Affirmative action policies actively initiate efforts for organizations and companies to provide more opportunities for historically discriminated groups in our society ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). These policies usually focus on education and employment ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). When it comes to college level education, affirmative action usually mentions admission protocols that give equal admittance to education for groups that were discriminated against throughout history ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). These groups include women, and minorities ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). Affirmative action came as a result of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and was brought into existence in order to help distribute equal opportunities for those who were minorities and females in the workplace and in Academia ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). President John F. Kennedy was the very first person to use the term, “affirmative action”, in 1961 ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). This came in an executive order that required government contractors to take measures to make sure that applicants are employed without prejudice and that those employees are not treated unfairly because of their race, religion, color, or worldly origin ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). President Kennedy also created the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity which is now known as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). The affirmative action policies originally focused on increasing opportunities for African Americans in higher education and the work force ("Affirmative Action: Overview."). In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order that required companies t...
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...k at the company’s affirmative action program ("Office of Federal Contract Compliance”). This includes checking personnel, payroll, records of employment, and interviewing company officials and employees ("Office of Federal Contract Compliance”). The examiner also checks to see if the company is making distinct efforts to accomplish equal opportunity by way of affirmative action ("Office of Federal Contract Compliance”). People also have the option of filing grievances if they think they got treated unfairly by companies ("Office of Federal Contract Compliance”). These grievances must be filed no later than 6 months from the date of the alleged mistreatment ("Office of Federal Contract Compliance”). Any complaint registered under E.O. 11246 that sites discrimination against a single person is usually referred to the EEOC (Office of Federal Contract Compliance”).
One of the issues in the case EEOC v. Target Corp. is that the EEOC alleged that Target violated the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in race discrimination against African-American applicants who were interested in management positions. It is argued that Target did not give the opportunity to schedule an interview to plaintiffs, Kalisha White, Ralpheal Edgeston and Cherise Brown-Easley, because of racial discrimination. On the other hand, it argues that Target is in violation of the Act because the company failed to retain and present records that would determine if there was reason to believe that an unlawful practice had been committed.
majority, does not advance the cause of minorities in a meaningful way, and needs to be
The first concept of affirmative action was presented by President Kennedy in a 1961 executive order. His order stated that government contractors should voluntarily support affirmative action efforts by recruiting, hiring and promoting minorities (Moreno 5). Higher education did not become the focus of affirmative action until the 1973 case Adams vs. Richardson. In this case the Department of Heath, Education and Welfare Published guidelines ordering a unitary higher education system. The goal of these guidelines was to ensure that the proportion of black high school graduates equaled the proportion of white graduates entering state institutions of higher learning (Moreno 6).
In today’s world, the American still has barriers to overcome in the matter of racial equality. Whether it is being passed over for a promotion at the job or being underpaid, some people have to deal with unfair practice that would prevent someone of color or the opposite sex from having equal opportunity at the job. In 2004, Dukes vs. Wal-Mart Stores Incorporation was a civil rights class-action suite that ruled in favor of the women who worked and did not received promotions, pay and certain job assignments. This proves that some corporations ignore the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which protects workers from discrimination based on sex, race, religion or national origin.
Originally, the term affirmative action had absolutely nothing to do with schools, or many of the things it is associated with today. The term “affirmative action” was first used by President John Kennedy in 1961, in regards to one of the executive orders passed by his administration. Executive Order 10925, the order in question had two major effects, one being the establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the other being a mandate declaring that projects financed with federal funds "take affirmative action" to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias.
Affirmative action has been a controversial topic ever since it was established in the 1960s to right past wrongs against minority groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, and women. The goal of affirmative action is to integrate minorities into public institutions, like universities, who have historically been discriminated against in such environments. Proponents claim that it is necessary in order to give minorities representation in these institutions, while opponents say that it is reverse discrimination. Newsweek has a story on this same debate which has hit the nation spotlight once more with a case being brought against the University of Michigan by some white students who claimed that the University’s admissions policies accepted minority students over them, even though they had better grades than the minority students. William Symonds of Business Week, however, thinks that it does not really matter. He claims that minority status is more or less irrelevant in college admissions and that class is the determining factor.
Affirmative action started in the 1960’s as a way to end discrimination against African American and later all minorities - including women. By migrating people of all color into workplaces and colleges/universities seemed to be the suitable solution to diversify our nation. Although blacks had been freed for a 100 years, they continually struggled with segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned the segregation of all sort in the United States, however that was not enough. Congress mandated the affirmative action program as a plan of desegregation. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy made reference to this plan, but it was not until September 1965 that it was enforced by President Lyndon Johnson. The program affected federal jobs, to include federal contracting company, and universities. In order to receive federal funding, each entity had to hire and enroll minorities. Affirmative action was a good jump start to get our nation to where it is today. However, affirmative action should not be continued because it is a form of discrimination, it is more harmful than helpful, and it supplements race or gender for one’s qualification.
The issue of affirmative action has been a controversial one since its inception. The law was developed during the 1960’s as a result of the civil rights movement and the need to address injustices committed against minorities throughout the United States history. There were multiple attempts to correct the inequities between the majority and the various minorities including the 13, 14 and 15th Amendments. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 allowed for the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to create rules to end discrimination. Affirmative action came into being with the executive order 11246 issued by President Johnson. The Civil Rights Act and President Johnson’s executive order have been updated throughout the years to address gender, disabilities, age and other characteristics that could be considered discriminatory.
The phase "affirmative action" was used in a racial discrimination context. Executive Order No. 10,925 issued by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. The order indicated that federal contractors should take affirmative action to ensure job applicants and employees are treated "without regard to their race, creed, or national origin." A person could define this statement as an order to imply equal access and nothing else.
Signed in an executive order by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity was created to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias. Three years later, President Lyndon Johnson presented the Civil Rights Act in 1964 prohibiting discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin (Wang & Shulruf, 2012). Later that same year, President Johnson gave a commencement speech attempting to give an ethical response to the losses both materially and mentally to the African-Americans in slavery in the United States (Chace, 2011). Within the later years of the 1960s, higher education institution administrators, in an effort to boost under-represented groups of minorities, introduced the affirmative action concept into the admissions processes (Wang & Shulruf, 2012).
Kennedy was president. Affirmative action is a result of the Civil Rights movement, because its original goal was to create equal opportunities for minority groups. “In 1961, President Kennedy was the first to use the term "affirmative action" in an Executive Order that directed government contractors to take ‘affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.’”(“Affirmative Action | Overview.” Feb. 7th, 2014, NCSL). Affirmative action has been brought up in the Supreme Court on multiple occasions. In 1978, the Bakke v. University of California was one of the first cases to be brought to the Supreme Court. It allowed race to be one of several factors during the college admission policy. In 2003, the Gratz v. Bollinger case regarding the University of Michigan, affirmative action was impacting their undergraduate admissions policy. Students who had 3.0 GPAs and high test scores on the ACT were not being accepted due to the fact that they wouldn’t benefit the school's racial diversity. Affirmative action doesn’t only apply to education, in 1965 President Lyndon signed an executive order requiring government contractors to to use the affirmative action policies while hiring in order to create more diversity in the workplace (“Affirmative Action | Overview.” Feb. 7th, 2014, NCSL). Affirmative action benefited many minority groups when the policy was first signed off in 1961; yet, America is rapidly changing and affirmative action policies seem to be creating controversy throughout the
In the EEOC’s Charge Process, John must go to his EEOC’s representative within this company and file a complaint. This is considered the administrative process. Pertinent information must be given about the plaintiff and defendant such as name, address and phone number, the date and a brief description of the charge. Once the charge has been filed the employer is notified that charges have been filed. The charge would be thoroughly investigated. A written description and date of alleged violation is requested again; interviews with people, documents are reviewed; and sometimes the facility is visited which the alleged discrimination occurred. As an alternative the charge may be assigned to the EEOC Mediation Program instead of an investigation, which both parties must consent to. If the mediation is unsuccessful, the charge returns back to investigation. There is a possibility that the charge be dismissed. If this is the case, John will be able to file a lawsuit on his behalf within 90 days.
Throughout the years the United States has faced many challenges with equal employment opportunities for everyone. The United States has developed The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, also known as the EEOC, to enforce laws that help prevent everyone from being treated unfairly when it comes to employment options. The EEOC has established stipulations and overlooks all of the federal equal employment opportunity regulations, practices and policies (“Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination Questions and Answers”). Some laws that have been passed are the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Although some discrimination is still a problem, all of these laws have helped the United States citizens become treated more equally in the work force.
Employment, Inc is committed to a policy, as stated by the Federal Employment Equity, of achieving equality in the workplace so that no person is denied employment opportunities, pay or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability. Employment, Inc is therefore committed to equal employment opportunities, as stated by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for all applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental disability or any other unlawful grounds. In order to ensure an equitable workplace, Employment, Inc abides by a number of objectives as required by law. These objectives consist of::Workforce Survey - a collection of data on existing employees and determine those that fall into one of the designated categories.
There are many laws protecting employees and employers against harassment and discrimination. Harassment and discrimination constitutes more than just race, color, and religion. However, employees fail to report harassment and discrimination due to the lack of knowledge about their rights. Three of the most important laws e...