Given all the events in the past few months, diversity has been a focus for many organizations. More specifically, there have been a number of pledges to have greater diversity. Jaime Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, took a knee with employees to protest racial injustice in law enforcement. There have also been a number of marketing changes by organizations to promote the diversity theme.
When employees, especially sales people, have access to various electronic devices, databases, and documents from an organization, at what point does a company have a right under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) to bring a case against an exiting employee for computer fraud?
The U.S. Department of Labor issued three new FAQs concerning when FFCRA applies to school openings this fall. Previously, the DOL covered school closings in March, and there was much uncertainty as to how school openings would be treated under the FFCRA.
The short answer is yes. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) both support this position.
The “cancel culture” is not a new phenomenon, but a movement that has grown greatly over time. Per dictionary.com, cancel culture refers to the popular practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. Cancel culture is generally discussed as being performed on social media in the form of group shaming – think of the twitter mobs.
It is generally thought of that HR is on the side of management, although at times they will mediate between management and employees. However, what are the rights of an employer when an HR employee assists an employee with the filing of an EEOC charge against the employer?
Thirty years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed and signed into law by President George H. W. Bush on July 26, 1990. It was a momentous event that was the number-one civil rights event of the decade.
Implicit bias is a growing area of study and a recognized issue in the workplace. An interesting issue that has generated much research is whether certain words commonly used in job postings are discouraging candidates in protected groups, in particular women, from applying for certain jobs.
Before the pandemic and the closing of the economies, the long economic expansion from 2009 to 2020 saw an unemployment rate drop below 4%. This growth created greater opportunities for those marginalized or otherwise not participating in the economy. African Americans and Hispanics, workers stuck in low-paid jobs, and those with disabilities or criminal records, had accelerated pay growth and job opportunities.
Last month’s Bostock decision ruled that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ rights. This decision has a number of subtle impacts that employers need to be cognizant of, including compensation and by extension employer sponsored health plans.
It seems we are living in an age where 1960’s racial and gender reporting requirements are archaic. More workers are not identifying themselves by race/ethnicity and/or gender when applying for positions or when onboarding.