Affirmative action refers to policies and programs that are designed to actively promote equal opportunity in the workplace or in education for people regardless of their race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, and other factors. Affirmative action took hold in the 1960s when it became clear that anti-discrimination laws alone weren’t enough to counter past discrimination against groups that have been historically disadvantaged.
Businesses implement affirmative action programs to ensure that people from groups that have been historically discriminated against or overlooked have equal opportunity and are not underrepresented in their workplaces. Businesses that contract with the federal government are required to have affirmative action programs.
Preferential hiring