ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

On the Job

Discrimination in the Workplace

Are employers required to have affirmative action plans?

Title VII, the ADEA, and the ADA do not require affirmative action plans. Employers who have contracts with federal, state, and local governments, however, are often required to develop AAPs. Executive Order 11246 requires federal contractors with contracts exceeding $50,000 and that employ at least fifty employees to develop an AAP. Many states, such as Iowa, California, and Pennsylvania, require employers who have state contracts to implement AAPs. Governors, mayors, and other public officials may require public employers to adopt AAPs. In addition, some employers voluntarily adopt AAPs.