Hiring Requirements Of Affirmative Action example essay topic

Affirmative Action Affirmative action is a plan made to end discrimination by guaranteeing minorities will be hired. The United States uses this practice to hire, but the qualifications of such people are occasionally overlooked. Many people believe that affirmative action is a very effective plan. The other people who oppose such action include people of various minorities, as well as many others who have been wronged by the plan.

We live in a small town where there are very few minorities but in the big cities, it's a very big deal. In several cases, this plan causes minorities to be thought of as being under qualified when hired and it also causes a new minority, the white male. Our government needs to acknowledge the fact that affirmative action is not putting an end to discrimination. This plan has succeeded in creating new minorities and more reasons for discrimination. Affirmative action frequently causes qualified employees to be looked down upon because some believe them to be 'affirmative action hires. ' My boss at work is a woman and as a result I have encountered many discriminatory comments pertaining to her position.

The first remark I usually receive suggestions that she was hired for her position solely based on gender. You might have also encountered a negative remark about a woman in your family such as: 'Well, being a woman probably didn't hurt her resume. ' My boss is very good at her manager job yet most males look down upon her as being hired because of affirmative action. This type of criticism is received by many minorities holding good jobs, whether they are qualified or not. William Reynolds, assistant attorney general in the civil rights division states, "In many cases, affirmative action takes away from legitimate minority success. People look at the black banker downtown who has made it on his own and say, 'He got his job because of affirmative action.

' " People of any race or gender should be able to hold a job where their colleagues respect them as their peers, not as 'affirmative-action hires'. It seems that minorities are accepted to a certain extent, until they become someone's boss or superior. Affirmative action insists that the employer must avoid the kind of unnecessary escalation of criteria for selection and promotion which has sometimes been used to keep certain classes of people from entering the mainstream of our economic life. This aspect of the plan creates more openings for minorities; however, it also suggests that the standards should be maintained at a low to guarantee these openings. In my opinion, if the standards for any position are raised, the productivity and accuracy of the United States will rise.

Roy Wilkins, a former Executive Director of the NAACP, stated to the congress: Our association has never been in favor of a quota system. We believe the quota system is unfair whether it is used for or against blacks... We feel people ought to be hired because of their ability, irrespective of their color... We want equality, equality of opportunity and employment on the basis of ability. If the people which affirmative action was made for are against most of it's principles -- and the white male loses a job because of it then why is the majority supportive of this plan? A powerful argument for affirmative action is based upon claims from minorities who believe that they deserve a certain amount of compensation because of the past discrimination, which they have received.

Affirmative action is a good plan in theory, but hiring a certain percentage of minorities (qualified or not) has turned into a larger problem than what previously existed. The hiring requirements of affirmative action have caused the white male to become a minority because they cannot be hired unless the required percentage of minorities are already employed. A more effective method of hiring fairly that I would suggest, might be a paper or telephone interview. If perspective employees could send in their resumes, be assigned a number, and fill out a written interview, then one fair practice is in place. This method would guarantee the most qualified people would be hired, and there could be no accusations of choosing a person on their race or gender. Affirmative Action Andy Thrash Per 312/17/00.