The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued a technical assistance document titled “Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities.” The document sets forth “best practices” which are proactive measures that go beyond federal anti-discrimination requirements. Some of the best practices include the following:

• Training managers on the legal obligations that may impact decisions about the treatment of workers with caregiving responsibilities
• Developing, disseminating, and enforcing a strong EEO policy
• Ensuring that managers are aware of and comply with the organization’s work-life policies
• Responding to complaints of caregiver discrimination efficiently and effectively
• Enforcing anti-retaliation provisions

The best practices are designed to reduce the chance of EEO violations against caregivers and to remove barriers to equal opportunity employment.

The document is consistent with ELI’s rationale as taught in its Civil Treatment® programs: Employers that create a work atmosphere in which employees are treated lawfully, civilly, and professionally benefit from a reduction in complaints of unlawful discrimination, improved employee morale, and an improved bottom line.

The EEOC’s technical statement can be found at http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/caregiver-best-practices.html.

ELI^® specializes in the following training: harassment and sexual harassment training; race, age, gender, disability, pregnancy, religious, sexual orientation, genetic, and other forms of discrimination training; retaliation and protected protest; unjust dismissal; fair hiring; Civil Treatment training; compliance training; wage and hour compliance training; business ethics training; Sarbanes-Oxley training; Employee Free Choice Act and union avoidance training; values-based leadership training; leadership development; and abusive and bullying behavior.