Implementing Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action (AA) should be greatly considered within the workplace in order to safeguard the employees. It is important for a business to establish order and provide a positive workplace for its employees. In an effort to ensure equal opportunity for all employees it is my recommendation to the Board of Director’s that an affirmative action policy is fully implemented. The affirmative action policy should establish specific mandates that would guard against discrimination of any and all employees within the workplace. The policy would enforce that employees not be discriminated against based upon their race, sex, orientation, veteran status, disability, religion, and national origin. The policy of affirmative action should also meet the terms with all equal opportunity laws and regulations. It is important that an industry such as this one implements guidelines that will protect its employees from unforeseen situations in the workplace such as sexual harassment and discrimination. It will be the duty of the managers to make sure that the mandates that have been put in place are in fact enforced by each and every employee. The establishment of these types of rules will allow for a better workplace for the employees and will also possibly protect the business itself. This essay will provide reasonable evidence as to why the Board of Director’s should consider having affirmative action policies implemented.

Affirmative action is aimed at leveling the playing field for minorities to obtain jobs. Despite the past controversy associated with the indecency of the workplace towards minorities, it is crucial that this company understands that the past can in fact repeat itself. It is necessary for companies to implement job requirements of different minorities in order for the company to prevent from having legal issues. There are several companies that seem to have one distinct minority working for their company; however, if someone of a different minority decided that they were interested in working for that same company and get denied a position, that person would have the right to have the company investigated because of possible discrimination.

Discrimination is not only a factor of affirmative action, but it also plays a distinct role in the regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). Equal Employment Opportunity is the legalized topic that protects individuals within the workforce from people who feel that they are going through situations at their employment based upon being discriminated against. The types of discrimination that individuals in the workplace could possibly go through would include discrimination against their gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability, and even their position within the workplace.

Although affirmative action and equal employment opportunity have two different meanings, they both share the same importance. For example, an African American male can go into a company and apply for a position that he is well qualified for, the hiring manager of the company decides that does not feel that the candidate is fit for the position and is turned away. At that moment, if the African American male reasonably feels that he is being discriminated against based upon his race or even his gender then he could possibly have a case against the company. This type of scenario consists of not only affirmative action based upon the minority of the applicant, but it is also relate to equal employment opportunity because he feels that he was turned away based upon his race.

Many companies do not realize the consequences that they face when an employee feels that they are being discriminated against or even harassed within the workplace. Not only can it lead to the company having to pay out thousands or even millions of dollars, but it can also damage the credibility of the company to its consumers and clients. It is important that this company as well as many others implement strategies in which they are able to educate their employees about the importance of equal employment opportunity as well as affirmative action. Companies should also post up information in regards to harassment within the workplace or even discrimination so that if an employee is having a problem then the company can try to resolve it themselves before the situation escalates to a more legal issue that is taken to court. This type of implementation will greatly protect the company from lawsuits as well as its credibility.

Many companies feel that implementing affirmative action is not crucial to their company because of the fact that their company is diverse and they do not have those types of issues within their workplace whereas people are being discriminated against. Unfortunately, the fact that the company is diverse makes no difference in the types of people that it employs. For example, Wal-Mart is considered to be a very diverse company; however, they are the largest industry facing lawsuits due to discrimination against women employees, African American truck drivers; and numerous of other cases involving discrimination within the workplace. This proves that regardless of the type of company, implementing protection against discrimination in the workplace could possibly be beneficial to companies.

In conclusion, I have detailed pertinent information in regards to why this company should consider implementing affirmative action within the workplace. I have addressed the importance of how the company can benefit from the implementation as well as protect its money, credibility, and most of all its employees, from being illegally discriminated against. I certainly believe that this company as well as many others will greatly benefit from implementing the affirmative action policy.

References
Axia College of University of Phoenix. (2008). Equal Employment Opportunity and Resource Management. Retrieved October 17, 2008, from Axia College, Week One reading, aXcess, HRM 240 — Human Resources Management Web site.

Wal-Mart Watch (n.d.) WalMart Watch: Issues|Discrimination. Retrieved October 18, 2008, from http://walmartwatch.com/issues/discrimination/