Human resources miscellaneous topics and overview

Whistleblowing

According to the Whistleblower Protection Act, a federal agency is in violation of the Act if it "takes or fails to take (or threatens to take or fail to take) a personnel action with respect to any employee or applicant because of any disclosure of information by the employee or applicant that he or she reasonably believes evidences a violation of a law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety" (Whistleblower Protection Act, 2013, EEOC). From an HR perspective, in an agency under the provisions of the Act, if an employee has a complaint about the management of the company, it is very important not to ignore it, and the company must be extremely careful to ensure any actions taken against the employee are not viewed as retaliation for his or her candor.

Q2. Disability Discrimination

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA "gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications" (ADA, 2013, ED.gov).From an HR perspective, this means that persons with disabilities are in a 'protected' category, just like women or persons from historically discriminated-against racial, religious, or ethnic groups. So long as the organization can accommodate the employee's disability with reasonable modifications, disability cannot be a reason for refusing to employ someone. Disability is broadly defined under the law and may include illnesses as well as permanent disabilities. For example, providing a wheelchair ramp for a disabled employee at an office would constitute a reasonable accommodation, but a company would not be required to employ a visually-impaired person in a job that required a great deal of driving.

Q3. Wage and Hour Discrimination