Tag: diversity

Dress Code Considerations for a Diverse Workforce

By Carolyn A. Wade Society’s standards (or lack thereof) regarding clothing and grooming have certainly changed over the last 50 years. Taking a trip on an airplane used to mean “dressing up” and wearing the kind of clothes you would wear to church ― a suit and tie or a dress and heels. Now people […]

Lawmakers Try to Address Workplace Gender Identity Issues

Gender identity disorder is a medically recognized condition in which a person’s gender identity doesn’t match his genetic sex. In some cases, the recommended standard of care is counseling and sex reassignment therapy, which includes representing yourself as the gender corresponding to your identity, hormone replacement therapy, and, eventually, gender reassignment surgery. Although federal law […]

Egyptian Copt Claims Race and National Origin Discrimination

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, you are prohibited from discriminating against individuals based on several protected classes, including race and national origin. In the following case, an Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) physician claimed that his ethnicity and national origin prompted the revocation of his hospital privileges. Read on to learn […]

A Look at America’s Disabled Population as the ADA Turns 21

July 26 will mark the 21st anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which guarantees equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public accommodations, commercial facilities, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. Here are some statistics about disabled Americans from the U.S. Census Bureau: There are 36 million disabled […]

How to Match Millenials with Mentors: Part 2

Last month, Allison Duke discussed the unique aspects of the Millennial workforce and the benefits of having a traditional mentoring program for these workers. Since Millenials aren’t traditional workers, this month, she explores other ways of structuring your mentoring program, starting with . . . Reverse Mentoring With reverse mentoring, Millennials are matched with executives […]

The Rule Is ‘English only’! Capice?

By Lauren M. Cooper A much-debated issue is whether you may lawfully require employees to speak only English in the workplace. The simple answer is yes. This article will address the circumstances in which you may legally enforce an English-only policy and the potential legal risks that follow. Status Quo Ante Employers increasingly ask employees […]

Is Obesity a Disability? Jury’s Still Out, but It’s a Serious Matter

Even though there’s no definitive rule on whether obesity is a disability under the amended, more employee-friendly Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you should be careful about how you treat overweight and obese employees. One in every three Americans age 20 and up was obese between 2007 and 2008, and about the same percentage was […]

Survey Says: While Conditions Are Improving, There’s Still Work to Be Done

The American workforce is ever changing, with women now accounting for about half the work force as well as increased racial and ethnic diversity. Recently, CareerBuilder conducted a survey of  more than 1,300 workers from diverse segments — African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, women, workers with disabilities and Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) workers — to find out how […]

How to Match Millennials with Mentors: Part 1

By Allison Burgess Duke As a college professor, I am asked constantly how to deal with the work ethic (or lack thereof) and the entitled attitudes of Millennials, the newest generation entering the workplace. According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials are those individuals born after 1980 ― the first generation to come of age […]

NQRs Are Ready to Work

By Mark I. Schickman The HR world certainly has more than its share of acronyms, having to deal with the EEOC in order to comply with the ADA. And for an employee on leave, the interplay among the FMLA, PDA, and WC are crucial. But there’s a new acronym you need to learn because it […]