PUBLISHED AUTHOR, STRATEGIC CHRO/VPHR & EMPLOYMENT/LABOR ATTY WHO WILL PROVIDE UNMATCHED HUMAN CAPITAL LEADERSHIP WHILE KEEPING YOUR COMPANY COMPLIANT. THE SEC WANTS MORE HUMAN CAPITAL DISCLOSURES - ARE YOU READY?
DHL TO PAY $8.7M IN EEOC RACE DISCRIMINATION SUIT What's the cost of doing business when you don't have onsite Legal Counsel or quality HR talent? What if you don't even have an HR Department? Maybe the better question is, how much Legal and/or HR support could you buy for $8.7M, & is that even the answer? In Chicago, delivery company DHL will pay $8.7 million and be subject to the oversight of a court-appointed monitor for 4 years, to settle a class action race discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC, the agency announced today (4/25/24). Here's why the EEOC was involved: 1. DHL assigned its Black employees to routes in neighborhoods with higher crime rates compared to White drivers; 2. DHL gave Black employees heavier dock work; 3. DHL segregated Black & White employees resulting in its Black employees often witnessing crimes & sometimes being victims of crimes on their assigned routes; & 4. Black employees were assigned to move larger, heavier packages while DHL's White counterparts were assigned the less strenuous task of sorting letters. This racial disparity will cost DHL $8.7M paid to a group of 83 Black employees who were subjected to the alleged discrimination. The decree also requires DHL to train its workers on federal laws prohibiting race discrimination & provide periodic reports . . . on work assignments and complaints of race discrimination. Although this is not about Black workers being paid less than others or denied promotions, assigning distinctly different work based on race is just as unlawful. Any racial discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. During the more than 12 years I've operated my HR & Legal consulting practice, I have been amazed at how many companies did not see the benefit of hiring quality HR personnel or onsite Legal talent. In fact, some didn't even hire HR talent. For nearly $9M you can hire a lot of quality HR & Legal talent, but is that the only answer? So, what else can employers do? You sure don't have to pay millions to avoid similar violations, if you recognize that the solution is staring right at you. How about building a better-educated workforce? Novel idea for many, but it's a whole lot cheaper than getting a visit from the EEOC or a demand letter from an employee's attorney. Find quality HR or Legal people who can come in and teach your entire workforce the pertinent state and federal laws on a rotating quarterly basis, so that everyone receives that training annually. And 'everyone' includes those in the C-Suite who often consider themselves immune from training. Once you start the training, you'll be amazed at how much smarter and better-behaved your workforce will become. And if the training is done properly - and attendance is mandatory, here's what you should see: 1. Improved corporate culture; 2. Enhanced employee engagement; 3. Improved employee retention; & 4. Increased productivity. Now, isn't that worth an 'AMEN'? eeoc@updates.eeoc.gov
