Question: 1. Discuss new legislation as it relates to HR? Are there new laws which need to be develop? In what area and what would the impact be?
2: New legislations and Human Resource Management is an ongoing thing as we evolve as a society and the business world is now global. Some of the more recent laws concern sexual harassment, that might come from a fellow coworker or a manager or owner of a business. There needs to be a culture of anti sexual harrasment established in company's. Company's need to make sure that there is a policy and a chain of command to follow in case of an incident. If not the company and individual involved is leaving themselves open for a law suit. I think there should be laws on making sure that not only is the work force diverse but also the key areas of management.
3: Human Resource management must abide by federal Laws as to employee human rights employee race color or religion, gender can not be tolerated. Human Resources must assure the work climate is free from sexual harassment. Office policy should be included in the employees orientation. An employer must not discriminate an potential candidate for being pregnant, this must not be an excuse for not hiring the Candidate
4: While I don't feel that they are inherently enemies, I would say that relationship can deteriorate very quickly. I believe this is because of the interest they serve. I feel that we like to think the Human Resources is just for the people. I also think that we like to believe that the Unions are just for the people. In the end, Human Resources serves their company, and they do what they can for the betterment of both the company and the employees. While the Union does what it can for the Union and the people, it does so for the betterment of the Union as well. This is because the Unions get paid by the dues of the employees, the more they get paid, the more the Union can ask for. This creates a tug-o-war with the employees, I honestly don't envy those in Unions, that said, I have never been a part of one, so I do not know first hand. Does anyone have first-hand experience?
5: I agree that it is every individual's responsibility to ensure that the workplace is as pleasant as possible. That said, at least in the military, the overall responsibility of upholding that standard rest solely on the manager of that work section. Should a member get out of line or be overly aggressive to others in the workplace it is there responsibility to pull them aside and talk to them about their behavior. Sometimes the member refuses to change, it is then the manager who has to intervene again to reprimand this individual and figure out a good course of action to ensure that the behavior is modified or to completely take the individual out of the situation. Sometimes this comes in the form of official paperwork, other times it comes in the form of a reduction in responsibilities.
6: Laws are only as good as that of the organization that chooses to follow them. I have seen this in the past as it pertains to sexual harassment and hostile workplace laws. I have actually shown up to a friend of mines work and was surprised at how they talked to each other. I remember mentioning it to my friend who blew me off stating that it was always like that and they were just joking around. Working for the government I know that actions like that would have been led to someone getting some form of disciplinary action. It just goes to show that in many cases it is up to the organization to enforce laws and create the environment that fosters them.
7: Are there laws against this occurring? How should this be handled if someone actually was let go while they were pregnant?
8: I believe in this it is Human Resource as well as the individual manager's responsibility to create a culture that only accepts these values. In this, those new that come to the company will also start to foster this attitude as group dynamics and peer pressure takes over older preconceived notions of the world around us. Fostering a work center culture of acceptance allows us to form teams faster and to use the human capital of the team to overcome our individual weaknesses. In accomplishing this goal at the work center level, the company at large becomes a more ethical place of business. Getting these morals and in the end, fairness correct helps companies with attrition problems as well as the ability to higher a more diverse and possible more qualified group of employees.