n [ U ]
a US government policy requiring that minorities (including women) should be favoured when people are chosen for jobs or entry to college. Americans are divided about this practice and often say it is ‘reverse discrimination’. It has existed since the 1960s, but the Supreme Court has since decided against strict quotas (= numbers of people) and forcing affirmative action on private businesses. The more informal practice in Britain is sometimes known as ‘positive discrimination’.
See also Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , Equal Opportunities Commission .