“You are looking at this in a profoundly superficial fashion. I suspect that the inner workings of a corporate HR department are somewhat of a mystery to you, as they are to many.”
I am looking at this from the perspective of someone cruising the help wanted section of any newspaper looking for a job. What this tells me(because of the specific wording) is that they are looking for black and female applicants only.
I am happy to grant you the point that HR departments are a total mystery to me and many others. However, it is still a total departure from our constitution, where all are equal under the law.
The federal government should not be dictating to states, cities or private companies who they are allowed to hire or fire. Furthermore, they should not be allowed to fine said entities for things that are beyond their control ie, how many minorities choose to apply for a job. The wording would not have bothered me one bit if it had said that minorities ‘were encouraged to apply’. This wording goes way beyond that and leaves the impression that the job is specifically open to only blacks and women.
Thanks again for your input.
I guess the goal ISN’T a colorblind society,
nor is it a “level playing field”.
The goal is a preference based, tilted playing field.
Forever.
I don’t see quite how you go from “As an equal opportunity employer, the City of Little Rock is seeking qualified black and female applicants” to the job being ‘specifically open to only blacks and women’.
Are you currently a job seeker? I’m guessing not (purely a guess) based on my own superficial reading of your comments. An active job seeker has seen so many of the affirmative action disclaimers that they become nearly invisible.
But instinctively, you do understand affirmative action. But kind of in reverse. Your comment that companies are not in control of who applies is part of what makes affirmative action affirmative. As in reaching out proactively to the groups that are under represented in your applicant pool. Taking specific steps to engage those that are under represented.
By way of example, let’s say I post job ads in only one of a town’s major newspapers, and it happens to be the one that has a largely white audience. An affirmative action program might have the organization also post the job ad in the paper that is primarily read by a minority audience as well, so as not to exclude them. In other words, the organization can attempt to control, or to increase the reach of its recruiting efforts.
Burdensome on the organization ... you betcha. But a lot cheaper than the fines and back pay companies routinely pay for NOT hiring the most qualified applicant.