What is affirmative action?

Affirmative action is a policy or set of practices designed to promote fair and equal treatment in hiring and employment. It is a tool used to increase diversity in organizations, educational facilities, and during the hiring process. Specifically, in California, affirmative action helps to ensure that people from a variety of backgrounds, genders and ethnicities have access to resources and opportunities. Affirmative action can be seen in the context of civil rights law. In California, state and local governments have implemented measures to help historically disadvantaged communities, like minorities and women, gain access to quality education and employment opportunities, and to be evaluated fairly regardless of their backgrounds or gender. Examples of affirmative action in California can range from targeted outreach programs, to special recruitment practices, to hiring goals and timetables. The Supreme Court has decided that when it comes to hiring, states can use affirmative action as long as they meet certain criteria, such as ensuring that the program is narrowly tailored to remedy the effects of past discrimination. Overall, affirmative action is a system of policies and practices intended to promote fairness, to increase workplace diversity and to give members of historically disadvantaged groups access to resources and opportunities they may not otherwise have had. It is an important part of civil rights law, and California is one of many states that has implemented measures to ensure equal access for all.

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What is affirmative action?

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