From the style and length of one’s hair, to the number and location of visible tattoos, to recognizing gender non-conformity style, to creating a summer dress code, employers are facing an increased need to determine their organization’s culture and policies, as well as following federal and state laws. How does an organization balance employees’ rights to express themselves with the organization’s rights to determine its legitimate business needs while maintaining an inclusive work environment? The pitfalls for employers are many. More businesses are likely to face these issues especially now that research is confirming these types of biases exist broadly across U. S. workplaces. The potential for organizational errors are plentiful. Organizations expect employees to use sound judgment in their dress and grooming, however, what if the employee’s sense of dress and grooming varies from the organizations? After all, types of self-expression have become more commonplace with society demonstrating more acceptances in people’s choices of self-expression—shouldn’t the workplace reflect this change in social rules too? Religious dress and dress that defies gender stereotypes are the two areas that are the most challenging for employers. These issues and others will be discussed.
WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?
Dress codes are receiving a fair amount of attention in the courts these days. There have been a number of precedent setting lawsuits dealing with dress codes’ requirements and how those requirements, even inadvertently, discriminate against potential and current employees based on their gender, religion, and race, to name a few. It is critical that human resources professionals and managers understand the importance of a discriminatory free dress code to ensure all job candidates and employees ae treated fairly and equitably.
AREA COVERED
- Guidelines by the EEOC regarding dress at work
- Body art
- International dress
- National Labor Review Board’s take on dress
- What should be considered in writing your dress code.
- Religious dress
- Sex stereotyping dress
- Tattoos
- Political dress
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- To discuss legal issues surrounding Dress and Appearance in the workplace
- To list pros and cons of requiring a Dress and Appearance policy
- To explore the role of unconscious bias and stereotypes play in discrimination through dress codes
- To identify prevention tactics to ensure employees are judged by their performance and not on stereotypes
- To discuss specific unusual elements found in dress and appearance codesTo point out the role that sex and gender play in your dress and appearance code
WHO WILL BENEFIT?
- Managers throughout the organization
- Directors throughout the organization
- Human Resources generalists, managers, directors
Dress codes are receiving a fair amount of attention in the courts these days. There have been a number of precedent setting lawsuits dealing with dress codes’ requirements and how those requirements, even inadvertently, discriminate against potential and current employees based on their gender, religion, and race, to name a few. It is critical that human resources professionals and managers understand the importance of a discriminatory free dress code to ensure all job candidates and employees ae treated fairly and equitably.
- Guidelines by the EEOC regarding dress at work
- Body art
- International dress
- National Labor Review Board’s take on dress
- What should be considered in writing your dress code.
- Religious dress
- Sex stereotyping dress
- Tattoos
- Political dress
- To discuss legal issues surrounding Dress and Appearance in the workplace
- To list pros and cons of requiring a Dress and Appearance policy
- To explore the role of unconscious bias and stereotypes play in discrimination through dress codes
- To identify prevention tactics to ensure employees are judged by their performance and not on stereotypes
- To discuss specific unusual elements found in dress and appearance codesTo point out the role that sex and gender play in your dress and appearance code
- Managers throughout the organization
- Directors throughout the organization
- Human Resources generalists, managers, directors
Speaker Profile
Dr. Susan Strauss is a national and international speaker, trainer and consultant. Her specialty areas include management/leadership development, organization development, communication, and harassment and bullying. She is an expert witness for discrimination and harassment lawsuits. She trains and consults with business, education, healthcare, law, and government organizations from both the public and private sector. Dr. Strauss has authored over 30 book chapters, books, and articles in professional journals. She has been featured on 20/20, CBS Evening News, and other television and radio programs as well as interviewed for newspaper and journal articles. She has her doctorate in organizational leadership, is …
Upcoming Webinars
How to Write Contracts for Procurement Professionals
Sunshine Act Reporting - Clarification for Clinical Research
How to Deal with Employees Who Love to Argue and Debate Eve…
Project Management for administrative professionals
ChatGPT and Project Management: Leveraging AI for Project M…
Onboarding Best Practices for 2025: Proven Strategies to Po…
Terminating Toxicity: Strategies For Leaders To Confidently…
Transform Data into Insights: A Beginners Guide to Excel Pi…
Reprogramming your mind for Corporate Excellence: 4 Steps t…
How to Write Effective Audit Observations: The Principles f…
How to Manage the Legal Landmine of the FMLA, ADA and Worke…
Uplifting the Credibility of HR: How to Build the Credibili…
Performance of Root Cause Analysis, CAPA, and Effectiveness…
Bridging Generational Divides in the Workplace
Strategic Interviewing & Selection: Getting the Right Talen…
Onboarding Best Practices for Millennial and All Employees
2-Hour Virtual Seminar on How to Conduct an Internal Harass…
FDA Audit Best Practices - Do's and Don'ts
Emotional Intelligence: Mastering the Emotions of Great Lea…
Unlock Employee Loyalty: Stay Interviews Will Keep Them Eng…
Accounting For Non Accountants : Debit, Credits And Financi…
Successful Strategies for FDA Expedited Pathways for Your D…
Regulation update Q1 2025: New and Proposed Regulations for…
Pay Transparency in Action: Strategies for Building Trust a…
Designing Employee Experiences to Build a Culture of Compli…
Developing and Implementing Quality Culture in the Organiza…
Excel Lookup Functions: VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and XLOOKUP Made …
Break Free from Toxicity: Reclaim Your Power and Peace
Tips and Techniques for Conducting an Effective Fraud Risk …
Physician Employment Agreements: Problem Areas that can be …
Measure the Effectiveness of Compliance Programs by Engagin…
FDA Regulation of Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning
Navigating 2025 Employment Laws: What Every Employer Needs …
Implementing an Effective Human Error Reduction Program
Cleaning Data without Complex Functions - A Course for Data…
Succession Plan for 2025: It's Not Just for Emergencies - I…
Employers Should Prepare for Immigration Raids in 2025! Thi…
Managing Toxic Employees: Strategies For Leaders To Effecti…
Using High-Performance Coaching for Managers to Address Per…
6-Hour Virtual Seminar on Learning the Highlights of Excel …
Principles & Practices for the Cybersecurity of Legacy Medi…