News

By Joelle Emerson - FORTUNE - January 4, 2024

When diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work was thrust into the national spotlight, it was on the heels of universally condemned, horrific tragedies: the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. DEI efforts, which have existed for decades in higher education and the corporate sector, quickly became one of the ways we as a society sought to fix the wrongs of racial injustice.

Just three years later, the term DEI has become weaponized and cast as the villain in the economic or social issue of the moment. This year alone, it’s been blamed for a bank collapse, a train derailment, and, most recently, antisemitism on college campuses.

How we got here

In reality, anti-diversity activists have been working towards this moment for decades. Edward Blum, the activist funding legal challenges to affirmative action, grants for Black women entrepreneurs, and fellowship programs for law firm associates, has been pursuing this mission for over 30 years. (Blum describes these cases as “anti-discrimination” efforts).

Read the full article HERE.

 January 8, 2024

Federal lawmakers are once again pushing to bolster workplace anti-discrimination protections for older workers, meaning potentially increased legal liabilities for employers — but companies can still defend against claims with proper documentation, an attorney told HR Dive.

On Dec. 4, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act, also known by the acronym POWADA. The bill’s key provision is that it would amend federal law to clarify that a party may demonstrate that an unlawful employment practice occurred by showing that age, or any other protected characteristic or protected activity, motivated the unlawful practice.

A bill summary published by Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., calls this provision the “mixed-motive” test. POWADA has been introduced in Congress multiple times since its original 2009 proposal without success. A 2021 version of the bill passed the House that year but did not clear the Senate.

Read more HERE.

Jacqlyn Nedvin | Forbes Councils Member
Forbes Human Resources Council
Oct 11, 2023

Recently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released statistics that highlight that employment among disabled individuals reached its peak in August 2023. Upon seeing this, my first thought was "It’s about time!" Studies show that companies that employ people with autism and intellectual or developmental differences see multiple positive business impacts, including better morale, improved products and services, higher productivity and ultimately increased bottom lines.

Despite the progress in inclusivity, the fact remains that around one in five people with disabilities, including those with autism, are employed. The need to increase the participation of neurodivergent individuals in the workforce is pressing. However, many stakeholders who are integral to the process of inclusive hiring are unaware of which jobs these professionals may excel in or don't know how to create more inclusive hiring practices and workplace cultures.

Read the full article HERE.

By Vanessa M. Conzon | Harvard Business Review

Summary: Will the DEI policy you’re about to implement actually hurt some of the people you’re trying to help? New research on this question shows that, yes, this can happen if you fail to take a systems-level view — but the good news is there are three key ways to avoid unintended consequences. First, consider subgroups. Think about variation within the group of people the policy is aimed at helping; for example, whether the experiences of most women employees might differ from women managers. Second, think big. Recognize that the interactions between people at your organization are diverse and complex. When policies reverberate, they can harm groups or subgroups in unanticipated ways. Third, track closely. Monitor the policy as it is being rolled out for any negative effects on employees.

Read the full article HERE>

JacksonLewis: Samia M. Kirmani & Michael D. Thomas

The U.S. Supreme Court held the use of race in university and college admissions is unconstitutional in its Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. decisions on June 29, 2023. The Court’s ruling directly addresses only the admissions decisions of educational institutions that accept “federal financial assistance” based on an analysis under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Employers have been wondering what, if any, impact the ruling will have on employer diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Many DEI initiatives remain lawful and must be carefully designed, documented, and implemented to comply with applicable law. 

by Christopher To, Elad N. Sherf, and Maryam Kouchaki

Harvard Business Review  -  July 17, 2023

All too often, managers deny the existence of inequities at their organizations and, as a result, resist implementing diversity initiatives there. There are two standard explanations for this behavior: Managers resist because they’re part of privileged demographic groups whose power is threatened by the initiatives, or because they’re ideologically opposed to them. The authors of this article, however, have uncovered evidence of an even more powerful factor: Managers resist because they identify with their organizations and therefore are prone to “motivated reasoning,” a phenomenon that makes it hard for them to view their organization in a negative light. The authors explain this phenomenon and provide readers with some tactics for combatting it.

Read the full story HERE

Written by DiversityInc Contributor

Most people are familiar with the glass ceiling, a term that describes the barriers that women and people of color face when trying to advance their careers and move up the organizational chart. But another barrier has emerged that makes life difficult for a majority of workers in the country: the paper ceiling.

The paper ceiling refers to career advancement barriers experienced by those without a college degree. Almost 38% of the American population aged 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers on educational attainment. That means the paper ceiling potentially impacts 62% of the workforce.

Read the full article HERE.

The Diversity Workforce Coalition (DWC) is accepting applications for its Annual Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award, which recognizes outstanding efforts of organizations that actively engage in promoting and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. 

All organizations across the corporate, government, community, and not-for-profit sectors are eligible to apply. 

DWC Board President Monica Zulauf said the Selection Committee is looking forward to reviewing this year’s submissions.  “I am always amazed by how the quality of applications gets stronger and stronger each year,” said Zulauf. “Many applicants have told us that simply participating in the process is a valuable experience because it allows them to share best practices, learn from each other, and continue to evolve into more diverse and inclusive organizations, which, in turn, helps achieve broader societal goals.”

The Selection Committee awarded Port City Pretzels the 2022 DEI Award for exhibiting exemplary leadership in—and commitment to—advancing and advocating for DEI in its workplace and community. Finalists also named for their considerable achievements in DEI were Mascoma Bank and Merchants Fleet.

Applications for this year’s award program will be accepted from now until to February 15, 2023.  Candidates will be selected for a virtual interview and site visit, conducted by Selection Committee representatives, with the final winner announced at the DWC’s annual DEI conference, which will take place at Southern NH University in Manchester on March 16, 2022. 

For more information, please visit: diversityworkforce.org/Award/Applications

The Diversity Workforce Coalition is a membership organization comprised of employers and other community members to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace through education, networking, and the training of its members and community partners.

Media contact:
Monica Zulauf
(603) 781-5014
mlzulauf@gmail.com 

Mikaela Cohen - cnbc.com

As companies scramble to attract and retain talent, a growing focus on how to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives is gaining strength.

However, there are key differences between diversity, inclusion and belonging, Erin Thomas, head of diversity, inclusion and belonging at Upwork, at the recent CNBC Work Summit in October.

“We like to think of belonging as a feeling, fit, or enablement, to show up authentically at work in a safe environment,” Thomas said. “Inclusion is a practice, talking about decisions made on a microscale, who’s invited to a meeting, and on a macroscale, who’s getting promoted and getting pay increases.”

Diversity is about representation, she added. This is where companies look at representation across levels and commit to bringing in employees that represent all demographics.

“All of these things swirl together to shape culture and to shape workplaces. You can’t have one of these without the others,” Thomas said.

Read the full story HERE.

Shared by WeAreTheCity

In the midst of economic maelstroms and a cost-of-living crisis, businesses and employees alike are understandably anxious about the ever-present big picture issues. This pressure is increasingly compelling business leaders to weed out what some deem to be ‘non-essential’ initiatives to minimise expenses, cautiously evaluating where to best allocate resources.

Not sidelining Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) now may seem counter-intuitive. In fact, in a time of economic turmoil, there is an even more urgent need to invest in DE&I efforts. Far too often, DE&I suffers as a ‘nice to have’ initiative, viewed as something to invest in when times are good.

It comes down to this: recessions are not created equally. The data shows us that there are groups who are impacted more than others, and existing biases and inequalities can quickly become more ingrained and increasingly painful in times of crisis.

Read the full story HERE.