Legal Implications on HR of Employment Law, Commitment to
Diversity, and Affirmative Action
Five questions on legal implications on HR. Just a few
sentences for each question.
1. From what
you have read, do the employment laws affecting the private sector work as they
are designed to in the U.S.? Have they worked in the past? Do they need to be
revised in light of new topics related to employment? Please defend your
discussion. Provide employer examples/court case examples and research
information.
2. Is it
necessary for a private-sector organization to make a public commitment to
diversity? What are the pros and cons associated with doing so? Provide
employer examples and research information not previously mentioned.
3. What
should these terms mean to the private sector HRM manager: “reverse
discrimination” and “affirmative action”? What is the U.S.
Supreme Court’s stand on reverse discrimination and affirmative action? What do
these terms mean?
In what ways are anti-discrimination efforts and valuing
diversity in the workplace related, and not related? How do the terms
“reverse discrimination” and “affirmative action” relate to
an organization’s anti-discrimination efforts? To their diversity initiatives?
Provide employer examples.
4. Top
management has just learned that there now is another union organizing effort
going on. This is the third time in four years that the hourly employees have
tried to unionize; the vote margin is narrowing. As an HR manager in this
union-free company with 500 plant (hourly) employees in one location in a large
industrial city, what actions during an organization drive will you recommend
to top management to strive to remain union-free at this late date? There are
long-service, poor-performing employees who are the push behind the
organization effort each time. Each year it is the same. They are viewed by
supervisors as “troublemakers.” They aren’t valuable employees by any
means.
Top management wants to hear what you recommend after you
conduct research.
5. You are a
newly hired compensation manager in an organization that makes packaged
cupcakes and other snack bakery items. There are 1450 employees in your one
location. You are currently union free. Your organization has a total rewards
program but does not know if the total rewards program is cost effective. What
numbers are needed to determine whether or not what is offered is worth the
administrative hassle, headaches and total labor costs involved? Specifically,
discuss one important metric that needs to be measured in the process of
evaluating the impact of your firm’s total rewards program on recruitment,
motivation/productivity and retention levels. How would you go about gathering
and/or separating out, and analyzing the information needed?
Keep in mind that hiring a consultant is not an option. Top
management feels they have spent enough and want some concrete recommendations
from you. This task is yours in your new role as compensation manager.
