Affirmative Action/Quotas/Civil Rights/hiring quota

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Expert: - 3/24/2009


Question
I am a high school teacher in NE and teaching an entrepreneurial class.  Discussing hiring practices, a student wanted to know if there are specific %of ethnic groups and or women that must be employed.....the law says no discrimination.....please enlighten as to the percent etc.

Answer
Hi Chuck,

Under Affirmative Action, there are no quotas.  The only time there would be or have been in the past is where the Department of Labor has found a company intentionally discrimination in its hiring practices and a court has ordered the company to hire a specific number of underrepresented minorities.  

Affirmative Action plans do have goals established for a percentage to go for during the year.  These goals are based upon the actual percentage of qualified minorities for certain jobs in the recruiting area.  The key word is qualified.  This is determined by the Department of Census and Department of Labor statistics.  

One very interesting fact is that 80% of all incoming workers entering the workforce in 2009 will be women, people of color or immigrants.  Your student is right yet the statistics would indicate that diversity is a state of being.  Where I work at Johns Hopkins Hospital, we have 77% women employed out of the entire workforce.  

If you have any follow-up questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

John

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John Fuller

Expertise

I can answer questions pertaining to Affirmative Action, how an affirmative action plan is developed, definitations included within an affirmative action plan, goals versus quotas, misperceptions, rolling out the affirmative action plan with specific action items and areas that are action items. I can answer questions pertaining to Civil Rights violations, investigations of violations and methods and means to be proactive to ensure awareness of civil rights. I am not an attorney and cannot answer or provide information relating to legal, court-related, or case law.

Experience

Experience in the area Diversity,EEO, and Affirmative Action Officer for Johns Hopkins Hospital EEO, Ethics, and Affirmative Action Officer for Fortune 300 Deputy Director, Equal Opportunity for the Department of Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute Organizations Board of Directors, National Council for Support of Disability Issues Board of Direcdtors, Institute for MultiTrack Diplomacy Maryland Association of Affirmative Action Officers Publications Guest expert discussing discrimination, sexual harassment in the workplace and affirmative action on over 45 radio stations nationwide Education/Credentials Doctor of Education Master of Science, Leadership & Business Ethics Master of Arts, Education Virginia and Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator Department of Defense Certified Mediator

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