Positive discrimination is the direct opposite to regular discrimination. It's when you treat one person more favourably than another because of a protected characteristic. This is allowed if it means making reasonable adjustments for disability. Other than that, it is illegal.
A simplified description of the legal definition of discrimination is when a person is treated disfavourably or when a person's dignity is violated. The disfavourable treatment or the violation of a person's dignity must also be related to one of the seven grounds of discrimination.
Treating one or more members of a specified group unfairly as compared with other people.
This is a form of discrimination that favours someone by treating them differently in a positive way. An example might be an organisation appointing someone from an underrepresented group into a role without considering whether they have right skills for the post.
Affirmative action is the American term, and positive discrimination is the British term. However, positive action is the special one, and is more popular in Europe (where positive discrimination is unlawful).
Definition and Citations: a term used to deny someone the equal protection of the laws and to treat al people the same. Discriminating Monopoly.
The original, neutral sense of discrimination, "the act of distinguishing," came into English by the early 17th century, followed by the positive one associated with superior discernment in the 18th century. Discrimination in the "prejudice" sense has been in use since the early 19th century, almost 200 years ago.
Discrimination refers to different treatment for similarly situated parties, especially when no legitimate reason appears to exist. For example, an employer who rejects all female applicants and hires the first male applicant with the same qualifications might be discriminating on the basis of gender.
Discrimination is the unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.
Legally, the term “discrimination” covers only actions that are taken against people because they belong to certain protected classes such as age, gender, race, and the many others that will be discussed in detail throughout this chapter.