> most companies, who are expending great effort on balancing the gender ratio while treating men of color as second-class URMs
At least in the US actually admitting to having gender biased hiring would have to violate a half dozen anti-discrimination labor protection laws, no? Universities are doing affirmative action because there is no legislation mandating they not be sexist in their enrollment whereas corporations don't have that freedom in hiring.
Affirmative Action is requirer by law:
"The order specifically requires certain organizations accepting federal funds to take affirmative action to increase employment of members of preferred racial or ethnic groups and women... quotas based on an analysis of the current workforce compared to the availability in the general labor pool of women and members of racial minorities. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regents_of_the_Univ._of_Cal._v... established that affirmative action per se is legal in US under the Constitution and the federal law. What's illegal is hard quotas and other arrangements where the decision is made solely on the basis of e.g. race or gender - but it can be one of several deciding factors.
On state level, it depends on the state. Some have laws or constitutional amendments that prohibit affirmative action.
Sure, but nobody gives a shit unless you're absolutely blatant about it. As long as you don't hold a press conference and do a dance, you'll fly straight under the radar.
At least in the US actually admitting to having gender biased hiring would have to violate a half dozen anti-discrimination labor protection laws, no? Universities are doing affirmative action because there is no legislation mandating they not be sexist in their enrollment whereas corporations don't have that freedom in hiring.