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.

Target to spend millions on single-stall bathrooms

by Ryan Olson Target recently announced that employees and customers at its stores may use the public restroom that corresponds with their gender identity. Now, amid criticism of its transgender bathroom policy by some customers, the company has said that it will spend $20 million to make single-stall bathrooms available in every store. Controversial policy. […]

Pizza discrimination?! Customer sues Florida Domino’s for employees’ alleged bias

by G. Thomas Harper A pregnant Moroccan Muslim woman has sued a Domino’s Pizza franchisee in Davenport over the quality of pizza and treatment she received from employees of the restaurant. The customer brought suit in state court in Polk County against the franchisee, Michael P. Jarvis, both as an individual and as the owner […]

Want to add diversity by hiring veterans? Make sure policies don’t get in the way

This month’s celebration of Veterans Day may have sparked interest among employers to recruit and hire veterans. After all, many employers tout the diversity of thought and skills employees with military experience bring to the workforce. Too often, though, policies and a lack of understanding throw up barriers to bringing veterans on board.  State licensing […]

Are coworkers out to get paranoid employee?

by J. Steven Massoni Mental impairments are some of the most challenging disabilities to accommodate. Read on to learn about how one company managed a difficult situation with an employee who suffers from a mental health disorder and how your company should respond in similar circumstances.  Imagine this Kenneth Tyler has worked for the company […]

EEOC announces new strategic enforcement priorities

by Leslie E. Silverman The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) broke new ground in late 2012 with the release of its first Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) publicly identifying its top enforcement priorities. Since that time, the EEOC’s enforcement and litigation program has largely focused on the priority areas laid out in the SEP:  Eliminating barriers […]

DOJ and EEOC release ‘Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement’ report

by Sean D. Lee On October 5, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a joint report aimed at helping law enforcement agencies across the country recruit, hire, and retain diverse workforces.  The comprehensive report, “Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement,” presents the findings of a joint research […]

EEOC Richmond office, Mexican Consulate tackle national origin bias

by Jayna Genti As part of its multiyear Strategic Enforcement Plan, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has made protecting immigrant, migrant, and other vulnerable workers a national priority. Because it has found that “many of these workers are unable or afraid to assert their rights under federal law,” the EEOC has instituted outreach and […]

Onionheads everywhere rejoice as NY federal court protects their ‘religion’ under Title VII

by Brent E. Siler The title of this article isn’t a typo or a joke. It’s a literal statement of holding in a recent federal case before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which found that an employer’s conflict-resolution program, which its creator dubbed “Onionhead” or “Harnessing Happiness,” was in […]

Don’t let appearance policy trigger religious discrimination claims

Achieving a diverse workforce is a highly touted goal among employers. It’s a goal that drives recruiting as well as efforts to build company culture. But the details – the various policies and rules employers may adopt without considering risks—can be easy to overlook. One area not to be forgotten: dress codes and other appearance […]

How do ‘bathroom bills’ affect employers in other states?

by Joseph Godwin Much attention has been given recently to laws passed concerning transgender individuals’ use of public restrooms. Over the past few years, state legislatures have passed or proposed “bathroom bills” that generally require individuals to use the bathroom that corresponds to the gender listed on their birth certificate and prevent transgender individuals from […]