Assignment #2 Legal Compliance
Strayer University
HRM530
May 1, 2011

Assignment 2 - Legal Compliance: Xerox
I. Human resource professionals can ensure that top organizational leaders encourage managers and employees to follow laws and guidelines by the follow means:
a. HR professionals can ensure top organizational leaders encourage managers and employees to follow laws and guidelines by focusing on the benefits of following laws and guidelines. Following laws and guidelines have been shown to increase profitability, improve productivity, increase motivation, save the organization money, and protect their reputation.
b. HR professionals can do this by providing guidance for treating employees fairly. Managers and others involved in personnel decisions should be given training about how to comply with legal requirements such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title Seven. Managers and employees should ensure all employees have an equal chance to obtain employment and promotions regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex (p. 79). Managers and employees should report actions that violate the law. Managers need to know that complying with Title Seven can save the organization money and prevent damaging the company’s reputation (p. 76).
c. HR professionals can do this by ensuring disparate treatment does not occur. They can do this by making sure managers ensure consistent treatment for all employees. Managers and employees should be familiar with interview procedures. They should also know that a bona fide occupational qualification usually applies to gender and characteristics must be necessary to perform a certain job. People are less likely to work hard when they see people are being treated in unfavorable ways (p. 81). Ensuring fair treatment increases motivation.
d. HR professionals can do this by making sure an adverse impact does not occur by making sure the relationship between selection practices and job performances are consistent with actions that increase profitability. By accurately identifying the applicants most likely to succeed it saves resources and makes sure applicants from protected classes are being treated fairly (p. 82- 83).
e. HR professionals can do this by taking reasonable care to eliminate harassment and sexual harassment. All managers and employees need to know unwanted behavior is illegal and will not be tolerated. The organization should outline specific procedures for making sure that unwanted sexual and racial comments and behavior do not occur in the workplace. Formal policies concerning harassment, as well as formal channels to communicate allegations of harassment should be in place and all employees should know the formal policies regarding harassment (p. 86).
f. HR professionals can do this by encouraging the protection of individuals based on age and disability status. They should also be familiar with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 to protect employees when companies must reduce their workforces (p. 90). The Americans with Disabilities Act protects individuals with physical and mental disabilities companies may have to make reasonable accommodations to help them perform essential duties of their job (p. 92).
g. HR professionals can do this by enforcing the Equal Pay Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Managers should know it is illegal for a company to pay men and women different wages, as long as they are doing equal work. Managers should also know how to document employee contributions to legally pay employees more (p. 94). Managers and employees should also know if they are covered by FMLA. FMLA is designed to help employees balance their work demands with their family needs (p. 95).
h. HR professionals can do this by promoting employee well-being to reduce workplace accidents. HR professionals should make sure all employees know about health concerns and dangers in the workplace. Managers should also know how to record and report illnesses and injuries that occur at work. The reduction of accidents improves productivity (p. 100).
II. Hiring women and minorities has improved Xerox’s profitability for the following reasons:
a. The first reason profitability improved is Xerox became concerned about its treatment of black employees. Aggressively hiring blacks and supporting a caucus of black employees who met to network and discuss grievances. This increased motivation because people are likely to work hard when they see people being treated in favorable ways (p. 109).
b. The second reason profitability improved is drawing from a bigger labor pool helped Xerox compete. Getting all of the people involved helped them succeed. The selection procedure changed to identify the applicants most likely to succeed on the job and increased the labor pool because they were not discriminating against applicants managers are judged and compensated on meeting diversity goals (p. 109).
c. The third reason profitability improved when Xerox was willing to accommodate employees by creating a culture that is family friendly. Employees could take work home and were encouraged to reschedule meetings to accommodate family needs (p. 109).
III. Xerox made itself a more attractive employer for women and minorities by making the following changes:
a. The first change was forty years ago, Xerox’s top management became concerned about its treatment of black employees. Xerox aggressively hired and supported black employees. Xerox’s progressive attitudes on race made them receptive to changes (p. 109).
b. The second change was managers are judged and compensated on meeting diversity goals. As they moved to promote women they increase their labor pool. They see diversity as a way to help them compete (p. 109).
c. The third change was no one hesitates to reschedule a meeting to take a child to the pediatrician. The company is ranked among the best places for women to work. Bosses accommodate employees by adjusting their schedules (p. 109).
d. The forth change employee’s value lies in work, and not the hours spent at their desk. They could take work home in order to get out in time for supper. Earlier departures no longer impeded their careers (p. 109).
IV. Hiring and promoting women and minorities has been fair for the following reasons:
a. The first reason is Executive Order 11246 was issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. Organizations with government contracts valued over ten thousand dollars must have an affirmative action plan (p. 97).
b. The second reason is the courts have upheld the legality of Executive Order 11246 by ruling that its practices are consistent with the intent of Title Seven (p. 98).
c. The third reason there are procedures that can help organizations meet affirmative action goals without harming people who are not members of a protected class (p. 99).

References
Stewart, G. & Brown, K. (2009). Human Resource Management: Linking Strategy to Practice.

2009 Custom Edition (1st ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.