A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Federal Employment Laws

Discrimination

You want to treat your employees fairly and provide a healthy work environment for all. But in the real world, things sometimes get messy. You have an employee who needs time off, but he’s the only person who can do his job. Someone is upset about being passed over for a promotion. Another employee is allergic to a coworker’s perfume. And someone is “dishing the company tea” on social media.

Now what?

In human resources (HR) training, every ethical challenge has a tidy answer. In practice, it’s often quite difficult to find solutions that everyone agrees are fair and right.

Federal employment laws are nice, tidy guide rails for your business. While they don’t resolve every HR dilemma, they give you a framework for handling many of the complexities involved in employing people.

This article covers nine types of federal labor laws you need to know and when they apply

How to Become ADA Compliant in 4 Steps

Discrimination

More than 40 million people in the U.S. live with some form of disability. Creating a fair recruitment process and implementing an accessible work environment for all employees should be of the utmost importance.

It’s also a legal requirement.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The ADA went into effect in 1990. It’s a federal law, so it applies to every state without variation.

HR managers need to be well versed in ADA compliance if they want to avoid lawsuits.

Overview: What is ADA compliance?
The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in a number of different settings. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces sections of the ADA that prohibit employment discrimination.

Any organization operating in certain settings must make the required accommodations to be sure they’re complying with ADA guidelines.

These settings include:

Public

Sexual Harassment Law Finds Its Way Into Oklahoma Indian Country

Discrimination

Since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, Title VII has become a fixture in private workplaces across the nation. Amended over the years, Title VII became synonymous with workplace protection against sexual harassment in the wake of Professor Anita Hill’s allegations against then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1994. For the last quarter of a century and counting Title VII continues to be the primary mechanism by which sexual harassment and gender discrimination is identified and dealt with administratively through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and its state law counterpart agencies, and through private civil litigation brought in federal courts in all fifty states.

While Title VII remains ubiquitous in discussions about sexual harassment in the private workplace, historically speaking the same cannot be said for employers in Indian Country. That is primarily because tribes were not

This Expert Helps HIV-Positive Folks Fight Workplace Discrimination

Discrimination

Brian McComak spends his days helping businesses look more like America — a true mix of races, genders, and identities — as founder and CEO of the consulting firm Hummingbird Humanity. McComak, whose book, Humanity in the Workplace: A Blueprint for Building an Inclusive & Equitable Company Culture, is set for release this year, says diversity also includes those living with HIV, as he is. We connected with McComak on the uncomfortable process of coming out about your status at work and what to do when the reception is less than positive.

When you came out to friends and coworkers about your HIV status, you described the situation as stressful. What are some tips to make it smoother? I still remember the anxiety I felt about

Immigrant Workers and Their Rights, Documented or Not

Work Injury

It doesn’t matter what country you’re from or if you’re in the U.S. documented or not. Workplace injuries don’t care about immigration status or language abilities. Everyone hurt on the job deserves representation. Arizona-based workers’ rights attorneys Robert Wisniewski and Javier Grajeda share their vast experiences representing immigrant workers.

Communication is vital, and those with limited English proficiency often need help. Wisniewski shares tips on helping foreign workers communicate the extent of their injuries. American demographics are changing, but our system of protections is for everyone. A competent, certified interpreter is one key.

Undocumented workers, and even documented immigrants, may not know they have rights or may be afraid to speak up. Some may not have valid tax ID information or may work under an