Presents the United States Supreme Court's decisions in Wygant v. the Jackson Board of Education and in International Association of Firefighters v. City of Cleveland. Explores the decisions' more general applications to voluntary affirmative action plans. (PS)

Provides a brief overview of the work of the Department of Justice in eliminating discrimination by public employers. Discusses four 1986 Supreme Court decisions about the permissible scope of affirmative action. The decisions indicate that affirmative action programs must use affirmative action in recruitment, training and outreach. (PS)

Discusses genetic screening in the employment context, which involves identification of individuals hypersusceptible to toxins in the work environment. Examines the status of genetic screening devices against standard testing and legal criteria. (LLL)

Discusses background and decision of United States Supreme Court's first case related to affirmative action based on sex. Concludes that the majority of the Court support the principle of affirmative action when properly applied to overcome a history of both race and sex discrimination. (PS)

Provides an overview of controversies over the legality of employment quotas. Asserts that the realities of human relationships (which form a metaphorical "web") cannot always be recognized and considered by the courts (which operate as a metaphorical "ladder"). (KH)

Analyzes two personnel-related decisions--"City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co." and "Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio"--rendered during the 1988 term of the Supreme Court. Examines the impact they are expected to have on two key personnel-centered equity programs, affirmative action and equal employment opportunity. (AF)