What is the difference between employment equity (Canada) and affirmative action (US)?
Both programs are government initiatives to legislate fairness for certain groups of people. Both share the goal of a workforce that reflects the pool of talent available in the labour market. While both programs rely on numerical representation to measure progress, the major difference between the two is that affirmative action relies on quotas that must be achieved or the employer will face punitive consequences. In comparison, employment equity relies on flexible, rational targets (representation goals and timetables) that employers set themselves according to the reality of their business. Instead of quotas, employers set targets for measuring progress in hiring workers from the four designated groups.
