Reference no: EM133197529 , Length: 2 pages

A diverse workforce means that employers must navigate a complex maze of cultures and ethnicities. Employees may speak numerous languages, belong to different racial groups, and come from different cultures. Therefore, it is imperative that employers educate their workforce about discrimination and its many forms. Likewise, employers must ensure that their business practices are related to business necessities and are not being used for the purpose of discriminating against others. A prime example of business practices gone awry is the "English-only" workplace rule. "English-only" rules are put into place regularly to discourage non-native English-speaking workers from speaking their native language. If English is not germane to the employee's job duty, then the employer cannot ban other languages from the workplace. If it does, the employer will be subject to a national origin discrimination claim.

Color and racial characteristic discrimination is another serious problem employers should be on the lookout for, because it is quite prevalent. In fact, individuals of the same race often discriminate against each other based on skin color and hair texture. Consider a scenario in which Hubert, an African-American manager, refuses to hire qualified female African-American job candidates because they are not "light skinned" and/or do not have "good hair." Hubert is guilty of color and racial characteristic discrimination, plain and simple. As a hiring agent for his employer, he potentially has exposed the company to a discrimination lawsuit, as well.

Cultural differences are often a source of discrimination, especially for individuals with ethnic names, dress codes, or accents. For example, recruiters may be turned off by ethnic Native American names or refuse to hire individuals who "look" or "sound" Latino. Employers must discourage cultural discrimination actively, because it hinders diversity and is an obstacle to equal employment opportunity. Also note that lawsuits involving workplace discrimination are more likely to award high punitive damages where employers failed to properly train employees about discrimination and/or failed to promote workplace practices that discourage unlawful discrimination.

Analyze the various employment, worker protection, and immigration laws.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Read the following from your textbook, The Legal Environment of Business:
   1. Chapter 15, "Employment and Labor Regulations"
   2. Chapter 16, "Employment Discrimination"
3. View the following videos:
   1. "Franchisees Accused of Worker Exploitation." (Transcript for "Franchisees Accused..." video)
   2. "Mom Deemed 'Too Hot' for Work Gets Second Chance." (Transcript for "Mom Deemed..." video)
4. Locate and research discrimination prohibited by federal law and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
5. Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following prompts:
   1. Provide a short, real-world workplace scenario that exemplifies at least one type of discrimination you researched.
   2. Discuss how the FMLA serves to discourage workplace discrimination.
6. Your initial post is due by the end of the fourth day of the workshop.
7. Read and respond to at least two of your classmates' postings, as well as all instructor follow-up questions directed to you, by the end of the workshop.
   1. In your responses, identify similarities and differences between the case you researched and the cases selected by other students.
   2. Indicate whether your opinion regarding the court's ruling in the case you researched has changed based on court decisions or other opinions posted by fellow students.
8. Your postings should also:
   1. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking.
   2. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.
   3. Provide clarification to classmates' questions and provide insight into the discussion.
   4. Be posted on three different days during the workshop.