Workforce Opportunity Network (US)-Winter 2009 in Review

In October, WON members were delighted to meet at the world headquarters of The Boeing Company in Chicago. A briefing on Boeing’s global diversity strategy by Joyce Tucker kicked off a two-day session that included a wide range of diversity and inclusion as well as EEO compliance topics. One of the hottest topics of discussion was how companies are responding to increasingly frequent requests to gather – and share – data on LGBT employee populations. Human Rights Campaign’s Workplace
Project Director Daryl Herrschaft shared the HRC view on this, as well as brand new data from their Degrees of Equality survey indicating that many gay and lesbian people support employers’ collecting this information. Another meeting high point was the robust dialogue around how the Supreme Court’s Ricci decision is impacting a wide range of diversity initiatives that take race, ethnicity, or gender into account. No easy answers, but the diverse group of D&I, EEO and legal experts in the room brought a range of informed perspectives to the complex issues raised.
On the compliance day, members swapped recent EEO compliance experiences and questions for their peers during a confidential roundtable, followed by a very candid presentation by Ms. Zeigler, Midwest Regional Director of OFCCP. Sandy discussed the areas she believes contractors should be concerned about in Fiscal Year 2010, given the direction of the agency under new director Patricia Shiu. Compliance guru and longtime ORC friend Jon Geier provided the management attorney’s view of what to expect from EEOC, OFCCP and the Civil Rights Division of DOJ now that the agencies are hiring more investigators and attorneys and pledging more aggressive enforcement of the non-discrimination and civil rights laws in employment, housing and education. Members discussed strategies to prepare for the expected enforcement push from all agencies.
Looking into the new year, we are excited to be meeting in the beautiful warm weather venue of St. Pete Beach, Florida at the Don CeSar resort on 3 and 4 February. Tampa is the nearest airport, and fl ights are still reasonable, so book early and contact the Don (tel. 727-360-1881) for reservations!
Contact: Liz MacGillivray liz.macgillivray@orcww.com