No two pieces of legislation have done more to increase costs and tensions in the workplace. They are based on the unproven assumptions that the hiring and pay scales of visible minorities, women, etc. are the direct result of racist and sexist attitudes of all employers.
Their implementation has required the creation of expensive bureaucracies which now dictate who shall be given preference in hiring and what they shall be paid. This is really legislated discrimination. The farcical nature of the legislation now sees many claiming some form of mental disability or ancient link to one of the "disadvantaged" groups to get a job or promotion.
Newspaper articles have noted that the agencies responsible for implementing these programmes do not follow their own hiring guidelines. Similarly, teachers' unions with a predominantly female membership are adamant in saying they have no intention of following the law.
Libertarians believe these schemes interfere with the right of individuals to negotiate a private employment contract without government interference. They are unjust, unfair, expensive and represent more red tape that sends jobs to other jurisdictions. They don't work. Libertarians would see them scrapped.
