Affirmative Action
Shuntay Collier
University of Phoenix
Affirmative Action
It is my recommendation that the Board of Directors in this company should implement and enforce the affirmative action policies. This policy will help improve the environment and provide a fairer and positive place to work. Enforcing this policy will also ensure that all employees are entitled to equal opportunities in the company. A policy like this will establish standards to prevent discrimination against all employees based on color, race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or veteran status. The affirmative action policy should also comply with all equal opportunity laws and regulations.
???Equal opportunity is not only a legal topic, it is an emotional issue.???(Bohlander & Snell, 2007, p. 3) ???Unlawful discrimination occurs when a person is harassed or treated arbitrarily or differently because of their membership in a ???protected class.??? A protected class is a group of people who share common characteristics and are protected from discrimination and harassment by federal, state, and/or local laws.???(, 2007, para. 1) Discrimination is illegal and immoral and it goes against the American belief that this is the land and country of opportunity. An Affirmative action policy will step in to correct and prevent any future discriminatory actions.
The purpose of the affirmative action policy is to make sure that all employees of a protected class receive equal treatment regarding promotions and opportunity in the workplace. It will also ensure that all employees are properly trained and that the company is diverse in backgrounds and culture. The goal of an affirmative action policy is to make sure that both genders are treated with respect and that they have the opportunity to succeed without issues of racism, sexual harassement, or discrimination in the office.
Companies are always in need of qualified candidates for employment to fulfill job descriptions. These individuals should be hired based on their ability to perform their job, not on their personal beliefs or opinions. The affirmative action policy will open doors to many minorities that are qualified and capable of doing the job.
Along with having an affirmative action policy, companies also need to make sure that they have a Equal Employment Opportunity Law in effect. This law will monitor the employment guidelines and practices of the company. In the event that there are ever any discrimination charges this law will protect the employee??™s rights through investigation and prosecution. The affirmative action and equal employment opportunity will need to keep all history of job postings, recruitment, promotions, demotions, terminations, layoffs, transfers, and other employment records.
Some may disagree with an affirmative action plan because of their beliefs that minorities are being hired more than others now days. They may also feel that preference is being shown toward one protected class than the other and this may create conflict between minority groups. In turn this results in what is called reverse discrimination. To resolve this issue companies must not make the mistake of hiring minorities to meet a quota, but on the basis of their understanding and qualifications.
In order to develop an effective affirmative action plan a company needs to make sure that they have an appointed official with the authority and responsibility to direct and implement the rules. This official will need to issue a written EEO policy so that all employees have a copy. By making sure these rules are in place and followed will correct past and handle present complaints in the workplace.
In closing, I would like to reinterate the reasons for my recommendation of implementing an affirmative action policy. Establishing this policy would ensure a balanced and fair workplace. It will make sure that all classes of employees are protected as well as preventing future discriminatory complaints from occurring in the future. The men and women of the company will both be given the same equal opportunity to prove themselves based on work experience and education.
References
. (2007, September 24). Human Rights [Newsgroup comment]. Retrieved from www.alexandria.gov/humanrights/info
Bohlander & Snell, (2007). Managing Human Resources. In Equal Employment Opportunity and Human Resources Management (pp. 1-46). Retrieved from
