Editor’s Note

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Sexism and inequality go back a long way in Silicon Valley. The sad truth is, the industry still favors men, whereas, its women deal with inequality, on several fronts, even after three decades.

Gender discrimination is the big, dirty elephant in the room. According to recent studies, boardrooms, C-suits, and STEM jobs are still dominated by men and this scenario may not change anytime soon. 
 

As the year 2020 drew a close, in December, we saw how Pinterest and Google came under the scanner for their sexist approach toward female employees. While the former spent U.S. $22.5 million to settle the case, the latter’s issue is still under debate. 

This month’s cover article Women In Silicon Valley: Corporate America’s Gender Paradox by Deepa Damodaran takes a deeper look into the Pinterest case. It talks about where companies fall short in building a diverse, equal and inclusive culture, and what should HR do to foster such culture at the workplace. A few eminent HR and labor experts share their views on the subject.

On a similar note, JPMorgan Chase recently signed a conciliation agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) agreeing to settle a long-running pay equity lawsuit alleging that it underpaid some of its female employees. Read Margaret Scheele’s article, How To Address Pay Disparity Among Women And Minorities In The Workplace, to know more about the pay equity practices.

In May of 2019, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act into law, effective since January 1, 2021. The Act was enacted to address pay disparities affecting women and minorities, and includes several provisions aimed at preventing wage discrimination. Kevin Cloutier and Elizabeth Rowe, in their article, Colorado’s New Equal Pay Act: What Employers Need To Know, will help us understand more about the law.  
 
2021 seems like the end of a dark tunnel as the Covid-19 vaccine is finally out. However, this landmark development raises important questions – can employers require their employees to get the vaccine as a term and condition of continued employment when it becomes available to them? And if an employer implements such a mandate, would it be lawful? Catch up with Katherine Davis’ article, What To Consider Before Implementing A Mandatory Vaccine Policy, to know the answer to the questions.

This is not all. This month’s issue of HR Legal & Compliance Excellence brings to you the latest developments in the HR Legal and Compliance arena to keep yourself protected and compliant. 

Stay safe! And, don’t forget to send us your feedback.
 

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