Good Example Of Human Resource Management Essay

Success or Failure of Civil Rights Legislation of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 aims to address the core issues of employment discrimination and provision of equal opportunity to every US citizen irrespective of race, color religion, nationality, ethnicity, language, sex, caste and disability. Nevertheless, the purpose is to foster fairness, equality and just treatment by employers for all candidates. The most important law of Civil Right Act is Title V11 that imposes restrictions and prohibitions on employment discrimination through disparate treatment and disparate act. The article imposes penalties in case of any intentional and preferential treatment by employers to protect a specific class against another combined with constrictions on strategies that though sound neutral but generate specific consequences to relegate and banish a specific group to support a preferred class or segment of society. This should be noted that Civil Rights legislation is now 50 years old, but it is a step in the right direction to eradicate the prevalent 300- year old discrimination especially class African Americans and Hispanics. The researcher would like to highlight that Blacks are among the worst hit racial class across USA as they suffered deliberate prejudice and biased attitudes pertaining to employment decisions that increased poverty levels to the highest among Blacks as compared to Whites and Asians. However, the legislation substantially empowers women, handicapped and subordinate class personnel as they now could use legal provisions to fight for their due rights and economic interests.
A most recent example of historical change is the victory of President Obama across USA who belongs to a minority black class. This is the evidence that American society is heading the right direction as individuals today understand and endorse the importance of fairness and social equality to a greater extent though problems still exist at the corporate level. The researcher would like to argue that Civil Rights Act is also a potential determinant for causing this societal change and opening mindsets of dominant class to accept minority classes for cultural integration. A significant number of employers implements equal opportunity strategy especially the MNCs, large scale state and private sector organizations that regard cultural diversity as an essential aspect for local and global business development. The Title V11 of Civil Rights Act is a major shield for employees who could discrimination evidences to shatter employer reputation through lawsuits if the latter is guilty of discrimination in hiring, developing and promoting employees based upon demographic and not upon merit.
The Civil Rights legislation has not been a 100% success in creating a "level playing field" for job seekers, and those seeking upward mobility in their organizations. It is not even 90% but it has led to considerable changes in HR policies and general acceptance by employers about the importance of equal opportunity and its benefits for business expansion and sustainability in a globalized context. Hence, it should be concluded that if the act is a 50% success in increasing inclusion and contribution of women and minority group employees in 2015 compared to 1964 then the results should be considered satisfactory as 50 years are simply not enough to fully eradicate the curse and consequences of 300-year old prolonged segregation and slavery (Wolf, 2014).

Reference

Wolf, R. Equality still elusive 50 years after Civil Rights Act. USA Today, April 01, 2014 Web. February 12, 2015 < http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/19/civil-rights-act-progress/4641967/>