As a workplace investigator, every single case is unique. After all, each case involves a different industry, different players, and, perhaps most importantly, different impacts. While it might be preferable to look at workplace investigations through a clinical lens, that simply isn’t possible. Every probe includes emotional aspects, and dealing
Human resource departments in thousands of companies across the country are a hub of activity. Every day, human resource professionals are tasked with activities that are imperative to the success and well-being of the company they work for and their fellow employees. As an essential cog in the company machine
There are several questions that Treaty Oak ELG receives with regularity from organizations that have not previously hired or conducted investigations in their facilities. The questions stem primarily from a concern about meeting legal obligations and control of the process, and they are often related to obligations that they do
One of the difficult tasks of employers is to balance their own needs with the expectation of their employees’ privacy in the workplace. This issue may arise when dealing with employee email. Whether an employer decides to review its employees’ email often depends on the reason for doing so and the
A diverse workforce is one of the cornerstones of American life. This nation has grown and prospered through the hard work, innovation, and creativity of a diverse population of immigrants. Yet, as the United States stands today, 45 million workforce members have a language other than English as their primary
Everyone would like to consider their organization inclusive, offering chances to qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnic background, physical appearance, or gender. That, however, is not the case. A recent study led by Harvard University found that hidden bias is far more common than we think, and it sneaks into hiring
Cyberbullying, a term often associated with kids, isn’t just a problem during the school years. In fact, cyberbullies seem to be graduating into the workplace at a breakneck speed. According to a report by UNISON, eight out of every ten workers reported they had experienced cyberbullying at some point during
Age discrimination is the act of discriminating against an individual based on their chronological age. The term, colloquially associated with older individuals in a workplace, also can be used to describe discrimination towards any individual based on their age, including young workers. Legally speaking, workers over 40 are protected by the Age
Several essential anti-discrimination laws dictate the employment relationship. Employers and human resource managers must be aware of anti-discrimination laws to stay compliant and avoid exposing the company to liability. Some fundamental laws include: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act Title VII is one of the most significant anti-discrimination laws.
All employers and human resource managers should be knowledgeable about Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law applies to employers with 15 or more employees and provides the foundation for prohibited discrimination in the workplace. Many state laws are modeled after Title VII, but they
