When conversations around workplace equity stall or spark conflict, it’s often not because someone is unwilling to engage, but because people are starting from entirely different premises. A new Pew Research Center report highlights how vastly Americans’ perceptions of discrimination differ across political, demographic and social lines.
Hiring someone with work authorization that expires may mean more monitoring on the employer’s part. But preferring citizens or permanent residents over others for convenience violates both Title VII and our immigration laws.
Your employee referral program could backfire if it leads to too many employees who are alike in terms of sex, race, age or other protected characteristics. In fact, courts regularly penalize companies that rely too heavily on employee referral programs, saying they foster homogeneous workforces and perpetuate discrimination.
• Directives from the new administration. You may have to undo recent changes, especially if you’re a federal contractor or subcontractor.
• Supreme Court-related changes. Learn why and how to change your handbook policies on religious expression and accommodations.
• Employee leave. What to include and what to leave out regarding FMLA, ADA and pregnancy accommodations.
• The fractured workplace. What happens when workers disagree on topics like politics and religion? Handbook policies that set reasonable conduct rules can create a more harmonious workplace.
• Speech and civility rules. When you can restrict what employees say and when you can’t (salaries, politics, hate speech, etc.).
• Dress and grooming. Learn how to set rules on appropriate behavior, attire and decor when it comes to both in-person and remote appearances.
• Sexual and other harassment. Even if employees are remote, you need rules on email, telework, texting and off-site meetings.
• Different rules in your state. This may be the most difficult handbook area to navigate as what states say you must include clashes with federal mandates.
A recent court ruling related to FMLA leave and pregnancy holds vital lessons for employers.
The ADA doesn’t set a time limit for the reasonable accommodations process, but assumes that everybody will act in good faith. So when the process takes too long, the employee can sue, alleging failure to accommodate.
• Why common courtesy is not so common.
• The vicious cycle of disrespect: When rudeness leads to revenge.
• 7 warning signs of an incivility problem.
• Childish adults: Pouters, screamers and public attackers.
• Communication insults: Email bombers, cyberjunkies and nonresponders.
• How incivility hurts productivity and increases turnover.
• Why professional adults sometimes act like brats.
• Quick quiz: Taking an honest look in the mirror.
• How silent bystanders and wimpy managers encourage offensive behavior.
• Dealing with drama: Gossips, snobs and office divas.
• How co-workers can learn to have civil conversations about incivility.
• Using a “team turnaround” to make your group more collaborative.
• Legal hazards: Frat boys, closet bigots and sexual predators.
• 5-step formula for changing an organizational culture.
• Beyond civility: 12 signs of a truly collaborative workplace.
Teens can ask a question and get an instant (sometimes inaccurate) answer. Couple that with government websites designed to provide teens with accurate information about their rights, and you have a recipe for a PR nightmare.
We provide company cell phones for our employees. Sometimes it can be a hassle to use two phones, the company and personal. If we decided to have our employees use their personal cell phones, could that be a jeopardy for the company?
A May 20 internal announcement ends a long-standing practice of payments in so-called “dual filing” states that have their own anti-discrimination laws when those two kinds of discrimination claims are raised.
