For federal contractors and subcontractors, affected employers must take positive steps to recruit and promote qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities and insured veterans. Affirmative action includes training programs, public relations and other positive measures. These procedures should be included in the company`s written personnel policy. Employers with written subsidy programs must implement, retain and update them annually. As President Clinton said: “Affirmative action is an attempt to develop a systematic approach to opening doors to education, employment and business development opportunities to skilled people who happen to be members of groups that have experienced persistent and long-standing discrimination. Where there is more affirmative action, there is less discrimination. And yet, despite all this, in too many states and workplaces, simply being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender can still be a termination offense. There are people here today who have lost their jobs because of that. It`s not speculative, it`s not about political correctness – people lose their jobs as a result. Their livelihoods are threatened, their families are threatened. In fact, more states now allow same-sex marriage than discrimination against LGBT workers prohibits. That`s why I firmly believe it`s time to address this injustice for every American. The premise of affirmative action programs is that breaking down the profile of employees in a non-discriminatory company would accurately reflect the larger labour pools available to it.
A written Positive Action Plan (AAP) is a management tool that uses various means to analyze and achieve this goal. A typical CIP for a business, as described in the Code of Federal Regulations, would include: OFCCP requires a contractor to conduct a self-analysis as a condition of a federal contract to uncover barriers to equal opportunity. No other government agency conducts comparable systemic reviews of employers` employment practices to detect discrimination. OFCCP also investigates complaints of discrimination. In fiscal year 2013, OFCCP conducted approximately 4,000 conformity assessments for supply, service and construction contractors. In addition, OFCCP programs prevent discrimination. More information on OFCCP programs is available on the Agency`s website under www.dol.gov/ofccp. Positive action has different definitions depending on the sector in which it is located, such as education, public procurement and employment.
Executive Order 11246 and its regulations refer to a process that requires a government contractor to review and assess the overall scope of its human resources practices to identify and address barriers to equal employment opportunity. If problems are identified, the contractor is obliged to develop a precisely tailored program to remedy the defects. Where appropriate, the contractor is required to set appropriate objectives to measure success in achieving this result. The affirmative action program included in the regulations originated in the private sector, where contractors` “progress plans” were reportedly developed to take positive action and prevent complaints of discrimination. Affirmative action plans required by federal contractors and subcontractors are implemented by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) under the DOL. Executive Order 11246, according to the Department of Labor (DOL) website, requires federal contractors and state-backed contractors who engage in at least $10,000 in government affairs over a one-year period to take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity in all aspects of their employment. One-fifth of the U.S. workforce is employed by companies that do business with the federal government, so the order has broad reach. It also applies to subcontractors who supply components to companies with federal contracts, such as engine parts manufacturers for manufacturers of vehicles purchased by the Department of Defense. Financial institutions that have deposit accounts for federal funds — or that sell or redeem U.S. savings bonds — must also maintain a positive plan of action.