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What to do if an employee objects (loudly) to diversity training

You’re headed for the cafeteria when George (a young, energetic manager with promise) stops you and says, “I hope you don’t expect me to show up for that class about gays tomorrow.” This is news. You didn’t know George had objections to the planned diversity seminar. George registers your surprise and ups the ante. “I […]

Team in Trouble: One word & two cultures = production problems

A team is missing its production deadlines, and a different cultural interpretation of the word “deadline” is the cause. Two experts offer solutions for fixing the problem. The Problem: Don is production manager in a printing company that produces books for major publishers. Five years ago, the company added binding to its services, and Don […]

Lockheed Martin settles race discrimination case for $2.5 million

Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest military contractor, will have to pay former employee Charles Daniels $2.5 million. The African-American electrician was subjected to a racially hostile work environment at several job sites nationwide. This is the largest amount ever obtained by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for a single person in a discrimination case. […]

Relevant statistics for today’s diversity executives

4,901: number of pregnancy discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC in 2006, making it one of the fastest growing types of workplace complaints 99.1 million: amount of sex-based discrimination claims paid to plaintiffs 16: Percentage of female corporate officers at FORTUNE 500 companies 9: Number of female CEOs at FORTUNE 500 companies

Relevant statistics for today’s diversity executives

4,901: number of pregnancy discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC in 2006, making it one of the fastest growing types of workplace complaints 99.1 million: amount of sex-based discrimination claims paid to plaintiffs 16: Percentage of female corporate officers at FORTUNE 500 companies 9: Number of female CEOs at FORTUNE 500 companies

Big Brother Is Here: Ontario’s Integrated Approach to Enforcement

by Daniel Pugen McCarthy Tetrault Ontario’s new Regulatory Modernization Act, 2007 may sound like a bland piece of regulatory updating, but it actually contains significant changes to regulatory enforcement processes, including those in the employment field. Passed by the Ontario legislature on May 17, 2007, and going into effect on January 17, 2008, this law […]

Ruling Helps Alberta Employers Defend Preemployment Testing Challenges

by Michael Ford McCarthy Tetrault A long-awaited ruling of the Alberta Court of Appeal clears up some questions related to preemployment drug and alcohol testing related to safety-sensitive positions. The case – Chiasson v. Kellogg Brown & Root issued December 28, 2007 – involved an admitted casual user of marijuana being terminated from his employment […]

6 Tips for Dealing with New HR Laws, Regs, and Court Decisions

As every year does, 2008 brings new laws, new regs, and new court decisions to deal with. Here are 6 tips for handling the changes, whatever they are … and an introduction to our new January 30 audio conference, 2008 Legislative Update. New year, new laws and regs! OK, take time to groan, but only […]

E-mailed Pink Slips Create ‘Walking Negative Ads’

Survey says … more companies are using e-mail to deliver bad news. That’s going to result in a lot of disgruntled ex-employees forever spewing negative opinions about your company. U.S. workers may want to think twice before opening that e-mail from the boss—it might be a termination notice, says a recent poll conducted for the […]