Articles on workplace-related issues from newspapers and Internet news sources around the country.
January 22, 2021
What to Do If Your Team Doesn’t Want to Go Back to the Office
Source: Liz Kislik, Harvard Business Review
As offices continue to open up, there are ongoing discussions in many organizations about when and how employees should return to work. What should you do if your team wants to continue to work from home and senior leadership wants everyone to start showing up in person?
Bias Is Built Into Our Brains. But There’s Still Hope.
Source: Aline Holzwarth, Forbes
The tendency to conceive of the world around us in categories is a strategy that is often adaptive, but has at least one unfortunate byproduct: the bias that results from associations we make with different categories.
Troubling study reveals how minor workplace slights can trigger suicidal thoughts in depressed people
Source: Arianne Cohen, Fast Company
Minor workplace slights can have a significantly negative impact on susceptible employees, according to a new study out of West Virginia University.
January 21, 2021
The percentage of women who’ve experienced online sexual harassment has doubled since 2017
Source: Meera Jagannathan, MarketWatch
A survey of more than 10,000 people concluded that the percentage of women who say they’ve experienced online sexual harassment has doubled since 2017, from 8% to 16%, as the share of men experiencing online sexual harassment remained about the same.
Cash, Breakfasts and Firings: An All-Out Push to Vaccinate Wary Medical Workers
Source: Rebecca Robbins, The New York Times
Anxious about taking a new vaccine and scarred by a history of being mistreated, many frontline workers at hospitals and nursing homes are balking at getting inoculated against Covid-19.
U.S. Still Lags In COVID-19 Workplace Safety, Former OSHA Official Says
Source: Tonya Mosley, NPR
As COVID-19 deaths and illnesses mount, essential workers — who are denied the chance to work from home — are struggling to stay safe. And it's far from clear whether the federal government is doing enough to protect them, according to a former top federal workplace safety official.
January 20, 2021
Why Some Sexual Harassment Claims Are Considered More Credible Than Others
Source: Misha Gajewski, Forbes
Victim blaming is nothing new when it comes to sexual harassment but a new study shows that some women are seen as more credible than others when it comes to sexual harassment claims.
Here are some of the companies pushing financial incentives to get workers vaccinated
Source: Dee-Ann Durbin, The Seattle Times
As vaccinations continue across the U.S., some companies are offering financial incentives to encourage their workers to get the shots.
The CROWN Act Makes Waves Across The Country To End Hair Discrimination
Source: Kiara McClendon, Forbes
To date, seven states—California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Virginia, Maryland and Colorado—have passed the CROWN Act making race-based hair discrimination illegal.
January 19, 2021
Many workers will get 4 extra weeks of unemployment benefits. Here’s how
Source: Greg Iacurci, CNBC
The recent Covid relief package offers 11 extra weeks of jobless benefits to workers. Many, but not all, will be eligible for four more, for a total of 15 weeks.
9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2021 and Beyond
Source: Brian Kropp, Harvard Business Review
While 2020 was the most volatile year in modern history, it would be a mistake to think that we’re in for smoother sailing this year. In fact, as we move into 2021 and beyond, the rate of disruption will potentially accelerate as the implications from 2020 play out across the next several years. Here are nine predictions from the chief of research for Gartner’s HR practice.
Treehouse Foods Sued by EEOC for Disability Discrimination
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Treehouse Foods, Inc. / Treehouse Foods Private Brands, Inc. violated federal law when it denied a machine operator in its Forest Park bakery a reasonable accommodation for her physical disabilities.
January 15, 2021
Employers Can’t Fix U.S. Health Care Alone
Source: David Blumenthal, Harvard Business Review
The Haven story should be the subject of deep future study in business schools and health policy programs. Some lessons, however, should already be apparent.
It’s essential to understand why some health care workers are putting off vaccination
Source: Katherine H. Courage, Vox
Early data on why health care workers are delaying the Covid-19 vaccine could help us end the pandemic sooner.
For Health Care Workers, The Pandemic Is Fueling Renewed Interest In Unions
Source: Aneri Pattani, NPR
Of the approximately 1,500 petitions for union representation posted on the National Labor Relations Board website in 2020, 16% appear related to the health care field, up from 14% the previous year.
January 14, 2021
Women accounted for 100% of the 140,000 jobs shed by the U.S. economy in December
Source: Maria Aspan, Fortune
Women accounted for all of U.S. job losses in December, dramatically underscoring the pandemic's unrelentingly disastrous impact on working women.
EEOC Releases New Details On Systemic Age Discrimination: What You Can Do
Source: Sheila Callaham, Forbes
In a press release, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission made it very clear: job postings conveying preference — for example, “recent graduate”, young”, “energetic”, is an example of a recruiting practice that may involve systemic age discrimination.
NYPD anti-discrimination chief retires to avoid discipline over hateful posts targeting Blacks, Jews
Source: Danielle Wallace, Fox News
A high-ranking New York Police Department official accused of posting hateful messages online has opted to retire days after the department said it was suspending him without pay.
January 13, 2021
It Could Be a Great Year, if Your Business Survives Winter
Source: Nelson D. Schwartz , The New York Times
As 2021 begins, business owners big and small confront a rapidly shifting landscape. Tough sacrifices may still be required, but many see a post-pandemic resurgence in the year ahead.
EEOC Announces Extension of Act Mediation Pilot
Source: EEOC, EEOC
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), announced that it was extending the pilot program that expanded opportunities to voluntarily resolve charges through mediation through Sept. 30, 2021.
Why this manager put workers in charge of their own raises, career development, and reviews
Source: Stephanie Vozza, Fast Company
Author Matt Casey calls his approach “lazy management” and says changing the job, instead of the manager, is the best solution.
January 12, 2021
Unemployment Claims Show Continuing Pressure on Job Market
Source: Patricia Cohen, The New York Times
Employers remain cautious about hiring, one economist says, “but the resurgence of the virus is really the main culprit.”
How AI Can Remove Bias From The Hiring Process And Promote Diversity And Inclusion
Source: Kathy Caprino, Forbes
To learn more about how organizations can address and remove racial, gender, disability and other biases in their hiring processes and practices, we caught up recently with Mike Hudy, Chief Science Officer at Modern Hire.
EEOC and Hennepin Healthcare System Agree to Settle Class Discrimination Investigation
Source: EEOC, EEOC
The EEOC announced it has reached a settlement with Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc. (HHS), a healthcare provider within Hennepin County, Minnesota, to resolve investigations conducted by the EEOC under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
January 11, 2021
EEOC Provides Proposed Wellness Rules for Review
Source: EEOC, EEOC
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s forwarded to the Federal Register its Notices of Proposed Rulemakings (NPRM) on wellness programs under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).
Amazon, Berkshire and JPMorgan Will End Joint Health Care Venture
Source: Emily Flitter, The New York Times
A joint venture formed by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase to explore new ways to deliver health care to their employees is disbanding, according to a short statement on its website.
Are They Mad at Me…or Are They Just Blunt?
Source: Alice Boyes, Harvard Business Review
It’s normal for people to have different communication styles, but working with someone who lacks warmth or tends to be blunt can spark feelings of anxiety. Instead of spending time and energy worrying about what a colleague’s abrupt communication says about you, try out a few strategies that might improve your collaboration.
January 8, 2021
Workers are struggling for skills support during pandemic
Source: Ryan Heath, Politico
Labor market experts are calling for 2021 to be the year the United States revamps its social contract.
The most confusing parts of job applications, according to graduating college students
Source: Kyra Sutton, Fast Company
Young adults entering the workforce include two generations, Millennials, and Gen-Zers. And while there are differences present across these two groups, they are similar in at least this way: They expect transparency in everything, including their jobs.
Special Report-U.S. regulators ignored workers' COVID-19 safety complaints amid deadly outbreaks
Source: Chris Kirkham, Reuters
The UPS outbreak is among dozens of cases identified by Reuters where OSHA largely disregarded workers who reported lax pandemic safety practices, according to agency records.
January 7, 2021
Justice Dept. Seeks to Pare Back Civil Rights Protections for Minorities
Source: Katie Benner, The New York Times
The Trump administration has embarked on an 11th-hour bid to undo some civil rights protections for minority groups, which could have a ripple effect on women, people with disabilities and L.G.B.T. people.
N.J. cop who was fired after accusing his bosses of racism to get job back, judge rules
Source: Anthony G. Attrino, NJ.com
A police officer in Essex County who was fired over a year ago after he filed suit against Caldwell and its police chief alleging his bosses made racist remarks will get his job back, a judge has ruled.
How the Google union could boost labor organizing in Silicon Valley
Source: Casey Newton, The Verge
A small number of Googlers announced on Monday that they have formed an unconventional union, and if successful, it could upend labor relations across the industry.
January 6, 2021
The Rise Of The On-Demand Workforce
Source: Adi Gaskell, Forbes
Just as the pandemic has prompted a rethink of many aspects of organizational life, it's quite possible that it will do likewise to how talent is sourced, used, and retained. Whether it proves the trigger that finally creates the "free agent nation", only time will tell.
For younger workers, the coronavirus has been a disaster
Source: Irina Ivanova , CBS News
The economic recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic has been unprecedented in many respects, but all too familiar in one: The crisis has taken a particular toll on young workers.
We Built Google. This Is Not the Company We Want to Work For.
Source: Parul Koul, The New York Times
For far too long, thousands of us at Google — and other subsidiaries of Alphabet, Google’s parent company — have had our workplace concerns dismissed by executives.
January 5, 2021
Hundreds of Google Employees Unionize, Culminating Years of Activism
Source: Kate Conger, The New York Times
More than 400 Google engineers and other workers have formed a union, the group revealed on Monday, capping years of growing activism at one of the world’s largest companies and presenting a rare beachhead for labor organizers in staunchly anti-union Silicon Valley.
Hobbling the little guy: A rule change at the U.S. EEOC could make it easier to discriminate at work
Source: Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News
The EEOC, which has already grown more hesitant under President Trump, now stands poised to pass a rule that could dangerously dilute its future litigation.
Labor Law: Steps every organization must take in 2021 to prevent and end harassment in the workplace
Source: Karen Michael, Richmond Times-Dispatch
While it seems inconceivable that organizations still employ people who engage in sexual harassment, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settled lawsuits that expose the grim reality that many businesses haven’t gotten the memo.
January 4, 2021
5 Anchorwomen to Leave NY1 After Settling Discrimination Suit
Source: Michael M. Grynbaum, The New York Times
Five NY1 anchorwomen, including the longtime New York City television personality Roma Torre, are leaving the local news channel after settling an age and gender discrimination lawsuit against the beloved media institution.
Covid’s Impact On Sexual Harassment
Source: Kim Elsesser, Forbes
From intimidation over text to showing up for a Zoom meeting sans pants, there are certainly plenty of suggestions that harassment has taken new forms in the virtual workplace.
California’s new workplace laws: COVID-19 safety, family leave and more
Source: Margot Roosevelt, Los Angeles Times
Sweeping new laws ramping up in 2021 will force California businesses to offer employees more help to cope with the pandemic, including measures on disclosure of workplace infections, on healthcare and wage replacement, and on job-protected leave to care for sick family members.
A Look Back At The Workplace Trends That Shaped 2020
Source: Ashira Prossack, Forbes
A few trends stand out as being the very definition of work in 2020, and they’ll also continue as we head into 2021.
December 31, 2020
AMR to Pay $162,500 to Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Nationwide medical transportation company American Medical Response Ambulance Service, Inc. (AMR) will pay $162,500 and provide other relief to settle a federal pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC.
The Psychological Effects of the Lack of Workplace Structure
Source: Emily Fisher, Detroitisit
How the Sudden Covid-19 Work-From-Home Mandates Have Adversely Effected Detroiters Working from Home
Labor Dept. rules Delta discriminated against pilot after questioning her mental health
Source: Coral Murphy, USA Today
The Labor Department ruled Delta Air Lines discriminated against a pilot after they questioned her psychiatric health amid her raising safety concerns.
December 30, 2020
Cryptocurrency Start-Up Underpaid Women and Black Employees, Data Shows
Source: Nathaniel Popper, The New York Times
The fast-growing cryptocurrency start-up Coinbase has been rattled in recent months by tensions between executives and employees who said they were being treated unfairly because of their race or gender.
Grubhub gig workers react angrily to change in tipping policy
Source: Dave Lee, Ars Technica
California-based workers for food delivery app Grubhub have reacted angrily to changes to the platform which they say discourage tipping, saying they would wipe out the supposed benefits of new gig worker rules in the state.
7 Reasons why 2021 will be even bigger and better for remote workers
Source: Jared Lindzon, Fast Company
This one was a banner year for remote work, but 2021 is poised to be even bigger, and better, for those who continue to enjoy a flexible work arrangement.
December 29, 2020
Moore & Morford to Pay $80,000 to Settle EEOC Sex Harassment and Retaliation Suit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Moore & Morford, Inc., a steel-fabrication company in South Greensburg, Pa., will pay $80,000 to settle a sex harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the EEOC.
Two ways workplace productivity may have changed forever: Morning Brief
Source: Sam Ro, Yahoo Finance
In a research note published last week, Goldman Sachs economists identified two ways many businesses will have changed permanently.
New Labor Department Rule Could Change Service Industries Tip Out
Source: Madison Schlegel, 9 & 10 News
The Labor Department announced a rule that allows employers to require tipped workers like servers and bartenders to tip back of house employees.
December 28, 2020
Six Steps For Handling Gender-Based Psychological Violence At The Workplace
Source: Hira Ali, Forbes
While macroaggressions occur on a systemic level and can be obvious, microaggressions are everyday slights and invalidations that women and other marginalized groups regularly experience in day-to-day interactions.
Nature’s Medicines and Amma Investment Group Will Pay $175,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Suit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Maryland Health Management, LLC, doing business as Nature’s Medicines, and AMMA Investment Group, LLC, will pay $175,000 and furnish significant equitable relief to settle a federal sexual harassment lawsuit.
Chevron Created a Virtual Summer Camp for Its Employees’ Kids
Source: Rhonda J. Morris, Harvard Business Review
Camp Chevron was up and running within five weeks, offering a multitude of classes to keep children engaged so their parents could have some time to focus on work.
December 23, 2020
Older Judges Forced From NY Bench Sue for Age Discrimination
Source: Associated Press, U.S. News
A group of New York judges is suing for age discrimination after the state’s cash-strapped court system cracked down on a long-standing practice that had allowed them to continue serving past the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Employers can bar unvaccinated employees from the workplace, EEOC says
Source: Megan Cerullo, CBS News
With the first doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine now being administered in the U.S., the federal government is giving employers around the country the green light to require immunization for most workers.
Covid’s Impact On Sexual Harassment
Source: Kim Elsesser, Forbes
From intimidation over text to showing up for a Zoom meeting sans pants, there are certainly plenty of suggestions that harassment has taken new forms in the virtual workplace.
Winter Blues: Seven Tools To Foster Mental Wellness In The Workplace
Source: Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes
With the holiday season upon us, the physical and mental toll of social distancing, wearing a mask, and working from home for the last nine months is adding up.
Harley-Davidson Dealership to Pay $193,750 to Settle EEOC Sex Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Three companies operating a now-closed Harley-Davidson dealership in Glenview, Ill., have agreed to pay a former employee $193,750 and furnish other relief.
December 22, 2020
Workers overpaid in pandemic unemployment may no longer have to return the money
Source: Jennifer Liu, CNBC
The latest $900 billion coronavirus stimulus bill from Congress aims to allow workers to keep their benefit overpayments — if their state decides it’s OK.
Interconnect Cable Technologies to Pay $35,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
nterconnect Cable Technologies Corporation (ICTC) has agreed to pay $35,000 and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Here’s Why You Absolutely, Positively Must Buy Your Boss A Holiday Gift
Source: Tony Ewing, Forbes
Even if they don’t celebrate Christmas or Hanukah or Kwanzaa or anything, get them something.
Wrapped, dreads or natural: Hair-rights fight moves to states
Source: Russell Contreras, Axios
States are the new battleground in the growing national movement to protect people of color from hairstyle discrimination.
December 21, 2020
The covid-era workplace: Hard questions, no easy answers
Source: Karla L. Miller, The Washington Post
The pandemic has been a stress test for us all, but the results can tell us what needs to be fixed.
Employee Monitoring Vs. Workplace Trust In An Age Of Remote Working
Source: Anna Shields, Forbes
Work-monitoring technology and workplace surveillance tools are not new, but they are becoming increasingly common with the global shift to remote working.
‘No One Should Get Fired on a Whim’: Fast Food Workers Win More Job Security
Source: Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, The New York Times
The New York City Council passed a bill that would shield workers from being fired without a valid reason. Fast food restaurants say the new rules will make it harder to hire and keep the best workers.
Tyson fires 7 bosses over covid bets
Source: Nathan Owens, Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Tyson Foods Inc. has fired seven managers at its largest pork processing plant after allegations that the supervisors took bets on how many workers would catch the coronavirus.
Over 40% of women in tech say they’ve been harassed by a boss or investor, according to new report
Source: Courtney Connley, CNBC
More than 40% of women who are tech employees or founders say they’ve recently experienced harassment from a boss or an investor, according to a report from Women Who Tech.
December 18, 2020
Laying The Foundation For A Successful Hybrid Workforce
Source: Paul McDonald, Forbes
A post-pandemic workplace will be a hybrid of on- and off-site employees, keeping flexibility at the forefront.
Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook spent billions on sparkling new offices. Now they're nearly empty
Source: Ian Sherr, CNET
The coronavirus pandemic has pushed most techies to work from home. Here's what happens when it's over.
The end of the office holiday party – or simply time to get creative?
Source: Miranda Bryant, The Guardian
After a year that has upended work life for millions of Americans, many companies are still keen to show appreciation for their employees with a holiday party.
America’s biggest companies are flourishing during the pandemic and putting thousands of people out of work
Source: Douglas MacMillan, The Washington Post
As the coronavirus pandemic devastated small businesses and plunged millions of Americans into poverty this summer and fall, executives at some of the country’s largest corporations sounded surprisingly upbeat.
Performance Food Group Will Pay Over $5 Million to Resolve EEOC Nationwide Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Performance Food Group, Inc. (PFG), a national marketer and distributor of national and proprietary-branded food and food-related products, will pay $5,075,000 in monetary relief and furnish significant equitable relief to settle a federal nationwide sex discrimination lawsuit.
December 17, 2020
After latest shutdown order, many restaurants go into hibernation
Source: Pam Kragen, The San Diego Union-Tribune
My Yard Live is one of dozens of sit-down restaurants countywide that have gone into hibernation mode this past week.
Yelp deposits $10 million into Black-owned banks to support underserved communities
Source: Courtney Connley, CNBC
Yelp announced that it is depositing $10 million into three Black-owned banks across the country to help further support underserved communities.
DoodyCalls Will Pay $40,000 to Settle EEOC Pregnancy and Disability Discrimination Suit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Charlottesville, Va.-based DoodyCalls, a leading pet waste removal company, will pay $40,000 and provide significant equitable relief to resolve a federal pregnancy and disability discrimination lawsuit.
December 16, 2020
Female Workers Could Take Another Pandemic Hit: To Their Retirements
Source: Mark Miller, The New York Times
Unequal job losses now will translate into smaller nest eggs and Social Security benefits down the road.
Pinterest Settles Gender Discrimination Suit for $22.5 Million
Source: Erin Griffith, The New York Times
Pinterest on Monday agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit from Françoise Brougher, its former chief operating officer, in one of the largest publicly announced individual settlements for gender discrimination.
Hospitals scramble to prioritize Covid vaccine for their workers. Who gets them first?
Source: JoNel Aleccia, NBC News
Hospitals have been grappling with how to distribute the first scarce shots. Their plans vary broadly.
December 15, 2020
Will a Hybrid Workforce Model Work for Your Business?
Source: Joe Galvin, Inc.
While we moved to a work-from-home model in the spring out of necessity, many employees have become used to working from home and its many conveniences. Gen Y and Millennial workers no longer see work-from-home as a perk, rather it's become a requirement. The relentless demand for talent will now make work-from-home a competitive and differentiating feature.
60% of hiring managers say companies will offer bonuses this year—who’s most likely to get them
Source: Jennifer Liu, CNBC
More than half of hiring managers are optimistic that their organization will award year-end bonuses this year, according to an September survey from the professional services firm Adecco.
Former Aide Accuses Cuomo of Sexual Harassment
Source: Dana Rubinstein, The New York Times
A former aide to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Sunday accused him of sexual harassment, asserting that the governor would often discuss her physical appearance, something she said occurred over the course of years.
80-plus business groups blast COVID restrictions as discriminatory
Source: Gary Warth, The San Diego Union-Tribune
More than 80 chambers of commerce and business associations from throughout the county and in other Southern California communities are sending letters to state and local elected officials protesting the latest COVID-19 restrictions as discriminatory toward small and minority-owned businesses.
Computer Science Corporation to Pay $700,000 to Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Suit
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Computer Science Corporation (CSC), a technology consulting subsidiary of Tysons, Va.-based DXC Technology Corporation, will pay $700,000 and furnish other relief to resolve an age discrimination suit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
United Auto Workers union settles corruption probe with Justice Department
Source: Michael Wayland, NBC News
Federal prosecutors have agreed to end a multiyear corruption probe into the United Auto Workers under a proposed civil settlement that will include an independent monitor overseeing the American union for six years.
How Couples Can Find Balance While Working from Home
Source: Mara Olekalns, Harvard Business Review
Couples working from home during the pandemic face the challenge of balancing work and domestic responsibilities in a way that’s fair, and so far the ongoing crisis has largely reinforced existing gender gaps in the home.
December 14, 2020
Creating Space for Religious Diversity at Work
Source: Ali Aslan Gümüsay, Michael Smets, and Tim Morris, Harvard Business Review
We tend to think of business as a secular activity, and workplaces as inappropriate settings for conversations about religious faith or observance. However, given the growing popularity of bringing one’s whole self to work, the trend towards practices such as yoga and mindfulness, and the fact that more than 80% of the world claims some sort of religious affiliation, leaders are increasingly concerned about how best to handle expressions of faith by their employees.
Michigan court says companies don’t have to serve customers who are gay
Source: Gus Burns, Michigan Live
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel plans to fight a court determination that businesses may, under state law, choose not to serve customers who are gay.
Vaccines Herald Return to Offices, But Workers Don’t Want to Go
Source: Alexandre Tanzi, Bloomberg Wealth
As employers eagerly await the Covid-19 vaccines that promise to return staff to offices after months of working from home, new reports indicate getting them back won’t be easy.
December 11, 2020
A Guide to Virtual Company Holiday Parties in 2020
Source: Robin Reshwan, U.S. News
IF THERE HAS EVER BEEN a need to boost morale for your employees, colleagues and peers – the time is now. The company holiday party is a time-honored tradition that fosters camaraderie, deepens connections and signals the joy of the upcoming time off and the promise of a new year. In our increasingly virtual professional environment with limited or nonexistent in-person venue options, there are still creative ways to celebrate the holidays with your colleagues. Here are some virtual ideas to consider for this season.
December 10, 2020
Get ready to return to a (very different) office
Source: S. Mitra Kalita, Fortune
There’s no going back to what was. The last nine months have forced a drastic reset of work, home and all points in between. The upheaval in commercial real estate allows companies to be pickier about their needs, from open windows to lower employee-to-bathroom ratios. An uncertain pandemic economy means expansion for some sectors and downsizing for others. And studies show that more than one-fifth of adults moved due to COVID or know someone who did; how this affects their desire or ability to commute remains another unknown.
When Employers Can Require COVID-19 Vaccinations
Source: Allen Smith, SHRM
As COVID-19 vaccines become available, many employers will have a strong case for requiring employee vaccinations, so long as their vaccination policies have certain exceptions, are job-related and are consistent with business necessity, legal experts say.
As U.S. companies push to get workers vaccinated, states disagree on who's essential
Source: Tina Bellon & Richa Naidu , Reuters
Companies and industry groups lobbying to get their U.S. workers to the front of the line for COVID vaccination are running into a patchwork of state plans and confusion over who is essential, and who is not.
Lessons From the Pandemic: Tips From Eight Productive People
Source: Arianne Cohen, Bloomberg
The combination of working at home, juggling child care, and pivoting entire business plans on short notice because of the coronavirus outbreak has forced us all to learn new tricks. Here are skills some productive people have picked up this year.
December 9, 2020
Amazon accused of pregnancy and disability discrimination in EEOC charge
Source: Chinekwu Osakwe, Reuters
An Amazon employee from Oklahoma on Monday filed a complaint against the company with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission, alleging pregnancy and disability discrimination.
The Federal Gender Pay Gap Is Shrinking, But the Remaining Disparity May Be the Hardest to Eliminate
Source: Erich Wagner, Government Executive
Although the gap between men and women at federal agencies has fallen from 19 cents on the dollar in 1999 to 7 cents in 2017, the vast majority of the remaining salary discrepancy is “unexplained,” watchdog finds.
How To Lead A Digitally Heightened Workplace
Source: Benjamin Laker, Forbes
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in Spring 2020, everything changed. As entire workforces shifted from office buildings to remote working environments, all the ways, we defined work transformed, too. Gone were morning commutes, impromptu conversations around the coffee pot, and casual check-ins after running into somebody in the hallway or cafeteria.
4 Ways to Cultivate Inclusion and Compassion In the Workplace
Source: Nika White, Entrepreneur
In the times we’re living in, more and more people are experiencing stress, unhappiness, and anxiety in the workplace.
The combination of a health crisis, political elections, and pervasive racial inequities have put many people on edge at work. It turns out 53% of adults are experiencing higher levels of stress and worry because of current events. It's easy to blame the various global phenomena happening right now, but issues of stress and anxiety in the workplace are nothing new — especially among women, people of color and other marginalized groups.
EEOC Announces New Process for Requesting Formal Opinion Letters
Source: Don Lee, EEOC
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) announced today that it has launched a new process for the public to request a formal opinion letter concerning Title VII and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) from the Commission.
December 8, 2020
How Do You Evaluate Performance During a Pandemic?
Source: Lori Mackenzie , JoAnne Wehner and Sofia Kennedy, Harvard Business Review
The ongoing crises of 2020 are affecting women’s careers and, as we enter performance review season, managers have a responsibility to make sure that bias against women — and women of color in particular — doesn’t do further damage. If you want to retain this critical group of talent and avoid lasting consequences for workplace diversity, it will help to rethink how your organization handles performance reviews.
Everyone has a home office now. So who's paying for it?
Source: Chris Taylor, Yahoo Finance
In the past, home offices were often an afterthought: Ill-equipped, cramped, and a little dusty from only occasional use.
Now in 2020, many home offices are looking more like the command center at NORAD: Multiple screens, high-tech capabilities, and professional Zoom-ready surroundings.
Berkeley study shows virus risk in workplace
Source: Bay City News, Kron 4
About two-thirds of California workers will be within arm’s length of their colleagues and customers when the economy reopens fully after the pandemic, University of California at Berkeley researchers discovered.
The results released Monday by the UC Berkeley Labor Center provide some idea of the risk of infection from COVID-19 those workers will face. Research published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control suggests that workers nearer to those they serve have a higher risk of being infected by the virus.
The Covid Risks in the Workplace Break Room
Source: Krithika Varagur, The Wall Street Journal
Workers find extra stress at what was once a lunchtime sanctuary for friendly chatter with colleagues; here’s how to take a breather safely on the job during the pandemic
Marcus G. Keegan Appointed as Regional Attorney for EEOC’s Atlanta District Office
Source: EEOC, EEOC
Marcus G. Keegan has been appointed regional attorney for the Atlanta District Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.
Keegan brings with him nearly two decades of litigation experience and has a comprehensive understanding of employment law, having represented employees and employers in discrimination matters. He began his legal career as a trial attorney at the Atlanta District Office. He entered private practice in 2004 and founded his own law firm in 2009.
When You Need Time Off for Health Reasons
Source: Women at Work, Harvard Business Review
When an acute or chronic health issue disrupts our work life, how do we let our bosses and coworkers know? How vulnerable should we be? And, as managers, how do we best support an employee who discloses a diagnosis? We talk with two women who’ve had to consider these questions while navigating illnesses, and they share advice on disclosing and discussing health issues with colleagues.
