Affirmative Action how it Affects Small Business *

Abstract

Affirmative Action laws have significantly affected large businesses, but the impact has been even greater on many small businesses which must compete in the same labor markets for the scarce qualified women and minority workers. This article examines the problems faced by small businesses in their struggles to meet EEOC and affirmative action guidelines. In particular, the focus is on the different categories in which a small business may fall: (1) a government contractor, (2) a subcontractor to a firm with government contracts, (3) a small branch of a larger corporation, (4) a small independent firm with no government contracts.