Author: Rick Bell

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Mandatory Flu Shots Cost Employer

Jon Hyman The Practical Employer

You may recall that

How did that case turn out for the employer? Not well. From the EEOC:

Saint Vincent Health Center will pay $300,000 constituting back pay and compensatory damages to a class of six aggrieved former employees … .

In addition to requiring monetary relief and offers of reinstatement for the six employees, the consent decree contains multiple injunctive components. Under the decree, if the Health Center chooses to require employee influenza vaccination as a condition of employment, it must grant exemptions from that requirement to all employees with sincerely held religious beliefs who request exemption from the vaccination on religious grounds unless such exemption poses an undue hardship on the Health Center’s operations, and it must also notify employees of their right to request religious exemption and establish appropriate procedures for considering any such accommodation requests. The decree also requires that when considering requests for religious accommodation, the Health Center must adhere to the definition of “religion” established by Title VII and controlling federal court decisions, a definition that forbids employers from rejecting accommodation requests based on their disagreement with an employee’s belief; their opinion that the belief is unfounded, illogical, or inconsistent in some way; or their conclusion that an employee’s belief is not an official tenet or endorsed teaching of any particular religion or denomination.

Ouch.

What does this mean for employers? I’ll allow Philadelphia District regional attorney, Debra M. Lawrence, who prosecuted the Saint Vincent Health Center case, to explain.

While Title VII does not prohibit health care employers from adopting seasonal flu vaccination requirements for their workers, those requirements, like any other employment rules, are subject to the employer’s Title VII duty to provide reasonable accommodation for religion. In that context, reasonable accommodation means granting religious exemptions to employees with sincerely held religious beliefs against vaccination when such exemptions do not create an undue hardship on the employer’s operations.

In other words, if you require flu shots for your employees (a policy I wholeheartedly endorse), you must be willing to exempt certain employees as an accommodation for their religions (and disabilities, as well).

Jon Hyman is a partner at Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis in Cleveland. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com. Follow Hyman’s blog at Workforce.com/PracticalEmployer.

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An Early Contender for Employee of the Year

Jon Hyman The Practical Employer
It’s only the 4th day of January and we already have an early contender for employee of the year. I cannot do this story any justice better than the original article in the New York Post.

HR director sues to find out who sent her ‘a bag of d–ks’

This human resources director is taking legal action to find out who wants her to eat a bag of d–ks.

Melody Lenox filed a lawsuit Tuesday after she was less than amused to receive a package of gummy penises. Lenox, who works for Axxess Technology Solutions in Dallas, alleges this is not the work of a generous individual, but someone trying to harass her.…

The package, which came from a company aptly named D–ks By Mail, was sent to her on Dec. 7. She sued the company demanding it reveal the prankster’s identity so she “can put an end to the harassment,” according to the suit.

On the company website, D–ks By Mail markets itself as a “great way to tell your friends, family, loved ones, or enemies to EAT A BAG OF D–KS.”

OK, 2017, you are officially on the clock to find a worse employee. There are 361 days and counting.

Jon Hyman is a partner at Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis in Cleveland. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com. Follow Hyman’s blog at Workforce.com/PracticalEmployer.

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Why It Doesn’t Matter that Ohio’s Concealed-Carry Law Removed Bias Protections

Jon Hyman The Practical Employer

We are going to begin 2017 near where we brought 2016 to a close — gun-owner protections.

Shortly before the end of Ohio’s 131st legislative session,

Eleventh-hour legislative wrangling removed certain provisions that would have elevated “concealed handgun licensure” to a protected class under Ohio’s employment discrimination law, on par with race, color, religion, sex, military status, national origin, disability, age, and ancestry. The enacted version of the bill removed these protections, while maintaining employees’ concealed-carry rights in their vehicles.

The question is, does this omission make a real-world difference? Under Ohio law, the termination of an at-will employee that jeopardizes a clear public policy articulated in the Ohio or United States Constitutions, federal or state statutes, administrative rules and regulations, or common law creates a cause of action for wrongful discharge in violation of that public policy.

Ohio Revised Code section 2923.1210 now protects the right of a person who has been issued a valid concealed handgun license to transport or store a firearm inside the person’s privately owned vehicle while parked on employer’s property. Thus, if an employer terminates an employee because the employee is lawfully storing a gun in his or parked car on the employer’s property, that employee likely can assert a wrongful discharge claim.

In other words, S.B. 199 elevates concealed handgun licensure to a protected class in function.

I applaud the Ohio legislature for removing the anti-discrimination protections from this bill. I am concerned, however, that it did not go far enough by leaving the wrongful-discharge loophole in place.

Jon Hyman is a partner at Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis in Cleveland. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com. Follow Hyman’s blog at Workforce.com/PracticalEmployer.

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Defining Trump: ‘Stop it’ and ‘You’re Fired’

I once had two employees whose working relationship blossomed into a workplace romance.

WF_WebSite_BlogHeaders-10At first it was an all-out lovefest; footsies under the table during staff meetings, goo-goo eyes at each other at lunch … ain’t love grand? It sure was; until it wasn’t.

Their chocolate kisses turned sour. Tart words and icy glares soon took a toll on the staff, who soon asked if I would help end the hostilities. I did; and it didn’t go particularly well.

It was clear that there was no mediating this one. Back and forth they went with terse accusations. Exasperated, I finally blurted: “Stop it; just, stop it.”

I was reminded of this nasty affair when late last year newly elected President Donald Trump was confronted by “60 Minutes” reporter Lesley Stahl’s question regarding his supporters’ harassment of Latinos and Muslims. Trump’s response: “And I say, ‘Stop it.’ If it — if it helps, I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: ‘Stop it.’ ”

I’ll admit, Trump’s statement had conviction — arguably more than mine did. While his “stop it” may temporarily soothe an edgy nation and workplaces teeming with potential to boil over in bias, there’s another two-word phrase Trump is known for that strikes fear into every worker’s heart. “You’re fired” of course is the catchphrase from his reality TV show, “The Apprentice.” But which two-word phrase — a more reassuring “stop it” or brusque “you’re fired” — will define the man running our country for the next four years?

Like Trump, as workplace leaders we must toggle from “stop it” to “you’re fired.” It’s also on us to deliver the workplace tone for clarity, set an example of fairness and honesty. Our new president gets no pass on this, either. The initial days and weeks of Trump’s tenure will provide that roadmap for our nation’s workplaces.

That there’s a massive shift ahead for our political landscape under Trump is without question. His impact on the workplace however, is less apparent.

Let’s define what we know: The courts and their interpretations of employment law will undergo a massive philosophical shift.

Laws and regulations affecting our lives and jobs, from the Affordable Care Act to H-1B immigration policies to minimum wage laws, parental leave issues and especially organized labor, will come under intense scrutiny. The Family and Medical Leave Act and Fair Labor Standards Act will be under the microscope. Boards and agencies including the NLRB, OSHA, the EEOC and the Department of Labor face substantial overhauls.

That much is clear. What remains hazy is how our CEO-president’s provocateur-business leader-outsider persona will influence behavior in workplace corridors and on job sites across America.

When an unknown boss is tapped to lead an organization we check their LinkedIn profile; search for images and background; glean Glassdoor; perhaps even email a friend of a friend who may have a shred of insider knowledge.

There’s no need to play cyber-Sherlock Holmes with Trump. If we were in the dark about his leadership skills, abilities and attitudes, two years of campaigning and his time as president-elect are clarifying his management style.

Building a multibillion-dollar real estate empire is impressive. Beyond that remarkable bottom line, what does a peek into his supervisory toolbox reveal? Under organizational skills: withholding subcontractors’ pay and years of skirting tax laws. Checking the leadership box — a dizzying example of bullying, intimidation and name calling on social media. As a manager … ogling and belittling his beauty pageant contestants and taking “locker room banter” to near-obscene levels.

Maybe you’re all about results and the soft stuff doesn’t matter. Go ahead and look the other way. But with those qualities, Trump as a CEO looks like a lawsuit and extremely pricey settlement waiting to happen. It’s also behavior that I find unfit for any leader, let alone the president.

It would be a shame if HR has to play hall monitor rather than work as a strategic business partner during a Trump presidency. Policies will change; managers have learned to handle that. It’s the toxic attitudes and mounting disrespect for people that present such an ominous challenge during the next four years.

Fortunately, a handful of CEOs and leading employers have already publicly committed to policing their workplaces. President Trump could aid these leaders’ efforts and help curb growing workplace bias by turning his provocative rhetoric into more meaningful dialog with a few more emphatic, heartfelt “stop it” moments.

In your workplace it may take a “stop it” to promote cohesion. A “you’re fired” could even ease fear and distrust. How that message is conveyed will speak volumes about your leadership skills and the quality of your workplace. In this new era, how you say it is just as important as the message you deliver.

Rick Bell is Workforce’s editorial director. Comment below or email rbell@workforce.com.

 

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Brexit? Maybe it’s Time to Make the Case for HRexit

By Marcus Mossberger

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While Uber has HR pros performing traditional duties, someone else is exploring self-driving autos. It’s talent acquisition minus the talent.

While many people were surprised by Brexit, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, I’m hoping you might consider another once-unthinkable idea — the case for HRexit.

Please note: I don’t mean the secession of the HR profession from the corporate landscape. Rather I’m highlighting the need to completely rethink the way that HR leaders serve the individuals and organizations we work for as a result of two main paradigm shifts: the role of technology in the evolution of work and the gig economy.

Let’s start with the second of these important changes. Some 51 percent of executives plan to increase or significantly increase the use of contingent workers in the next three to five years. In fact, already more than one-third of U.S. workers are freelancers, so this is hardly a new concept. But millennials are arguably the first generation to embrace the notion that “work” has evolved into a temporary construct that will continue to evolve and change more and more rapidly in large part due to technology.

Take Brent Lager, co-founder of community improvement nonprofit The Call KC (and a millennial). Lager decided early on in his career that stability took a back seat to purpose. While he has been working to get his organization off the ground he frequently takes temporary substitute teaching gigs or other project-oriented work to stay afloat.

“I have no illusion that there is an employer out there that will guarantee me a job for the next 20 years, and frankly I’d rather focus on ways I can give back to my local community than maintain a steady income,” he said.

the argument logoThe legal and regulatory challenges created by this new model have been well-publicized as organizations like Uber attempt to avoid the idea that their drivers are actually employees versus independent contractors. In reality, it won’t be long before this is a moot point, as Uber has made it clear — based on their technology investments — their long-term bet is on self-driving cars. Uber is arguably among the most fascinating organizations in the world considering the fact that they will acutely face these two paradigm shifts as intensely as any other company.

While Uber has HR professionals to perform traditional duties (for its actual employees), someone else is likely exploring the idea of replacing their drivers (their humans) with machines. It’s talent acquisition minus the talent. So where does that leave HR? There is arguably no simple answer.

The Deloitte report suggests that 76 percent of the executives surveyed expect automation will require new skills in the workforce in the next one to three years. So, we could refocus our efforts on the people side of our organizations and ignore the idea that artificial (not human) resources may well be best positioned to deliver results for our organizations. Or we can find a way to partner with IT, R&D and other internal stakeholders to completely reimagine how we create value for our employees and our shareholders.

The removal of menial tasks by robots and learning machines may be welcomed if we provide tools and resources for people to gain new, higher-level skills. And the ability to find and adopt new technology to remain competitive will become as important as any functional skill in the organization.

If HR doesn’t do it, someone else will.

Marcus Mossberger is senior director, health care HCM Strategy, at New York-based Infor. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com. 

 

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Commuters Find an Alternative in Uber-WageWorks Pact

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WageWorks officially launched its partnership with Uber in New York City this fall.

Ride-sharing services aren’t only changing how 2 a.m. bar-hoppers travel. Commuters, too, are utilizing them to conveniently get to work.

WageWorks Inc., which provides consumer-directed benefits such as commuter benefits and flexible spending accounts, announced a partnership Dec. 13 with Uber Technologies Inc. to provide pre-tax benefits to commuters who use UberPool. WageWorks users who already save 40 percent on public transit via pre-tax funds can now do the same with the ride-hailing service.

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Dan Neuburger, president of commuter service at WageWorks.

“The mode of transportation used by commuters has changed dramatically in recent years,” said Dan Neuburger, president of commuter service at WageWorks. “As we continued to look for ways to make commuting less costly and more convenient for people, we thought it would make sense to explore whether ride-sharing would be compliant with the section of the IRS that covers commuter benefits.”

WageWorks and Uber could not partner using normal Uber services, just UberPool, according to IRS rules. Uber could only be included in the transit pass definition — and therefore could only partner with WageWorks to offer transit benefits — if the car can fit six adults plus the driver. There don’t necessarily have to be six passengers at a given time, but the capacity has to be there.

Once the companies figured out how to be compliant, they successfully launched the service in New York in August.

Whether the cost of commuting with the WageWorks-Uber partnership is comparable to public transportation will vary by user. Mostly, it depends on where the commuter is coming from, said Neuburger.

He added, “We believe car-sharing services complement the use of public transportation. They don’t necessarily compete directly with one another, even if at times they do.” For example, this partnership may be a way to solve the “first mile, last mile” problem. Even if a commuter uses public transportation to get part of the way home, they can use UberPool on the first or last stretch for convenience.

WageWorks has almost 60,000 companies of various sizes and industries that use its products across the country, and a good portion of these take advantage of the commuter benefits, including UberPool, said Neuburger, although he could not disclose the exact number.

To utilize this benefit, commuters access UberPool using the Uber app. First they must register their WageWorks Transit benefit card with the app, and then they can pay for the pre-tax-deducted ride.

The benefit will continue to expand to Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Denver, Atlanta, Miami and New Jersey, with other cities in the pipeline for the near future, said Neuburger.

Andie Burjek is a Workforce associate editor. Comment below, or email at aburjek@humancapitalmedia.com. Follow Workforce on Twitter at @workforcenews.

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The Opioid Addiction Epidemic Grows in the Workplace

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Opioid addiction issues continue growing in the workplace.

Whenever I do research for an article about rising pharmacy costs, I get sidetracked to a related issue: the opioid addiction crisis in America. Of course, not everyone on prescription medication or specialty drugs gets addicted, but it can happen and have a disastrous impact.

There is A LOT of research out there that reinforces the scope of the country’s opioid problem. A recent Washington Post article cited that “one-third of long-term users say they’re hooked on prescription opioids.” An NPR story from November cites that 20.8 million Americans have a substance abuse disorder. The recently passed 21st Century Cures Act — approved by a 94-5 vote — includes $1 billion for opioid prevention, which has been praised by members of both political parties.

Substance abuse spans from alcohol to prescription meds to non-prescription meds. So, I spoke with Julie Stich, associate vice president of content at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, about how companies can address substance abuse in their workforce. The foundation recently conducted a survey of 344 organizations in the U.S. and Canada on the topic of mental health and substance abuse benefits.

Of the respondents, 62 percent reported that depression is somewhat-to-very prevalent in their workforce. Some 50 percent reported the prevalence of alcohol addiction, 32 percent prescription drug addiction and 29 percent nonprescription drug addiction. Two out of three (67 percent) believed that substance abuse or mental health problems have an impact of work performance in areas like absenteeism/tardiness, overall job performance and physical health. Also, nearly a third (31 percent) of U.S. respondents reported that they did not have method in place to combat opioid abuse.

This is a snapshot of a limited number of companies, but based on these results and the growing statistics of opioid abuse outside this study, Stich and I discussed some implications of and solutions for opioid abuse in the workplace.

Substance abuse, although following under the umbrella of wellness, is best dealt with in an employee assistance program than a wellness program, said Stich. EAPs can handle a number of vital things, like resources, referrals, counseling and education.

Education, she added, could include lunch and learns or speakers who can tell workers about these issues: what to look for, signs of addiction, etc.

Many survey respondents did report that their organizations offer some sort of benefit of prevention initiative, according to the foundation’s study. Ninety-one percent said they offered EAP services, and 38 percent said they offered a wellness program with some component related to mental health or substance abuse.

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Julie Stich

One key aspect and problem to deal with in the workplace are certain barriers that may stop a struggling employee from utilizing these benefits. For example, noted Stich, employees may not want to acknowledge their problem or they may fear admitting it will threaten their job security.

“But I think if the employer is taking the time and the resources to offer [EAPs], they should communicate it quite frequently to their employees, remind them that it’s here,” said Stich. “They should really highlight it and reassure the employees over and over again that, ‘This is confidential. We will not find out that you called. Use it. That’s why it’s there.’”

Another key aspect: If a worker has admitted the problem and has been out on leave to deal with a mental health or substance abuse issue (for example, rehab), what does their return to work look like? Planning for the return is something employers tend not to do a whole lot about, said Stich.

Please also read: Pain Points: Prescription painkiller abuse has long been a growing problem in the U.S.

She referenced someone who compared how different it is to be out on a mental health disability than a physical disability. “You break your leg, you’re out for a while, and people send you cards and cheesecake. And when you come back they bring flowers and ask how you are and give you balloons,” she said. “But when it’s a mental health or substance abuse issue, nobody talks about it.”

Anything an employer can do to ease this transition is welcome, she added. Some suggestions?

  • Offering a flexible, gradual return to work
  • Prepping co-workers before the employee returns
  • Educating the manager or supervisor before the employee returns
  • Having a follow up conversation with the employee when they return

Also, Stich said, “some organizations will talk to the worker before they come back and give them actual talking points, some things that they can say to address questions that come up from their co-workers.”

Andie Burjek is a Workforce associate editor. Comment below, or email at aburjek@humancapitalmedia.com. Follow Workforce on Twitter at @workforcenews.

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From the Archives: Santa’s Employee Handbook

Jon Hyman The Practical Employer

While I’d like to believe that every post I’ve ever written is indelibly embossed on the brain of every person that’s ever read my blog, I understand that readers come and go, and not everyone reads or recalls every post. As a result, sometimes it makes sense to dive into the archives to revisit a timely (and timeless) post of yesteryear.

So today I bring you, all the way from Dec. 11, 2014, Even Santa needs an employee handbook.

The Christmas season is upon us, which means that the elves are hard at work deep inside the confines of the North Pole’s factories preparing gifts to load onto Santa’s sleight for his Yuletide trip around the globe. Pop culture—such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Elf”—portrays Santa’s workshop as a happy, jolly place, where the elves gleefully craft toys all hours of the day and night, without even a whisper of discontent.

Someone (or, more accurately, some elf), has squealed.

“The North Pole Employee Handbook: A Guide to Policies, Rules, Regulations and Daily Operations for the Worker at North Pole Industries” was allegedly found in “the vast confines of a Newark warehouse used to store elf clothing for Christmas displays.” It appears that all is not candy and carols at the North Pole.

For example:

  • Employees are called “cogs.”
  • Humans are not discriminated against in employment, as long as they are nimble, quick, and speak in high-pitched voices.
  • Cogs receive unpaid holidays for most of January, all of February – September, and half of October. With no other industry to speak of in the North Pole, however, other income-earning opportunities must be scarce.
  • Human employees must wear fake elf ears “as a gesture of solidarity with” their “fellow employees.”
  • Cogs must sign a non-competition agreement as a condition of employment. (I guess that job at Mattel is going to have to wait.)
  • Discipline can include weeks of work without pay.
  • Cogs receive the generous allotment of one five minute break and one 11½ minute lunch break for every 11 hours worked.
Other topics covered include the dental plan (administered by Hermey), how to participate in reindeer games, and what the 12 days of Christmas mean to you.
Needless to say, Santa does not appear to be one to be trifled with. Then again, if he knows when all of the world’s kids have been naughty or nice, it stands to reason that he keeps a pretty tight grip on his employees. And, if you think Santa is a pain, the handbook makes it clear that the HR Director, Mrs. Claus, goes without physical attention from Santa during peak production times and can get a tad prickly as a result.
If you’re looking for a good holiday gift for that special HR person in your life, I strongly recommend “The North Pole Employee Handbook.“
Also, don’t forget after Jan. 1 to take a look at your own employee handbook, to determine if any policies need to be updated or added.
Jon Hyman is a partner at Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis in Cleveland. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com. Follow Hyman’s blog at Workforce.com/PracticalEmployer.
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Chicago Fire Department Paramedic Test Unfair

Five women sued the city of Chicago after being passed over for paramedic jobs because they failed a required physical fitness test. The women claimed the test was designed to weed out women applicants and unfairly impacted women in violation of Title VII. Approximately 47 percent of women who took the test with the plaintiffs in 2004 passed, compared with more than 95 percent of men. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit held that the city could not prove the test was necessary to assess job performance for paramedics because it was based on a set of skill samples that don’t reflect what the paramedics actually do. The court recognized that “in itself, there is nothing unfair about women characteristically obtaining lower physical skills scores than men. … But the law clearly requires that this difference in score must correlate with a difference in job performance.” Without that correlation, the test “risks cementing unfairness into Chicago’s job-application process.” Ernst v. City of Chicago, Case Nos. 14-3783 and 15-2030 (7th Cir. Sept. 19, 2016).

Impact: While employers are not prohibited from administering physical tests for its job applicants, the test must actually measure job qualifications.

Mark T. Kobata and Marty Denis are partners at the law firm Barlow, Kobata and Denis, which has offices in Beverly Hills, California, and Chicago. Comment below, or email editors@workforce.com.

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Push for Gender Parity Undergoes a Paradigm Shift

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Paradigm for Parity is a new coalition that aims to level the workplace gender gap.

By Andie Burjek

Jewelle Bickford was frustrated; despite corporate efforts toward parity and promises to tackle gender inequality in leadership, women as a group weren’t making progress.

Bickford, partner at Evercore Wealth Management, is one of the founders and co-chairs of the Paradigm for Parity movement, which launched earlier this month as a vehicle to accelerate the pace of gender equity in senior executive roles. The ultimate goal is gender parity in leadership by 2030.

Bickford along with Sandra Beach Lin, former president and CEO of Calisolar, and Ellen Kullman, former CEO of DuPont, created the movement.

“It was our view that if a solution were to be found, women would need to do it for themselves, and for the rest of the women out there,” said Bickford. This prompted the organization of the Paradigm for Parity movement, which so far has partnered with 27 companies, all of which have publicly promised to take on gender parity as an organizational goal and to use Paradigm for Parity’s guidelines to do so.

Bickford and a group of highly regarded female CEOs and business executives, many of whom are CHROs, put together the actionable-items plan. The group created a measurement for success that could realistically be implemented within a company. These measurements are how many women the company attracts, retains, promotes and sponsors. Many companies don’t track sponsorship, which is an important aspect in the action plan.

Getting other companies interested in the plan wasn’t difficult, noted Bickford.

“There are a lot of men and women out there who are as frustrated as we are,” she said.

The five-point action plan includes:

  1. Minimize or eliminate unconscious bias.
  2. Significantly increase the number of women in senior operating roles.
  3. Measure targets at every level and communicate progress and results regularly.
  4. Base career progress on business results and performance, not presence.
  5. Identify women of potential and give them sponsors and mentors.
View More: http://samanthalaurenphotographie.pass.us/knickerbockerclub
Jewelle Bickford

What’s key about these five points, said Bickford, is that they reinforce each other and have to be implemented together to have the desired effect. For example, if a company makes a point to attract female candidates but not promote or sponsor them, then the number of women leaders won’t shift significantly.

One takeaway from meetings Bickford has had with executives is the importance of unconscious bias training, which can’t be done just once but must be continually reinforced.

Also important is that company leaders support the plan and publish statistics internally in the organization. For example, Bickford mentioned McKinsey & Co. CEO Dominic Barton, who willingly shared diversity numbers and acknowledged that the company wanted to do better and had a plan.

One item not noted in this plan is closing the wage gap. This was intentional because many other organizations already tackle that issue. Also, Bickford said, “We believe that if you implement all five of the action items, the wage gap will disappear. Our goal was to go where other people have not.”

One of Paradigm for Parity’s partners is global professional services company Accenture, which has a long-standing commitment to inclusion and diversity, according to CHRO Ellyn Shook.

“Most recently, 30 percent of our newly promoted managing directors are women, a record percentage for us,” she wrote in an email interview. “Paradigm for Parity is anchored by an actionable roadmap for change, and we look forward to sharing best practices and collaborating with leading companies to achieve gender equality.”

Among other companies that have committed to Paradigm for Parity’s action plan are Bank of America, Cargill, VF Corp., the Huffington Post, Nordstrom and LinkedIn. The organization’s goal is 50 companies by March 2017, said Bickford.

For companies interested in creating more gender equality in their workplace, whether they formally partner with Paradigm for Parity, Bickford said: “That would be my advice to any CHRO; just get started. You’ll see it will be very positive.”

Andie Burjek is a Workforce associate editor. Comment below or email at aburjek@humancapitalmedia.com. Follow Workforce on Twitter at @workforcenews.