How to Develop a Solid Affirmative Action Program
Governments often require employers to develop programs that promote diversity in the workplace. Employers must understand the specifics of the requirements in order to avoid any legal problems when they create these plans.
In the United States, satisfying the Affirmative Action Program (AAP) laws can be tricky. Employers need to know whether the organization is required to have an affirmative action plan, know how to set the plan up, and how to ensure that it's enforced.
The following tips apply to fulfilling the needs of an AAP plan in the United States, but are good tips for developing a diversity strategy in most other countries as well. (But always remember: legal requirements change depending on where and when you live!)
Assessing Need for an AAP Plan
Setting up an affirmative action plan is necessary for any business covered by the affirmative action requirements. If your company has 50 or more employees and meet any of the following conditions, then an affirmative action plan is probably necessary:
- Hold a federal contract paying $50,000 or more per year.
- Your business is overseen by a federal agency such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (as in the case of a financial institution) or the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
- Serves as a depository of federal funds.
In addition to U.S. federal requirements, many states have their own requirements detailing when employers must set up an affirmative action plan. You need to check the laws in your state or country before you make a decision.
AAP Requirements
If a program falls under the federal AAP requirements, there are a number of standards that employers must meet. These components include an analysis of the organization, its job groups, and its placement goals.
Also, employers must have plans in place to keep all information related to the plan confidential. They must also maintain personnel and employment records and track applicants. Finally, they need a system for enforcing these requirements.
Companies should conduct regular audits to avoid employment discrimination. You should do an audit every time an employee is hired, promoted, or a group of employees are laid off.
Regular audits help the organization see how employees are doing in an organization. This helps to ensure that vulnerable groups aren't being given less desirable positions in the workplace. Audits help identify how personnel decisions are implemented in your company. You want to know if gender, race, culture, or disability have unfair influences on HR decisions.
Self-audits mean looking at employees in different job groups (i.e. employees that shares similar employment characteristics, like pay and opportunities). Within each of these job groups, make sure you identify who holds the position. You'll need to keep records in case you the government decides to conduct an audit of its own.
Companies and legally required to uphold the requirements of the AAP, or whatever regulator you report to in your own jurisdiction. But implementing AAPs and promoting diversity aren't just about meeting legal requirements—they're about making your business better.
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