Discrimination / Harassment

Beware the latest HR legal danger: Stockholder lawsuits

02/21/2023

There’s a new HR danger out there: Shareholders can now sue corporate officers—including the professionals who head up HR departments—for breach of fiduciary duty.

Revise handbook to address remote harassment

02/21/2023

If you haven’t reviewed your employee handbook in the last year or so and updated it to reflect new laws and important HR trends, you should do so soon. Otherwise, you’re probably working with an outdated and legally risky document that may do more harm than good. Here are some proactive handbook changes to consider making now to address harassment issues that can arise when employees work remotely.

Offer equal access to high-quality training

02/16/2023

A federal appeals court has ruled that unequal or inadequate training may be an adverse employment action that can justify a discrimination lawsuit—just like demotion, failure to promote and termination.

Consider single process for accommodations

02/16/2023

Now might be the right time to standardize your processes for handling reasonable accommodations. Two new laws requiring accommodations just went on the books.

Decided to terminate? Don’t wait to act

02/13/2023

Once you have made the decision to fire a worker, try to carry out the firing promptly. Delaying can backfire. If you must wait, write a memo memorializing when and why you made the discharge decision. That documentation can help you later if the terminated worker files a lawsuit.

EEOC launches offensive against AI at work

02/07/2023

For years, artificial intelligence has been the next big thing, touted as the technology poised to transform how all kinds of business processes are conceived, developed and performed. Now, what was once a tantalizing promise seems on the verge of becoming a revolutionary reality.

Accommodate hairstyles based on religious beliefs

02/03/2023

Discrimination lawsuits involving hairstyles are all the rage—as are new laws and regulations protecting natural and ethnic hairstyles.

Survey: More employers taking action on pay equity

01/31/2023

WorldatWork’s latest Pay Equity Study found that 70% of organizations were taking action on pay equity in 2022, a 10% increase since 2019 and a 4% increase over 2021.

Dodge discrimination claims when diversifying

01/31/2023

There’s a right way and a wrong way to diversify your workforce. The right way is difficult and takes time. The wrong way is to push current employees out of the way.

3 steps to solve an invisible DEI problem: Awareness

01/25/2023

New research conducted by Torch suggests there is a gap in awareness between how well-meaning business leaders think they’re doing on DEI and their actual progress. Three steps can help align leaders’ thinking about their organization’s DEI challenges.