Seven employment lessons to be learned from a recent Supreme Court ruling

It seems that labor and employment law cannot stay in the news headlines for long. The US Supreme Court recently ruled in a nationwide discrimination class action lawsuit, one of the largest discrimination lawsuits in history. The lawsuit represented more than 1.5 million women who claimed to have been discriminated against. After working its way through the court system, the Supreme Court finally heard the case and dismissed the lawsuit. They claimed that the class action lawsuit lacked a cohesive claim that would bind them together as a class action lawsuit. This landmark decision addresses several important issues related to all class action lawsuits and provides important information for implementing HR best practices.

The case clearly affects how employers approach HR practices and other HR policies and procedures. Even if a company has recently updated its employee handbook and management practices, it should once again review these policies in light of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Below are seven important findings that employers should consider implementing to comply with the EEOC’s anti-discrimination policies. Taking these actions will help protect you against future class action lawsuits, as well as other discrimination-related laws.

1. Please review payment and promotion policies carefully to determine whether or not they could be misconstrued as favoring one class over another.
2. Eliminate all subjective decision-making processes by clearly linking promotions, demotions, raises, or bonuses to objective goals and job performance.
3. Make sure all managers tasked with performance reviews are properly trained on relevant labor laws, proper employment practices, and proper decision-making processes.
4. For those employees who have been denied the possibility of a promotion, or who have been denied a raise, consider implementing an appeals process.
5. Research and implement other corporate policies with the purpose of increasing diversity in the workplace and preventing discriminatory practices.
6. Continue training and communicating corporate policies to staff, particularly in areas that address anti-discrimination practices, career growth opportunities, and the ability to access higher education.
7. Take employee complaints seriously, document your response and follow up, and be sure to address each issue on its own individual merits.

As we have witnessed time and time again, the playing field of labor and employment law continues to change and evolve. The rules are not static, and employers should do everything they can to stay on top of these changes and recognize how they affect their HR practices in the workplace. When in doubt, before making any employment decision, it is always recommended to consult with a human resources expert or employment lawyer. The short-term cost will be well invested in protecting against long-term expenses.