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Training

Tell managers: No paternalistic protection allowed

10/01/2007

Check patronizing attitudes—and comments—at the workplace door. Protective attitudes have no place at work and even a comment or two may spur on a sex-discrimination lawsuit. That’s why HR must tell managers and supervisors: Lay off the “I know what’s good for the delicate sex” comments. They are direct evidence of sex discrimination and a sure way to court …

Disabled woman says McDonald’s refused to serve her

10/01/2007

An Illinois woman who suffers from Holt-Oram syndrome, a condition where the sufferer’s arms and hands are underdeveloped, sued McDonald’s after employees refused to allow her to pick up her drive-through ordered food with her feet …

Even isolated comments can trigger age discrimination suits

10/01/2007

Train managers and supervisors: No age-related comments! None. A simple sentence might not form the entire basis for an age discrimination lawsuit, but it can add fuel to an otherwise-smoldering case …

Train managers: Sexual-Orientation comments are off limits

10/01/2007

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act bars employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. In fact, the law clearly states, “Freedom from employment discrimination on account of sexual orientation is a civil right.” Make sure supervisors know: Comments about an employee’s sexual orientation simply aren’t appropriate in the workplace. They’ll lead to trouble …

California’s sexual harassment training requirements: The final word

10/01/2007

If you’ve been looking for definitive guidance on California’s Sexual Harassment Training Law (AB 1825), it’s finally here. The Fair Employment and Housing Commission issued final regulations implementing this first-in-the-nation law on April 23, and the Office of Administrative Law approved the regulations on July 18. The regulations include specific direction on the type, length and frequency of harassment training that California employers must provide to their employees …

In New Jersey, even employee’s spouse can bring lawsuit—For indirect damages

10/01/2007

Need another reason to train supervisors and managers not to discriminate? Here’s one: In New Jersey, an employee’s spouse can join in a lawsuit alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress caused by an employer …

Workplace violence: Keep staff safe the legally smart way

10/01/2007

Employers are legally obligated to maintain a safe work environment. When employees commit violent acts against co-workers or customers, employers can be held responsible through negligent-hiring and supervision lawsuits. Each year, roughly 1,000 people are workplace homicide victims. And research shows that killings are five to seven times more likely to occur at workplaces where guns are allowed …

Fire offender to decouple discrimination, employment action

10/01/2007

Remind upper-level managers: When a supervisor or mid-level manager makes comments that could be construed as racist or religiously motivated, it pays to act fast. In fact, firing the responsible manager sometimes can be the best way to go. That way, if the employee he disparaged later gets turned down for a promotion or a raise, it will be much harder for an attorney to show a connection between the supervisor’s biased views and the denied opportunity …

The ‘iPod generation’ soaks up employee training via podcasts

09/18/2007

HR staff at McLean, VA-based Capital One wanted a training program that would allow users to learn at their own pace and free them from sitting in classrooms and at their computers. So they piloted the Audio Learning Program, passing out iPods to about 300 employees and creating digital audio training programs …

Top 5 e-mail mistakes and how to avoid them

09/11/2007

E-mail is a great business tool, but sometimes it makes one yearn for the bad old days of neatly typed (and proofread) memos in interoffice envelopes. Here are five tips to share with employees to keep e-mailing safe and productive, rather than embarrassing and destructive.