MODELING U.S. AND CANADIAN EQUALITY PROGRAMS

Equality legislation and voluntary equality programs have been major issues for U.S. and Canadian employers, governments at all levels, and for human resource researchers since the 1960s. Many scholars have noted that work in this area has been complicated by confusion over the nature of the programs themselves. The extensive literature includes little discussion of a comprehensive framework for comparing and contrasting the myriad of definitions, programs, and policy choices. This article lays out a framework to assist those developing or revising legislation, organizations undertaking voluntary equality programs, and human resource researchers. Equality legislation and voluntary equality programs have been major issues for employers, governments at all levels, and for human resource researchers in the United States and Canada since the 1960s. These programs have run the gamut from voluntary corporate programs to legislated compulsory programs. Although many pieces of legislation, judgments, articles in the business and popular presses, and scholarly articles have been devoted to the topic, significant confusion still exists over the nature of these programs, making the discussion difficult [1-5]. The discussion is further complicated by the intense passions inflamed by equality issues [3, 5-7]. A framework for analysis should be a step toward making the debate more productive and should provide a useful structure for legislative and corporate