Labor Law Conference Recap

Recently I attended PASCO's 32nd Annual HR and Employment Law Conference.  There were 4 sessions and 2 keynote speakers.  As usual it was a great full day of learning, connecting with colleagues, and seeing what local vendors and service providers have to offer.

Here are a few highlights from the day. Sara Hamilton,  of  Hirschfeld, Kraemer, LLP gave us a great overview of Employment Law Trends.

Overview of Major Bills from 2015

• AB 2053, the "anti bullying bill" states that mandatory sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors must also include training related to abusive conduct.  Applies to employers with 50+ employees.  Supervisors must be trained within 6 months of being hired or promoted and every 2 years after that.
• AB 1443, states that harassment protection is also extended to unpaid interns.
• AB 1522, Health Workplace, Healthy Families Act.  Introduces mandatory paid sick leave.
• AB 1897, Increases employers liability for contracted workers.  Applies to CA employers wtih 25+ employees who use 6+ employees from a labor contractor.  This has prompted employers to more closely monitor the activities of the staffing firms they use.

EEOC Update

 Since 2012, the EEOC has shifted its litigation strategy to focus on fewer, higher-impact cases related to systemic discrimination.

 Having solid policies is very important and can avoid litigation.  Special areas to pay close attention to include pregnancy discrimination and religious discrimination.  

3 Ways To Have A More Compassionate Career

Have you ever thought about the true meaning of the work you do? One way to leave a positive mark on the world is by choosing to have a compassionate career. Here are three ways you can do that: 

 

1. Consider working in the non-profit sector. The name non-profit does not sound so appealing… let’s call it the for-cause sector! Many professionals have a skill-set that could be put to use for just about any type of organization. Choosing to work for a for-cause organization means choosing to put your skills to use for the greater good.

2. Change professions. Follow your heart. Did you somehow end up as an Administrative Assistant because you are organized and good with people, but what you really want to do is be a Pre-school Teacher? What is it that you have always wanted to do? Making this change may require going back to school. The investment in yourself to follow your heart will not only make you happier, but could make the world a better place.

3. Make your workplace more peaceful. This one you can do today! It starts with you. Maybe if you show yourself some loving kindness, it will transfer throughout your day to your co-workers and customers. What if you started your day with some meditation, or positive affirmations? Do you think it might improve your daily interactions? Small intentional actions do have the power to bring more compassion into our careers.

I hope these three ideas have you thinking about how you can infuse your career with compassion. We are all in this together! For some more ideas I highly recommend two thought provoking books; Compassionate Careers, by Jeffrey W. Pryor and Alexandra Mitchell and Real Happiness at Work, by Sharon Salzberg. Here’s to bringing more compassion to your career… TODAY!

This post was also shared on Nicole Smartt's Staffing Queen blog, check it out for more great career tips!