Personnel executives respond to reaffirmation of affirmative action

Article Abstract:

The US Supreme Court upheld the promotion of Diane Joyce to road dispatcher by California's Santa Clara County Transportation Agency based on her sexual identity in a 6 to 3 decision on Mar 25, 1987. The Court noted that companies can legally promote or employ people in an effort to correct "manifest imbalances," as long as the rights of other employees are not "unnecessarily trammeled." The transportation agency did not have any women road dispatchers before Joyce's promotion. The case was brought against the agency by a man who felt he was more qualified than Joyce for the position and believed himself to have been discriminated against. This was the Court's first affirmative action decision under Chief Justice William Rehnquist. A survey of US personnel directors indicates that they agree with the Court's decision. Several comments on the Joyce case by survey respondents are related.

Cases, Surveys, Employment, Career development, Businesswomen, Human resource directors, Women executives, Santa Clara County, California, Personnel Journal (Periodical), Joyce, Diane

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A litmus test for EEO philosophies

Article Abstract:

Equal employment opportunity (EEO) is difficult to manage. What one person views as an affirmative action another could label reverse discrimination. Abolition of employment quotas complicates personnel management efforts to prevent discrimination. A ten-question exam is provided to help personnel directors identify themselves as either liberal or conservative on EEO issues. Personnel directors may be classified as being one of four management types: (1) benefactors, the most liberal managers who attempt to offset historic discrimination or to counteract discriminatory practices of other employers, (2) advocates, the moderately liberal managers, (3) scholars, the moderately conservative managers, and (4) judges, the most conservative managers who refuse to recognize any group as "protected" since such recognition could compromise the rights of some other employee group.

Admin. of social & manpower programs, United States. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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The Supreme Court's new era: What's ahead for labor law?

Article Abstract:

In October 1986, President Reagan appointed to the Supreme Court William Rehnquist and Antonin Scalia, thus influencing the U.S. justice system and the direction of the Court to the right. It is likely that the Rehnquist court may not be as favorable toward Affirmative Action programs, but may uphold current legislation on representation rights and collective bargaining. The new Court's future direction will be indicated by the outcome of several employment discrimination cases still pending (e.g., U.S. versus Paradise, Johnson versus Transportation Agency, Santa Clara County, California, and California Federal Savings and Loan versus Guerra). Powers of the new chief justice include assignment of opinion writing, and first say in determining the cases. One of Rehnquist's strong points is his ability to compromise.

United States, Management, Interpretation and construction, Officials and employees, Labor law, Scalia, Antonin, Rehnquist, William H., Burger, Warren

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