... for example an employer restricts applicants for a particular job to women or automatically appoints a woman, and the only reason for such is that women may be underrepresented in the position in question.2 The definition of positive or affirmative action3 is potentially problematic. There are at least three interrelated types of objective. First many policies are directed towards the identification of policies and practices that may disadvantage women and ethnic minorities in the workplace. However, this is no more than acting to ensure that there is no direct or indirect discrimination. A second type of positive action concerns the organisation of work and the workplace. This category includes the development of policies to reconcile home and work, such as maternity and child care policies, career break schemes, etc. The third focus, often source of greatest controversy, is on positive action to overcome the fact that, in many jobs, women and ...

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