices enables candidates, which could be less experienced to satisfy a position, to be chosen in order to achieve minority quotas. Affirmative action was passed to push back opposed to racism after segregation was viewed unlawful in order to get the government and employers to employ minorities; however, it is twisted by issues. In order to comprehend how an ethical perspective or theory would deal with affirmative action, it is necessary to first comprehend the view or approach. Utilitarianism is acknowledged as an important ethical theory, which only means that it centers on the expected result of an act, instead of the principles of the act itself or the agent involved in the action. The Utilitarian may endorse using the motto, “the ends justify...
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...Affirmative action is public policy, which has been discussed for the last 50 years, and in those 50 years no common consensus has been arrived at in the country. On one side of the issue we have those who believe affirmative actions is required to not only right the wrongs of the past generations but to also allow minorities to become more productive members of society that these people believe they would be otherwise. On the other side of the spectrum are those who believe there should be no affirmative action and instead everyone should be treated the same regardless of their race, color, sex or any other identifying features used in affirmative action. In full disclosure I tend to be of this second mind set myself, but I will do my best to present both sides of the issue without bias. The story of affirmative action while much older than 50 years in concept it was not until Executive order 10925 issued by John F. Kennedy on 6 March 1961 the debate truly started over the issue of affirmative action. Throughout the rest of the 60’s the three different Presidents worked to take the idea of JFK to the logical conclusion of truly instituting affirmative action. There were speeches given and executive orders signed all designed to further the idea of affirmative action. The largest single act taken at the time to further this cause was the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act forbids the act of discrimination of any type based on race, color, religion or a person’s national...
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