In 2017, a pregnant Walmart employee who worked as a packer at a distribution center was struggling with morning sickness and asked for a break from some of her duties. Her supervisor responded that she would need a doctor’s note. Consequently, the woman obtained a note from her doctor that said she was to avoid heavy lifting and gave it to her supervisor. In turn, her supervisor referred her to Human Resources. A Human Resources employee informed her that she could not return to work until after she gave birth because she was a “liability,” and that she would have to apply for unpaid leave to keep her job. Did Walmart discriminate against this employee?
In the United States, there are many anti-discrimination laws; yet, as the Walmart example shows, discrimination continues to be a problem in the workplace. For this Assignment, you will examine the role of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in enforcing anti-discrimination laws. You will also consider what steps you would take to ensure equity in the workplace as an I/O psychology practitioner.
To Prepare:
- Read Chapter 3 in the Aamodt text, Industrial/Organizational Psychology: An Applied Approach, and “Title VII” of The Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- Identify unlawful employment practices and anti-discrimination laws.
- Consider the role of the EEOC in addressing unlawful employment practices.
- Think about the best practices you would apply as an I/O psychology practitioner to prevent discrimination and ensure equity in the workplace.
By Day 7 of Week 10
Submit a 3–4-page paper that addresses the following questions. Your paper should follow APA style, be double-spaced with one-inch margins, and include a title page and reference list.
- Describe the role of the EEOC in the practice of I/O psychology and three different laws that are enforced by the EEOC.
- Describe two different types of discrimination prohibited by the laws enforced by EEOC and at least three best practices you would suggest for ensuring equity in the workplace.
- Suppose you find yourself in an elevator with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company that you admire greatly. You strike up a casual conversation that suddenly turns to the topic of discrimination in the workplace, and you quickly realize that the CEO has no understanding of I/O psychology or I/O psychologists’ roles in addressing these concerns. One day you hope to begin your I/O career at this company or one similar to it. Therefore, you decide to give a quick elevator speech on I/O psychology and its role in best practices to address discrimination and inequity in the workplace. What would you say?
