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Policies / Handbooks

AI ethics: Use our sample policy

08/22/2024
Artificial intelligence in the workplace is here to stay. Without some ethical guideposts on its use, however, you may have just let a monster into your workplace. The EEOC and the Department of Labor have already dealt with some of the issues as legal compliance matters. But there’s more, because you can be legally compliant but still use AI in an unethical way.

SHRM announces shift to “I&D” and faces community backlash

08/07/2024
In a press release, SHRM declared it would adopt the acronym “I&D” (inclusion and diversity) instead of “IE&D” (inclusion, equity and diversity—also known as DE&I or DEI), effectively removing the explicit mention of equity from its primary framework. The decision has angered many HR professionals.

FMLA, ADA and attendance: Consider health problems before firing for failing to call off

07/29/2024
Ordinarily, employers can require employees to notify their boss if they anticipate having to miss work. But there’s an exception for those times when the employee simply can’t make that call because of their disability or serious health condition. Always double-check and consider the circumstances before making a final discipline or termination decision based on an employee’s failure to call.

DEI under fire: Employers find legal ways to diversify

07/29/2024
A year after Students for Fair Admissions, which decided that affirmative action in college admissions violated anti-discrimination laws, some employers are finding novel ways to diversify their workforces without resorting to specific hiring and promotion goals. Here are some promising approaches.

Are RTO mandates just layoffs in disguise?

07/29/2024
More than a third of managers and senior leaders believe their organizations laid off workers because return-to-office mandates failed to make more employees quit, according to a new survey by Bamboo HR. They’re probably right.

Let’s talk politics (or not): Regulating political expression at work

07/29/2024
The run-up to a national or local election can spark heated debate around the watercooler. That can cause distractions, disputes—and, in some cases, lawsuits. You have the legal right to control employees’ activities on the job. That includes putting a stop to political activism or political solicitations at work.

Natty dread: Avoid grooming rules that ban religious hairstyles

07/19/2024
Last year’s blockbuster Supreme Court opinion in Groff v. DeJoy required employers to accommodate almost all religious accommodations requested by employees. However, it’s clear that many employers haven’t yet revamped their policies in light of the ruling—and that’s triggering a flurry of EEOC complaints and religious-discrimination lawsuits.

Prepare to pay up if you insist on English fluency or prohibit other languages on the job

07/15/2024
While English is the dominant U.S. language, it certainly isn’t the only one spoken in our multicultural society. In fact, employers that insist on English fluency or prohibit speaking another language at work may find themselves running afoul of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other employment laws, as one employer recently discovered.

Rebrand DEI to attract applicants (and avoid lawsuits)

06/10/2024
Employers have begun reassessing their DEI programs—and sometimes abandoning them. However, many employers have responded by revamping and rebranding their DEI programs.

Court: Your policy can require employees to keep ‘spy cams’ turned on

05/28/2024
A federal court has upheld an employer’s handbook rule requiring full-time camera monitoring of employees. The ruling is a victory for employers who want to track the behavior of employees they can’t directly observe.