Author: Diversity Insight

Economy and talent drought may force widespread diversity

Surprise, surprise: Leaders of international executive search firm Epsen Fuller have noticed severe deficits in diversity at the executive level. And they know of what they speak: The firm is the U.S. member of IMD International Search and Consulting, the 14th largest executive search firm network in the world. The firm’s own research reveals that […]

Diversity Metrics: Does measuring diversity actually matter?

Jennifer Melton is the diversity management consultant for F&H Solutions Group, a national HR consulting firm based in Washington D.C. She has had great success in assisting clients like Turner Broadcasting System and Cox Enterprises in their efforts to develop, implement, and measure the success of diversity initiatives. The last step, Melton says, is vital […]

More than 300 counties now “majority-minority”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in every 10 of the nation’s 3,141 counties has a population that is more than 50 percent minority. The two largest counties passing the threshold are Denver County, Colorado, and East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, with total populations of 566,974 and 429,073, respectively. Three other counties were […]

Cinco de Mayo: Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the legendary Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, in which a Mexican force of 4,500 men faced 6,000 well-trained French soldiers. The battle lasted four hours and ended in a victory for the Mexican army under Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza. Along with Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16, Cinco de Mayo […]

Passed over for being white, woman gets $2.1 million

According to the Kansas City Star, a local jury has awarded more than $2.1 million to Melissa Howard, who said she was passed over for a Kansas City judgeship because she was white. A county assistant prosecutor, she was one of three white women who were finalists for the position but claims that the Kansas […]

401(k) Fee Cases: Hot Area for Litigation

In the past year, litigation filed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) has exploded, and it’s quickly becoming an ever-present reality for employers. One of the most recent and fastest-growing areas of this litigation involves 401(k) fee cases. Because the lawsuits are very new and still not well publicized, they catch many employers […]

Chair Model

LITGATION VALUE:  $6,000 – $10,000 Despite what you might think, Michael’s demand that all employees provide him with candidates to serve as the mother of his children does not violate any major employment law.  After all, Michael made the demand of all employees and not, for example, only female employees or employees of a particular […]

Death To All Sacred Cows

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book Death To All Sacred Cows: How Successful Business People Put the Old Rules Out to Pasture by Bill Schwab. Review highlights book theory about how email does not always save and tips for effective use of email. I just finished reading a really funny book, Death to […]

McDonald’s Fails to Accommodate Employee Unable to Wash Hands

by Daniel Pugen and Earl G. Phillips McCarthy Tetrault In Canada, human rights legislation provides that employers have a duty to accommodate disabled workers unless such accommodation would cause “undue hardship” on the employer. A recent case involving McDonald’s Restaurants before the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal illustrates the high standard of accommodation expected of […]

Pregnancy Complications: Disability, No; Sex Discrimination, Maybe

By John C. Pitblado By now, you know that the old “sticks and stones” schoolyard adage is way off: Words can hurt you. You may be surprised to find out how few words (in this case, a 12-word phrase in an e-mail) it takes to really hurt an employer that’s facing a discrimination claim. HR […]