Building a Culture of Awareness in Employment Law

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Adhering to employment laws can be time-consuming and complex. 

From creating and maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free workplace to pay issues, to protected leave, to using artificial intelligence or AI in employment decisions, it is a lot. 

Just keeping up with new laws that affect employers can be overwhelming. While some excel in it, many struggle with keeping up with the changing law and compliance landscape.

Today, employee compliance is one of the most essential parts of business, yet many companies say they are not prepared for a compliance audit, as per studies.

Non-compliance can be extremely costly for organizations. 

Lawsuits can lead to fines, penalties, and settlement expenses, and reputational damage. For instance, Texas Instruments experienced, in 2018, a 2.2 percent decline in shares just hours after their CEO stepped down due to violations of the code of conduct.

Failing to adhere to employee compliance laws — such as those governing workforce safety, corporate governance, and stock management — can also result in legal action and criminal charges. A notorious example is Enron, which became infamous for one of the largest corporate accounting scandals in history. Executives intentionally concealed billions in debt, leading to the company’s bankruptcy and the CEO's imprisonment.

Major compliance violations are typically well-publicized, and a damaged public image can erode customer trust, significantly impacting business success.

A culture of compliance can help reduce an organization's risk exposure while improving business processes, culture and performance. 

Moreover, the U.S. presidential and congressional elections will have a huge impact on a variety of labor and employment issues, including minimum wages, expanded paid or unpaid family and medical leave, worker miscalculation, NLBR, DEI initiatives for government and private employers, and the use of AI in the workplace. 

Such shifts underscore the importance of cultivating a culture of compliance — not just as a risk management strategy, but as a way to enhance business processes and overall organizational performance.

To ensure that both employees and HR teams are well-prepared to uphold these regulations, effective compliance training is essential. 

Just what is compliance training, and what do you need to know to develop an effective program? 

In this edition, we will discuss the challenges, technologies, and processes of employment law compliance. We will also examine the challenges organizations face in implementing compliance initiatives and highlight how employers can enhance training efforts to build a safe and compliant workplace.

By prioritizing compliance education and fostering awareness, organizations can not only mitigate risk but also empower their workforce to thrive in an increasingly regulated environment. 

Check out the expert columns, and an exclusive research report, featured in this edition that go in-depth into the critical facets of employment law compliance and the strategies necessary to develop effective training programs that benefit both employees and the organization as a whole. 

Happy reading!
 

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