effective strategies to manage a diverse workforce...effective strategies to manage a diverse...

Effective Strategies to Manage a Diverse Workforce and Avoid Costly Discrimination Claims March 2020

Presentedby:JaimeLizo3e,Tax&HRComplianceSolu@onsManager

Today’s Agenda

§ Thedifferencesbetweendiversityandinclusion§ Characteris@csprotectedbyfederallaw§ Emergingstate/localdiscrimina@onlaws§ Cri@calinforma@ontoincludeinyouran@-discrimina@on/an@-harassmentpolicy§ Tipstofosterapeaceful,produc@veworkplacewhenworkingwithadiversestaff

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity vs. Inclusion § Diversityisthemake-upofyourorganiza@onanditmeansallthewaysyouremployeesdiffer

§ Inclusioninvolvesbringingtheseindividualstogetherandcrea@nganenvironmentofinvolvement,respectandconnec@on

§ Whenyouhaveinclusion,youremployees’differentideas,backgroundsandperspec@vescreatebusinessvalue

§ Successfulorganiza@onsneedbothdiversityandinclusion

Understanding Diversity Diversitygoesbeyondrace,sex,ethnicity,age,na@onaloriginandreligion.Itincludes:§ Sexualorienta@on§ Educa@onalstatus§ Maritalstatus§ Socioeconomicstatus§ Physicalcharacteris@cs§ Differinglifeexperiences§ Differingworkexperiences

Encouraging Diversity Diversityandinclusioneffortsshould:§ Startatthetopofyourcompany§ Be@edtobusinessgoals§ Bealignedwithcorporatestrategies§ Beincludedinyourmissionstatement§ Becoveredinemployeepolicies

Benefits of Embracing Diversity § Preventsdiscrimina@onandhelpsmaintainacultureofinclusiveness

§ Reducesthechancesofharassment/discrimina@onclaims§ Reducesinstancesofworkplacebullying§ Createsaproduc@veworkenvironmentbasedonfairnessandrespect

§ Improvescompanycultureandemployeemorale§ A3ractsandretainsqualityemployees

Benefits of Embracing Diversity § Providesbe3ercustomerservicetoadiversecustomerbase

§ Increasescustomerloyalty§ Enhancestheorganiza@on’sabilitytocopewithchangeinanincreasinglycomplexworld

§ Expandscrea@vityandinnova@on§ Presentsuniqueproblem-solvingopportuni@es

Federal and State Laws

Protected Characteristics Legallyprotectedcharacteris@csunderfederallawinclude:§ Race§ Color§ Na@onalorigin§ Religion§ Age(40andolder)§ Gender§ Gene@cinforma@on§ Disability(mentalandphysical)

Emerging Laws: Natural Hair Discrimination

Na@onwide,statesandci@esarepassinglawsbanningrace-basedhairdiscrimina@onintheworkplace.§ CA,CO,NJ,NY,andVAhavepassedlegisla@onprohibi@nghairdiscrimina@on§ Someaddi@onalstatesandci@esthathaveissuedguidance,passedlawsorareconsideringlegisla@on:IL,MI,MN,WA,WI,Cincinna@(OH),Boston(MA)andMontgomeryCounty(MD)§ Employersshouldwatchforcon@nuedlegisla@veac@vity

Emerging Laws: LGBTQ Discrimination

TheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates(SCOTUS)iscurrentlyreviewingthreecasesthataddressifTitleVIIoftheCivilRightsActprotectstherightsofemployeesiden@fyingasLGBTQ.§ Thesecasescoulddetermineifworkersareprotectedfromdiscrimina@onbasedonsexualorienta@on,genderiden@tyandtransgenderstatus§ Onthefederallevel,discrimina@onpertainingtoLGBTQrightsisn’tclearlydefinedyet;howeverseveralstatesandci@eshavelawsthatdoprohibitdiscrimina@onbasedonsexualorienta@onandgenderiden@ty§ EmployersshouldmonitorSCOTUSdevelopments

Emerging Laws: Marijuana Use Discrimination

§ Somestatesprohibitemployersfromdiscrimina@ngagainstmedicalmarijuanacardholders

§ Someofthesestatesalsorequireemployerstoreasonablyaccommodateworkerswhorequirecannabistotreatamedicalcondi@on

§ Lawsvarygreatlybutmostdonotrequireemployerstoaccommodateon-the-jobuse

§ Otherstatesspecificallypermitbusinessestofireemployeesforoff-dutymarijuanause

Additional State Laws Somestateshaveenactedlawsthatexpandtheprotectedcategories.Incertainstates,discrimina@onisillegalbasedon:§ Sexualorienta@on§ Genderiden@ty§ Maritalstatus§ Weight§ Poli@calaffilia@on§ Andmore

Personnel Policies

Discrimination/Harassment Policy

Yourcompany’spolicyshould:§ Definediscrimina@onandharassmentandincludeexamplesofprohibitedconduct§ Encourageemployeestoreportincidentsimmediately§ Explaintheprocedureforinternalcomplaints§ Indicatethatcomplaintswillbetreatedconfiden@allytotheextentpossible§ Emphasizethatallcomplaintswillbetakenseriously§ Confirmthatappropriatecorrec@veac@onwillbetaken

Discrimination/Harassment Policy Yourcompany’spolicyshould:§ Designateatleasttwocontactswithinyourcompanytoreceivecomplaints§ Designatedcontactsshouldbetrainedtohearanddocumentemployeeconcerns§ Preferably,youshouldhaveonemaleandonefemalecontacttohearanddocumentcomplaints§ Listtheirnamesandcontactinforma@onaspartofthecomplaintprocedureinyourpolicy

Discrimination/Harassment Policy

§ Distributeandcommunicatethepolicy§ Ensureemployeesread,signanddateyourno-discrimina@on,no-harassmentpolicy§ Keepcopiesofthesigneddocumentsinpersonnelfiles§ Reinforceyourpolicywithano@cedisplayedinanareawhereallemployeesgather,suchasabreakroom

Recommended Tactics

Harassment and Diversity Training

§ An@-harassmenttrainingfocusesonlegallyprotectedcharacteris@csandcompliancewiththelaw(age,race,color,religion,etc.)

§ Diversitytrainingisgeneralsensi@vitytraining§ Diversityencompassesallofourdifferences—notjusttheonesprotectedbylaw

§ Harassmentanddiversitytrainingcanbecombined

Diversity and Inclusion Training Trainingshould:§ Provideexamplesofengaginginrespeceul,posi@veinterac@onsintheworkplace§ Encourageemployeestoembracedifferencesandprovidestrategiestoworktogetherwhileembracingdiverseperspec@ves§ Tiediversityandinclusionintothemissionandvaluesofthecompany

Encouraging Inclusion

§ Developdiversity-friendlypolices§ Createteamscomprisedofindividualswithavarietyofbackgrounds§ Introducementorshipprograms§ Ensuremanagersleadbyexample§ Featurephotosandquotesofdiverseteammembersoncompanymaterialsandwebsites§ Consideravolunteereventservingtheneedsofanunderrepresentedsegmentofthepopula@on

HR Solution:

Formoreinforma@onvisit:hrdirectapps.com

CompanyPolicies

§  Over70state-specificpolicies

§  A3orney-wri3en

§  Recommendedlistofpoliciesallbusinessesshouldhave

§  Alwaysup-to-dateandcompliant

§  Editablecontent

§  Easilypublishandsharewithemployeesviae-mail

HarassmentTraining

§  Sixdifferenttrainingmodulesbasedaroundgeneralharassment,sexualharassment,repor@ngharassment,etc.

§  Trainingcanbecompletedindividuallyorasagroup

§  Easilyassigntrainingtoemployeestocomplete

§  Keeptrackofwhohascompletedassignedtrainingstomaintaincompliance

§  Easilypublishandsharewithemployeesviae-mail

Reminder:Alla-endeeswillreceivealinktothepresenta7onandslidesinafollow-upemail.

Questions