Organizations have legal and moral responsibilities to support diversity in their workplaces and to ensure compliance with all equal employment opportunity rules and regulations. Unfortunately, workplaces have not always been welcoming to women and minorities, and many people have faced prejudicial behavior when seeking employment or while on the job.
While laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 have improved the working lives of many, there are still serious issues that require attention and action. Human Resource professionals are especially important for creating hospitable and inclusive work environments.
Policies that discriminate against protected classes of individuals, either explicitly or accidentally, are illegal. Thus, even unintentionally discriminatory practices that disparately impact those that are vulnerable to prejudicial treatment must be prevented.
Investigating an employee’s claim of discrimination or harassment requires immediate action on the part of employers to satisfy the recommendations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC strongly recommends that employers swiftly investigate and resolve employees’ complaints of workplace harassment and discrimination. If an employee lodges a complaint against a colleague or the employer itself, an investigation is a required step since courts have ruled that failure to investigate on the part of an employer is akin to discrimination.
Responsiveness to a complaint and an investigation will not only yield the best information and evidence, but it will also enhance both the investigator’s and employer’s credibility. Investigations can help the organization identify and resolve internal problems before they become widespread. Given that every complaint has the potential to become a lawsuit, employers should investigate every case in a manner in which it can be presented to a court of law, if necessary. As potentially disruptive as investigations can be, they must be prompt, thorough and effective to ensure all parties’ protection.
Diane L. Dee
Diane L. Dee, President of Advantage HR Consulting, has over 25 years of experience in the Human Resources arena. Diane’s background includes experience in HR consulting and administration in corporate, government, consulting, and pro bono environments. Diane founded Advantage HR Consulting in early 2016. Under Diane’s leadership, Advantage HR provides comprehensive, cost-effective Human Resources solutions for small to mid-sized firms in the greater Chicagoland area. Additionally, Diane conducts webinars on a wide variety of HR topics for various training firms across the country. Diane holds a Master's Certificate in Human Resources from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations …
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