Ethics

1. Affirmative action programs are important in stamping out discrimination in companies. Discrimination based on sex, religion, race, or any other criteria is demeaning to the persons affected. By requiring companies to adopt employment policies that recognize racial and gender disparities in the workplace, and make concerted efforts to balance out the inequalities, such programs ensure that all people have an equal chance of advancing in life.

Training staff on the laws concerning discrimination and harassment is important is reducing the number of cases that arise in the workplace. More importantly, is the need for proactive diversity programs that encourage racial tolerance and harmony. With greater understanding of various ethnic practices and cultures, employees will avoid making racial slurs or discriminatory remarks that offend their co-workers.

2.   Affirmative action programs have given rise to the phenomenon of reverse discrimination. Whereas the affected majority have a cause to champion, their privileged status over time has contributed to a disparity in opportunities for minorities. A less qualified minority may have performed better than a white counterpart had the same facilities been readily available.

Ensuring that minorities occupy the top spots creates a pool of experienced personnel who can then train others to manage such positions. Until such a time that all opportunities are easily accessible to everybody irrespective of status, abandoning affirmative action programs will lead to a situation where the best jobs are taken by the majority race and the less attractive vacancies filled by the minorities.

3. The Utilitarian School of Thought supports the action that favors the greatest majority. In this respect, the deficiencies of the affirmative action program (reverse discrimination) are balanced out by the good that is occasioned on the greatest number. The system should work out modalities that ensure overall efficiency is not compromised by hiring less competent people.

Equal pay for similar jobs should be a right for any employee, irrespective of gender, provided the skills levels are at par. Some positions remain risky especially when it comes to warfare. It will be foolhardy to ignore the physiological and psychological differences between men and women when deciding to allocate duties.  Consequently, prudence must be exercised when extending the benefits of affirmative action.