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What I've Been Reading This Week: HR Edition


I know there are a few readers of the blog who work in HR and enjoy my posts on the topic.  With transgender matters becoming a more common topic in the workplace that many in the HR field are being confronted with, I think the development out of Seattle is an interesting read.  Given that I have not posted an article dedicated to HR issues in a few weeks, I thought this would be a good time to highlight a few HR related notes I have recently come across.

As always, below are a few articles that caught my eye this week.


Seattle Prepares "Culturally Responsive" Training to Deal With Emerging Transgender Matters

Joel Connelly has a good note on Seattle Mayor Ed Murray's executive order which requires "culturally responsive" training for city workers to deal with transgender issues in the workplace.  Under the new executive order, city workers will receive additional resources and training "to ensure that members of our [Seattle's] transgender and gender diverse communities are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve."  This comes on the heals of an approval by the Seattle City Council in which all single stall restrooms in city controlled buildings and private businesses will now be designated as "all gender" facilities.  Interesting to see if other cities follow suit and develop similar policies to train workers on transgender matters...

Planning on Firing An Employee? A Useful Guide

Every situation, employer, employee, etc is different.  While each individual situation can (and likely should be handled) differently, Dick Grote over at the Harvard Business Review has a useful guide that an employer can use when the time comes to fire an employee.  There is a lot of useful advice here that I think employers could find helpful the next time an employee is fired.  Well worth a read!


The EEOC & Retaliation Claims - What Employers Can Do

A lot of readers in HR are likely all too familiar with retaliation claims.  In fact, the EEOC reported 45% of the discrimination charges filed in the last year alleged retaliation against an employee for having filed a workplace discrimination complaint.  The Think HR Blog has a good article on the topic and as a bonus, included six things an employer can do to prevent this type of situation and mitigate the risk associated with these claims.

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