In the State of Florida, and elsewhere throughout the nation, businesses are forbidden to engage in certain forms of discriminatory behavior. There are numerous pieces of law which enforce this ban against certain types of discrimination. For instance, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides certain protections, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides others; more protections are provided by additional laws as well.
As a business owner, you not only need to be aware of these laws, you also need to actively instruct others within your organization to observe these laws. As the owner, you are affected by any kind of discrimination which occurs within your company; this means that you need to be aware of the conduct of your managers and employees, otherwise you could face severely negative repercussions.
In this post, we will discuss the kind of things which should be included in a corporate anti-discrimination
Reinforce Existing Anti-Discrimination Law
Current anti-discrimination laws forbid many different types of discrimination, such as discrimination based on race, religion, color, sexual orientation, and so forth. Your corporate policy should identify the various forms of discrimination which are forbidden by federal and state laws. This will ensure that your entire organization is aware of the protections provided under the law.
Provide Reasonable Accommodations When Necessary
For employees with certain conditions or statuses – such as disabilities or religious affiliations – the law requires that you provide reasonable accommodations. This means that you may need to make certain adjustments to certain employment positions in order to comply with this law. Your corporate policy should indicate that you fully intend to comply with this law and will make whatever accommodations are deemed reasonable.
Provide Avenues for Reporting Discrimination
Your corporate policy should spell out a method for reporting instances of discrimination within your workplace. In some cases, instances of discrimination go unchallenged because employees do not know how to address them. Provide an avenue for employees to come forward and identify instances of discrimination.
Forbid Retaliation for Reporting of Discrimination
Another thing which companies are forbidden to do is retaliate against any employee who comes forward with a discrimination complaint. You need to restate this provision in your corporate policy. This will ensure that no employee is intimidated by the idea of reporting an instance of discrimination within your workplace. Reassure employees that no type of retaliation will come about in the event that a complaint is filed.
Implement a Plan for Investigating Complaints
Another thing your corporate policy on anti-discrimination should do is spell out a plan for investigating complaints. Whenever an employee makes a discrimination complaint, you will need to investigate that complaint to determine its veracity. Be clear about precisely how you will go about investigating complaints in your policy. This will further reassure your employees that all complaints will be taken seriously.
Contact Trembly Law for More Information
As you can see, there is a lot of information to take in when it comes to crafting a solid anti-discrimination corporate policy. The primary function of your policy will be to restate the various federal and state provisions against discrimination, and then reassure your managers and employees that these provisions will always be observed. If you’d like additional information, or if you need expert guidance on crafting a policy, give the Trembly Law Firm a call today at (305) 431-5678.
