Category: Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is an important and ongoing strategy of any HR plan. Ensuring that your company supports hiring, engaging, and retaining diverse workers with varied backgrounds will set your company up for long-term success and an increased bottom line. This topic offers the latest strategies for talent management, key insights from diversity leaders, case studies on D&I in the workplace, and more.

No Protection for Drinking On the Job

Question: One of the facilities we operate has a formal dining room and bar. One of our directors found a bartender drinking wine while on duty. We have a rule that drinking by employees isn’t allowed on the premises at all. We would like to fire her. If she tells us she has a drinking […]

EEOC Sees Uptick in Sexual Harassment Claims from #MeToo Movement

While the initial anecdotal evidence was somewhat inconclusive about whether the #MeToo movement has created an atmosphere in which more victims of past sexual harassment or sexual assault are poised to come forward, the preliminary sexual harassment data for 2018 from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) now suggests that #MeToo is beginning to make […]

ADA Prohibits Bias Against Employees Who Are ‘Regarded As’ Disabled

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of their disabilities. A covered disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. That protection also extends to employees who are simply “regarded as” having a disability.

Why Can’t I Wear My Nikes?

Recently, a friend called me wondering if her employer could ban Nike apparel at work following the Colin Kaepernick “Just Do It” ad campaign controversy. In the midst of this much politicized time, a photo of a sign outside an unknown employer’s business informing employees of its new zero-tolerance policy banning any Nike apparel from […]

Sexual

Veteran Sexual Harassment Warrior Sees Cause for Optimism

Mary Jo O’Neill was among friends when she addressed members of the Phoenix chapter of Arizona Women Lawyers at a recent educational luncheon. O’Neill is an institution in the Arizona legal community. She has served since 2002 as the regional attorney for the Phoenix District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), with authority […]

On the Basis of Sex: Getting a ‘Statute’ is Even Better Than Getting a Golden ‘Statue’

For movie lovers, February is known for the Academy Awards, the star-studded event where Oscars are handed out and the speeches drag on and on. This year, a documentary on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s work confronting sex discrimination, titled RBG, is up for Best Documentary. Whether the film wins or loses the Oscar, […]