Lee County Office of Equal Opportunity will hold Seminar on August 11^th

 

If you feel like you are in the dark when it comes to understanding Federal Equal Opportunity laws and how they impact your business’s employment practices you may want to consider attending an seminar on August 11^th entitled “Technical Assistance Designed to Enhance and Update Your Knowledge of Federal Equal Opportunity Laws” at the Holiday Inn Select – Bell Tower, 13051 Bell Tower Dr. in Fort Myers.

 

The program is being co-sponsored by the Lee County Office of Equal Opportunity and the Miami District Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  It will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the $20 registration fee includes a continental breakfast, lunch and training materials. Registrations will be accepted by phone at (941) 335-2267 or via e-mail at harriganme@leegov.com.

 

Topics to be covered include:

 

§         The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA);

§         The Interrelationship And Coordination Of ADA, Family Medical Leave Act And Worker’s Compensation;

§         Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation;

§         Policies And Procedures For Dealing With Harassment In The Workplace;

§         Administrative Enforcement.

 

Speakers will include representatives of the Miami District Office – including the District Director, the Deputy District Director, the Chief Administrative Judge, and the Enforcement Manager – Lee County Office of Equal Opportunity staff , and attorneys from law firms Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. and Steel, Hector & Davis, L.L.P.

 

The seminar celebrates the 35^th anniversary of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and is the first of its kind to be offered in the Lee County area.  The Lee County OEO plans to make this an annual event.

 

Equal employment training can benefit all businesses.  It is illegal to discriminate in any aspect of employment, including:

 

§         Referring individuals for jobs;

§         Hiring, terminations and benefits;

§         Training and apprenticeship programs;

§         Pay, retirement plans and disability leave;

§         Promotions, transfers, layoffs or recalls;

§         Compensation, assignment or classification of employees; and

§         Retaliation against an individual for filing a charge, opposing discriminatory practices or participating in an investigation.

 

Among the laws enforced by the Lee County OEO are:

 

·        Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin or retaliation;

·        Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which protects individuals age 40 and over;

·        Equal Pay Act (EPA), which prohibits sex-based wage discrimination;

·        Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which protects people with disabilities in the federal sector;

·        Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects qualified applicants with disabilities;

·        Civil Rights Act of 1991, which provides monetary compensation in cases of intentional discrimination; and

·        All federal EEO regulations and policies.

 

Again, to register for the upcoming seminar, call me at 225-2267 or send me an e-mail at harriganme@leegov.com. Registration information can also be found online HERE.

 

If you are unable to attend the upcoming seminar The Lee County Office of Equal Opportunity is  willing to provide free training sessions designed specifically to meet your company’s needs at your place of business, staff meetings or employee gatherings. To learn more about our services, visit our web site at www.lee-county.com/equalopp.

 

Mary Ellen Harrigan is an equal opportunity analyst with the Lee County Office of Equal Opportunity.