MAY 2019 • FOGHORN 15 FOGHORNFOCUS: HUMAN RESOURCES 5 1 0 . 3 3 7. 9 1 2 2 • w w w . b a y - s h i p . c o m • A l a m e d a , C A Bay Ship and Yacht is honored to be awarded the contract to build the first Hydrogen Passenger Vessel in the USA and the world. We are proud to be a leader in the industry while also doing our part to protect our environment. H2O FIRST IN ITS CLASS THE WATER-GO-ROUND IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF OUR COMMITTED PARTNERS This project is supported by the “California Climate Investments” (CCI) program. Doubletree Hotels received tremendous backlash in 2018 after separate incidents came to light about treating persons of color unfairly. The two stories made national news and severely damaged the reputations of both corporate behemoths. Personnel were fired. Intensive training was mandatory. Dollars were lost. Svendsen thinks that a sincere and authentic corporate D&I culture will help operations avoid those situations. “People have lots of choices,” he said. “Company management must lead by example on all levels, demonstrating a strong and sincere commitment to integrity, conviction and passion. People will follow those brands. And, customers will become brand ambassadors of those companies.” On the flip side, Svendsen cautions that customers and employees do see through half- hearted attempts at diversity and inclusion. “If you don’t believe you can do it every day, then don’t. Insincerity shows and people notice.” How to Create a Diverse and Inclusive Environment Studies have shown that simply talking about D&I, or hosting the occasional training session ABOUT EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY LAWS When it comes to workplaces, there are a number of laws that employers and company owners must adhere to, including those related to equal employment opportunities. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has the authority to investigate charges of discrimination against employers who are covered by the law. The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20 employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered. EEOC laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits. It is illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. For more information about the EEOC, go to www.eeoc.gov, or contact a legal representative who specializes in employment law. Contacting the Steven Bers at the PVA Legal Hotline at 410-347-8724, or sbers@ wtplaw.com is a good first step. n