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executive

Firestorm over Google memo putting ‘diversity of thought’ in spotlight

What was meant to be an internal memo written by a male engineer at Google hit the internet in a big way in early August, igniting controversy that led to the employee’s firing and much discussion about the effectiveness of corporate diversity efforts.  The now-infamous memo raises questions on many fronts. Among them: Does it […]

Violent culture, violent workplaces

Mark I. Schickman The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported an increase in work-related gun violence for each of the past 10 years. There were 417 workplace homicides in America in 2015; guns were used in 354 of them. In 2017, the epidemic continues. The workplace reflects the nation: More than 100 people […]

Program allows employers to support servicemembers

by Jennifer S. Frank and Danielle M. Kerr This article focuses on the National Guard’s Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve Program (ESGRP), explaining how employers can support the employment of National Guard and reserve members and how they can manage laws governing the employment of military personnel. National Guard and reserves The National […]

FEHA

Americans first: Preference for foreign workers can run afoul of federal laws

by Jacob M. Monty Making good on promises from earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has begun cracking down on what it calls discrimination against U.S. workers who are being passed over in favor of temporary foreign workers. The DOJ recently announced a settlement with Carrillo Farm Labor, LLC, a New Mexico […]

Diversity and inclusion director gets a little inclusion

by Michelle Lee Flores The California Court of Appeal threw a solitary bone to Toyota’s director of diversity and inclusion when it reversed a trial court’s dismissal of his sexual orientation discrimination claim. The court of appeal held that the former employee had provided sufficient evidence that a senior manager’s perception that he was “too […]

protest

Alt-Right Protests: Guidance for HR on Employees’ Off-Duty Conduct

The actions of employees can put their employers in a bad light, and that presents HR with a problem. If the employer chooses to fire an employee who engages in off-duty conduct that goes against the employer’s values, will there be legal trouble? Possibly, according to attorneys focusing on employment matters, but a dismissal can […]

ACA

CBO: $194 Billion Deficit Increase If Key ACA Subsidies End In 2017

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurers to offer plans with reduced deductibles, copayments, and other means of cost sharing to certain people, depending on their income, who pur­chase plans through the ACA marketplaces. In turn, insurers receive federal pay­ments arranged by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to cover the costs they incur […]

disability

Iowa Court Decision Blurs Definition of Disability in Workers’ Comp Cases

A recent decision from the Iowa Court of Appeals should cause Iowa employers to hit pause on routine decisions relating to workers’ compensation claimants. The decision, Vetter v. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, effectively dismantled the definition of “disability” for disability discrimination claims.

hiring

Research: More Objective Selection Methods Needed in Job Applicant Screening

Only one-fifth of HR professionals are fully confident in their employers’ overall ability to effectively assess the skills of entry-level applicants despite the fact that the majority of these job applicants possess some of the most important skills employers’ value, including dependability and reliability, integrity, respect, and teamwork.

training

What is Participant-Driven Learning, and How is it Changing the Training Landscape?

“Participant-led/participant-driven learning is having the ability to take control of what, and how, you learn,” says Chris Douglas, Vice President of training for Fierce, Inc., a leadership development and training company. “When it comes to leadership training, participant-led learning allows personal preferences to influence how these skills are learned and applied. For example, an individual […]