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Diversity

An employee states that his religious beliefs preclude his ability to work on Saturdays. Do we have to accommodate his schedule?
Generally, employers with 15 or more employees must make reasonable accommodations for employees’ religious observances.

Which diversity training works best - mandatory or voluntary?
Voluntary diversity initiatives are inherently superior in terms of their effectiveness with participants and their retention of key elements of such initiatives.

Can we require documentation from a religious authority to verify an employee’s request for religious accommodation?
Tempting as it might be to require documentation from a religious authority to verify that the employee is a practicing member, employees are not required to provide notes from their clergy.

Our diversity program needs some new life. What can we do to infuse some new enthusiasm into our program?
As you know, any program faces the loss of employee interest after it has been in place for a period of time.

Employees are complaining that we are closed on Sundays and some are asking for Friday or Saturday off. What should we do?
It can be frustrating when employees do not appreciate management practices aimed at enhancing employee work/life balance.

We have a lot of Spanish speaking employees. What can we do to bridge the gap between our Spanish speaking employees and our English speaking employees?
This question is one that will continue to arise as our workforce continues to diversify.

How do we begin a diversity program and make it work?
There are many resources available to the HR professional for developing a diversity program.

We are committed to recruiting a more diverse staff. Do you have any ideas on how to do so?
Advancements in technology have helped the world seem smaller, facilitating a shift to a global economy.

What diversity groups are underserved, and how can we infuse some new life into our program?
Every program faces a loss of momentum after it has existed for some time.

What is the difference between EEO, affirmative action and diversity?
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections , the labor force in the United States is projected to increase by 17 million from 2000 to 2010.