Positive discrimination, also known as affirmative action or reverse discrimination, is a set of laws and policies that give employment preference to disadvantaged groups who have experienced discrimination in the past. It aims to create equality in the workplace and ensure fair representation for under-represented groups. Positive discrimination laws vary from region to region, with some countries imposing quotas for certain groups. Anti-discrimination laws protect against unfair treatment based on age, race, religion, gender, or sexual preference. Canada operates an affirmative action program for women, Aboriginal people, the disabled, and minorities.
Laws and policies that give employment preference to disadvantaged groups of people who may have experienced discrimination in the past are defined as positive discrimination. These practices historically applied to women and ethical groups to create equality in the workplace. Often called affirmative action or reverse discrimination, positive discrimination has been practiced by some countries on principle.
Positive discrimination refers to employment discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, or disability. It ensures fair representation in the workforce for classes of people who may have been under-represented in the past. In some areas, quota systems require employers to hire a predetermined percentage of minority or female workers.
Policies governing positive discrimination differ from laws that make it illegal to discriminate against certain classes of people. Anti-discrimination laws protect older workers from unfair treatment at work. They also discourage unfair practices targeting women and prejudice against a particular ethnic or religious group. Some areas also apply these protections to the disabled and homosexuals. Non-discrimination policies address the hiring practices, promotion opportunities, and termination of employees based on age, race, religion, gender, or sexual preference.
Positive discrimination laws vary widely from region to region. In India, for example, laws impose quotas for citizens of lower castes and for some religious groups defined as minorities. These laws aimed to correct years of possible injustices based on social or economic status. The law in India did not extend positive discrimination to women, but it did prohibit acts of discrimination against them.
An equality law passed in the UK in 2011 refers to positive action, as positive discrimination is illegal there. UK employers cannot hire women simply to balance the number of male and female workers, but they can hire a woman instead of a man if she is equally qualified and women are not well represented in the company. The same formula applies to ethnic minorities if both applicants have equal qualifications.
Canada operates an affirmative action program under its human rights laws. It applies to women, Aboriginal people, the disabled and minorities. Government-regulated employers and companies receiving federal contracts above a certain amount must meet statutory hiring quotas, which do not apply to most private employers. Canadian officials hope to reduce or eliminate any potential disadvantages for particular groups of citizens, the law says.
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