Author: Diversity Insight

Employer Guidance for ADA Design Standards

By Jeffrey S. Beck As the weather changes, many employers turn their attention to facility maintenance. If you’re one of those employers, you should consider the implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) building design standards for any significant projects you undertake, whether it’s a new coat of paint, remodeling, or thorough winterizing. Recently, […]

EEOC Taking Close Look at Hiring Decisions

Someone applies for a job and doesn’t get it. End of story? Not necessarily. More than 6,300 unsuccessful job applicants have complained to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) so far this fiscal year, claiming illegal discrimination kept them out of a job. Bass Pro, Weight Watchers in EEOC’s Sights The EEOC is focusing on […]

Ninth Circuit Continues Benefits for Same-Sex Partners of State Employees

By Dinita L. James In the case of Collins v. Brewer, a federal judge from Alaska, deciding a case from Arizona, barred the state’s attempt to do away with benefits for same-sex domestic partners of state employees. Earlier this year, there was an argument on the case before a three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. […]

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

American Indians and Alaska Natives is one of the six major race categories. Each November, the United States celebrates American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Here are some facts from the U.S. Census Bureau on the group: As of the 2010 Census, the population of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States […]

Workers’ Compensation Mental Stress Claims May Be Expanded

By Bill Duvall Employers in Canada have taken comfort from the fact that most provincial workers’ compensation agencies provide benefits for workplace mental stress only in very limited circumstances. But that comfort may be threatened, at least in British Columbia. Earlier this month, the B.C. government introduced legislation that, if passed, will expand workers’ compensation […]

Funny Business

Litigation Value: minimum $300,000 if Dwight is retained. Once again, Dwight Schrute illustrates well what it means to “cross the line” while at work. He even raised the bar on inappropriate behavior at the Scranton branch, a feat we heretofore believed impossible. For those of you who missed this week’s episode, I’ll briefly describe. Pam […]

3 Leadership Lessons from Penn State Debacle

If you’re anything like me, you’re sick of hearing about the whole Jerry Sandusky/Penn State sex abuse case. Sick of it, first and foremost, because the thought of what Sandusky allegedly did to those young boys, and the evidence appears overwhelming, is enough to make you physically ill. And sick of it because the 24-hour […]

Union-Limiting Law Goes Down in Ohio

Ohio Governor John Kasich says he’s taking “a deep breath” after voters overwhelmingly rejected a state law he supported placing limits on collective bargaining for government workers. Union supporters are praising the vote that rejected Senate Bill 5, a law that would have prohibited strikes by public-sector unions, ended binding arbitration, stopped promotions based totally […]

Look for Workers’ Traits, Not How They Got Them

My column last week was about traits many athletes possess that I believe can make them good employees — competitiveness, teamwork, dedication, and resilience. Some helpful questions and suggestions from readers led me to think I should probably clarify the thought that I was trying to convey. If you recall, last week I mentioned that […]

Employers Warned of New Misclassification Dangers (video)

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is focusing “an enormous amount of attention” on misclassifying workers as exempt, non-exempt, and independent contractors and is throwing significant resources at the problem, according to attorney Susan G. Fentin, who spoke at the recent Advanced Employment Issues Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee. Plus, the DOL and the IRS are […]