Being a business owner used to be basically simple. Generally one used common sense to navigate through the day and once-in-a-while one had to bend to the federal or state government rules on a tax matter, but even that was a rare happening.
Simple Ain’t Simple No More especially with the Federal Department of Labor and Missouri Department of Labor adding regulation after regulation to the compliance list a business owner must follow along with trying to make a profit.
Take for instance, the area of employee harassment. There was a time when employee harassment was basically sexual harassment and such harassment took place between a male and female, but that changed and sexual harassment could take place between a male and male or between a female and a female. Oh my, then it became even more complicated with transgender issue. Now this is not an article on what is right or wrong, but just a statement that Simple Ain’t Simple No More.
Okay, so over the years, the EEOC decided to add some additional twists to the compliance list by adding more people combinations to the list and more relational matters that were unlawful and now there is sexual harassment (Quid Pro Quo) and in addition workplace harassment (hostile work environment) which included all the folks in Title Vll, ADA ADEA, and unique marriage partners and more. Not to mention the newer rules from 2016 regarding vigilance.
Well, this morning I became even more confused when I read in an ADA publication that harassment did not include simple teasing or isolated incidents that aren’t very serious. I said, “WHAT? Tell that to the business that was beat up over an isolated comment by a supervisor to two of his employees that even 3 years ago would not have been considered harassment!” Simple Ain’t Simple No More.
Now, the isolated comment was very out-of-line and we would have strongly disciplined the supervisor. But two years ago, it wouldn’t have been considered serious enough not to give a business a chance to discipline the issue in house.
If your first thought is OMG!, there is help. Executive Advantage has developed a terrific on-demand video series with consulting which meets the newest compliance demands of the EEOC. Contact us for a preview or demo.
After all Complex Can Be Simpler with a little help from your HR friends.