What is affirmative action and equal opportunity, and are they the same?
Equal Employment Opportunity prohibits employment decisions that are based on protected classifications such as race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, veteran status or disability. Affirmative action goes further than Equal Employment Opportunity. Affirmative action asserts that organizations and individuals in organizations seek to overcome the effects of past discrimination against groups such as women, minorities and veterans by making a positive and continuous effort in their recruitment, employment, retention, and promotion efforts. Affirmative action also requires organizations must actively seek to remove any barriers that artificially limit the professional and personal development of individuals who are members of protected groups. Affirmative recruitment steps should be taken to increase applications from qualified women and minorities for each position vacancy.
