Which policy is designed to promote fair access to employment by addressing past inequities?

• A. Affirmative action
• B. Seniority system
• C. Employee referral programs
• D. Performance-based scoring

Answer: (A)

Affirmative action focuses on creating fair access to employment by actively addressing the effects of past discrimination. It involves taking deliberate steps to expand opportunities for groups that have been historically underrepresented, such as considering diversity in hiring and promotion to build a more representative workforce. This goal of remedying past inequities distinguishes it from other policies: a seniority system mainly rewards how long someone has worked, not addressing historical disadvantages; employee referral programs rely on existing networks and can reproduce the status quo; and performance-based scoring emphasizes demonstrated merit without specifically correcting past disparities. So, affirmative action is the policy designed to promote fair access by addressing past inequities.