As a follow-up to last week’s podcast about a proposed law to ban private companies from delivering diversity or discrimination-prevention training that inflicts any “guilt,” “anguish,” or “discomfort” due to historic wrongs, this episode explores the implications for employers. Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guests, Lori A. Brown, Littler Shareholder and Andrea Cisco, Chief Operating Officer of the Future Work Institute: - Discuss the socio-cultural factors in the national clamor fo...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 12 min
In case you missed it, legislation designed to prohibit public schools and private businesses from inflicting any “guilt,” “anguish” or “discomfort” due to historic wrongs related to race or sex during diversity or anti-discrimination training was introduced in Florida last month. While the bill – which is being promoted as a move to protect “individual freedoms” – is a few stages away from becoming law, the move to ban discomfort is becoming an increasingly familiar refrain for learning initiat...
Feb 07, 2022•53 min
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close this week, Littler Shareholder and Reunión Co-Chair Mel Cole (San Francisco) and Shareholder Anne Sanchez LaWer (San Jose) discuss their experiences with the Spanish language and the ways in which learning it – and not learning it – have impacted their individual connections to their Hispanic heritage.
Oct 11, 2021•16 min
In this podcast celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, Shareholder and Global Practice Leader Peter Susser talks with Juan Carlos Varela, Shareholder of Littler’s Miami and Caracas offices, about becoming Littler’s first international attorney, extending a labor and employment law practice beyond the United States, and how that helped him achieve the American dream.
Oct 04, 2021•11 min
There are many employee referral strategies out there, and the newest among them is leveraging the employee referral bonus program to build diversity. Such programs offer special – sometimes higher – bonuses to current employees for the referral of candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities. In this podcast, Alyesha Asghar Dotson discusses whether such bonuses potentially may expose employers to legal risks, and whether employers ought to use them even if they are legally sound a...
Sep 02, 2021•10 min
Vendor or supplier diversity programs can be a powerful tool in a company’s Inclusion, Equity & Diversity toolbelt. But, like any tool, such programs can cause more harm than good if they are implemented haphazardly. In this podcast, Alyesha Asghar Dotson discusses the history, benefits, and challenges of implementing a successful vendor or supplier diversity program that pushes the needle forward regarding Inclusion, Equity & Diversity without embracing unnecessary legal risk.
Jul 28, 2021•12 min
In celebration of Pride Month, Jennifer Youpa (Dallas) interviews Shareholder and Littler Board Member Lee Schreter (Atlanta) about Lee’s experience coming out as a lesbian woman, the challenges and opportunities of intersectionality, and strategies for improved inclusion, equity and diversity across the legal profession.
Jun 25, 2021•15 min
Littler's Chief Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Officer Paul Bateman leads a conversation with Shareholders Dionysia Johnson-Massie (Atlanta), LaToi Mayo (Lexington), Lindbergh Porter (San Francisco), and Charles Wilson (Houston) as they discuss the trail to Juneteenth, its importance and how various acts impacted slavery in the U.S.
Jun 15, 2021•29 min
Kimberly Doud of Littler’s Orlando office, Chelsea Lewis of Littler's Miami office and Kameron Miller of Littler's Charleston office present episode two of the Allied Behavior podcast series. Allied Behavior is focused on cultivating conscious conversations about inclusion, equity, diversity, and allyship in a corporate environment. In this episode, Kimberly, Chelsea and Kameron discuss Juneteenth, the factors shaping our perceptions about race, and how to foster meaningful interactions in the w...
Jun 14, 2021•23 min
Racially offensive symbols, such as Confederate flags, displayed in the workplace can constitute evidence of a racially hostile work environment. In light of this and our ever-increasing efforts to foster harassment-free workplaces, Alyesha Asghar Dotson discusses how employers can prepare for and respond when potentially offensive symbols appear in their workplace.
Jun 13, 2021•14 min
In celebration of Pride Month, Whitney Williams (L.A. – Century City) and Michael Hui (San Francisco) discuss their personal experiences growing up gay in the Black and Asian American communities, what their similar upbringings have taught them about being an attorney, and how the Littler Pride affinity group is an important part of their lives at the firm.
Jun 07, 2021•10 min
In continued celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, Eddie Chyun (Cleveland), Lavanga Wijekoon (Chicago) and Aki Tanaka (Boston) share their stories of moving to the U.S., assimilating and adding to the American culture, and how their worldview, experiences, and background prepared them to practice law.
May 22, 2021•18 min
In support of AAPI Heritage Month, this podcast features Danielle Herring (Houston), Emilie Hammerstein (Pittsburgh) and Alan Sims (Downtown Los Angeles) as they explore their biracial identity and how that shapes the way they practice law.
May 15, 2021•15 min
Watershed events in recent years like the resurgence of Black Lives Matter and #MeToo have galvanized organizations to step up their commitments in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion space to gauge the “cultural temperature.” The persisting pandemic has raised the stakes. Accordingly, many companies seeking a roadmap for these efforts increasingly want to begin their journey with a snapshot of who’s in the mix and how they are feeling. Enter the “Diversity Questionnaire.” Littler Principal Cind...
May 08, 2021•28 min
A properly structured and implemented Affinity Group (AKA Employee Resource Group) is a powerful tool in an employer’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion tool belt. But, unwary employers may risk violating the National Labor Relations Act if they bargain with an Affinity Group. In this month’s podcast, Alyesha Asghar Dotson discusses the do’s and don’ts of interacting with an active Affinity Group within your organization.
Apr 27, 2021•14 min
Kimberly Doud of Littler’s Orlando office, Chelsea Lewis of Littler's Miami office and Kameron Miller of Littler's Charleston office present episode one of the Allied Behavior podcast series. Allied Behavior is focused on cultivating conscious conversations about inclusion, equity, diversity, and allyship in a corporate environment. In this episode, Kimberly, Chelsea and Kameron discuss the importance of effective allyship and provide suggestions to turn allyship into meaningful action in the wo...
Apr 19, 2021•25 min
Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her special guest, Pranam Lipinsk, a dedicated scholar of Generation Z and co-founder of Door of Clubs, delve into the (unofficial) rule book for attracting and retaining these young professionals. They will: - Crack the code on “Gen Z Speak” - Outline what’s really most important to members of the iGen - Pinpoint the actions employers should be taking to attract and retain these young professionals - Discuss how and why your current approach to DE&I ma...
Apr 11, 2021•41 min
An effective way to increase diversity hiring is to require diverse candidate slates for interviewing. Such slates include at least two diverse or women candidates in the pool of finalists. Employers should take heed, however, because there are limits to which a recruiter or a staffing agency can go in building such a slate. Alyesha Dotson discusses the avenues to intentionally recruit for diversity in a fair and smart manner to avoid violating antidiscrimination laws.
Mar 28, 2021•13 min
Margaret Parnell Hogan interviews Wendy Buckingham and Emily Haigh on how their experience as women in the U.S. military influenced their legal careers, and how their backgrounds shaped their outlook on gender equity in the workplace.
Mar 28, 2021•10 min
Jennifer Youpa and Nina Markey discuss the importance of advancing gender equity in the workplace, how access and representation are critical to creating opportunities for women, and how women can help each other achieve their professional goals.
Mar 22, 2021•14 min
One year into a global pandemic, with vaccinations underway, we are eagerly preparing for social “re-entry.” But how do the isolating behaviors that we have now perfected - in the interest of sheer survival - bode for the concept of “inclusion” in a post-pandemic world? Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her guest, Enidio Magel, Managing Director and Founder of the Multicultural Institute, consider: - The estranging effects of the pandemic on people in our “New Normal.” - The future of “incl...
Mar 16, 2021•49 min
Jeanine Conley Daves hosts a conversation between Tom Bender and Shin-I Lowe. They discuss the importance of mentorship, what a successful mentorship relationship looks like, and how male mentor influences are equally important to women.
Mar 16, 2021•13 min
Episode 1 “Conversations with Women: Impacts of the Pandemic on Women in the Workforce,” in which Erin Webber and Zoe Argento discuss the affects the pandemic has had on working mothers and the impact on women in the workforce generally.
Mar 08, 2021•13 min
As more and more employers take steps to improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace, there’s an increasing demand to know if those measures are successful. In this podcast, Alyesha Dotson, Littler Shareholder, discusses ways in which employers can track progress in their DE&I efforts without tripping over legal hazards, and gauge individual and organizational change.
Feb 25, 2021•12 min
Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas and her special guest, author and Professor of Sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, Adia Harvey Wingfield, explore: - What “Diversity of Thought” encompasses - Reasons for the concept’s increasing appeal in recent years - The tension that exists between this and more “traditional” dimensions of diversity and its impact on the “Equity Conversation” - What happens when people attempt to “weaponize” the concept - The future of “Diversity of Thought” in...
Feb 16, 2021•36 min
With 2020 firmly behind us, let’s cast our minds forward into what our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion journey might look like in 2021. If you are an employer thinking about what you can do to take your DE&I goals to the next level in 2021, you are not alone. In this podcast, Office Managing Shareholder of Littler’s San Diego Office, Mishell Parreno Taylor and Shareholder of Littler’s Seattle office, Alyesha Dotson, explore all the next level tools in your diversity toolbox, including dive...
Jan 26, 2021•28 min
Littler Principal Cindy-Ann Thomas, Littler’s new Chief Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Officer Paul E. Bateman, and incoming Chief Equity Officer for the City of Baltimore Dana P. Moore provide an enlightening - and inspiring! - look at this new seat in the C-Suite. In this podcast, Cindy-Ann and her guests address, among other issues: Why the creation of this C-Suite position is gaining momentum right now. How such “Chief” designations in this space can make a strategic difference for organiza...
Jan 26, 2021•1 hr 5 min
In this podcast, we tackle three intriguing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion questions. 2020 has been a tumultuous year where DE&I programming has grown by leaps and bounds in corporate cultures around the world. We discuss the hiccups that might have tripped up your past DE&I efforts, and explore avenues to ensure that your future DE&I programming flourishes in 2021 and beyond.
Dec 13, 2020•19 min
Littler’s Dionysia Johnson-Massie and Detrachia “Tray” André join Alyesha Asghar Dotson to discuss the rising popularity of facilitated workplace discussions about race (also known as “Courageous Conversations”) as an invaluable diversity, equity, and inclusion tool.
Nov 15, 2020•22 min
Littler’s David Goldstein and James Paretti join Alyesha Asghar Dotson to talk about President Trump’s Executive Order, “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping,” which curbs the discussion of certain topics from diversity and inclusion training provided by federal contractors and grantees.
Oct 26, 2020•17 min
