Definitions

Affirmative action refers to efforts made to expand employment opportunity for members of a particular race, gender, ethnicity, or other group previously excluded from employment opportunities. These efforts must be consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

Equal employment opportunity is the right of all persons to be considered based on their ability to meet the requirements of the job. Because equal opportunity does not typically change existing conditions, affirmative action efforts may be necessary.

Underutilization occurs when the percentage of employees in a protected group (women or minorities) is less than the availability percentage for that protected group, as indicated by census data, reports of graduates from graduate programs, and other data that give an indication of how many individuals in the protected class are available in the geographic recruiting area. This term is used by affirmative action planners who seek to apply good faith efforts to increase the percentage of utilization of minorities and women in a work force.