ORG675 Syllabus Employment Law

 

Instructor Information

 

Name:

Elizabeth D. Scott

 

 

Email:

scotte@easternct.edu

 

 

Office location:

335 Webb Hall

 

 

Office hours:

Monday, 5:00-6:30; Tuesday, 4:30-6:30; Wednesday 10:00-11:30

 

 

Textbooks

 

Required reading:

Employment Law for Human Resource Practice, 3rd Edition, by Walsh

Publisher: South-Western, Cengage Learning, Copyright Year: 2010

Publishing Date: 2009/04/22 

The textbook is available at the ECSU bookstore.

http://websites.swlearning.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&flag=student&product_isbn_issn=9780324594850&disciplinenumber=404

 

 

Academic Integrity

 

 

 

 

 

All individual projects must be the work product of the individual who submits it. All group projects must be the work product of the group which submits it. All sources must be properly acknowledged. Quotation marks must surround any string of 4 or more words used verbatim from a source. Penalties, including failure in the course and recommended dismissal from the program, will be assessed upon violation of this policy.

 

 

 

Attendance

 

 

 

 

 

If you expect to miss a class, I would appreciate being informed in advance. I realize that you have many demands on your time and make the best decisions you can about how to fulfill those demands. However, I do plan class activities assuming you will be there. Knowing you will be absent will help me to adjust. 

 

 

 

Office Hours

 

 

 

 

 

I will be in my office for visits or telephone calls on Mondays, 5:00-6:30; Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30, and Wednesdays 10:00-11:30. If I don't answer the phone during office hours, it is because someone is in my office with me. I am also available to meet at other times, by appointment. Please free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns you have or to set up appointments with me.

 

 

 

Academic Services Center

 

 

 

 

 

Students are encouraged to use the support offered by the Academic Services Center located on the ground floor of the Library.  Tutoring, Math, Writing, and supplemental Advising Services are available for students in the Center at the following times: Sun. 2-9; M.-Th. 9-9, Fri. 9-5. (Closed Sat.) For further information call 465-4272 or check the ASC website at http://academicaffairs.easternct.edu/ASC-FAQs.html

 

 

 

 

 

Disability Statement

 

 

If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact the Office of AccessAbility Services at 465-5573. To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact the Office of AccessAbility Services as soon as possible. Please understand that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter from the Office of AccessAbility Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.

 

 

Grading

 

 

Student grades in this course will be based on class participation (35%), three individual 5-minute presentations (5% each), three group assignments (5% each) and two group projects (35%). Class presentations can be made up with a 1 letter grade penalty as long as you can convince 5 class members to observe your presentation and you videotape the presentation in a way that enables it to be graded. Missed class participation cannot be made up. All students will be given 5 “free” points to use as they see fit.

 

 

 

 

This syllabus is not a contract, but instead a roadmap of where I hope to go during the semester.  It may change during the semester.  Listen in class and check Blackboard for changes.

 

Part I: INTRODUCTION TO EMPLOYMENT LAW.

 

Date:

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

 

Introduction.

Resources.

State and federal court systems.

 

 

 

 

Date:

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

 

 

Readings:

1. Overview of Employment Law.

2. The Employment Relationship.

3. Overview of Employment Discrimination.

 

 

Other preparation:

Choose one of the cases on Blackboard and be prepared to present it.

 

 

Part II: THE HIRING PROCESS.

 

Date:

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

 

 

Readings:

4. Recruitment, Applications, and Interviews.

5. Background Checks, References, and Verifying Employment Eligibility.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group 1 – Chapter 4 cases; Group 2 Chapter 5 cases.  See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

 

 

Date:

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

 

 

Readings:

6. Employment Testing.

7. Hiring and Promotion Decisions.

 

 

Other preparation:

Research the testing in Ricci v. DeStefano. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

Part III: MANAGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.

 

Date:

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

 

 

Readings:

8. Affirmative Action.

9. Harassment.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group 1 – Chapter 8 cases, Group 2 Chapter 9 cases. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

 

 

Date:

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

 

 

Readings:

10. Reasonably Accommodating Disability and Religion.

11. Work-Life Conflicts and Other Diversity Issues.

 

 

Other preparation:

Choose one of the cases on Blackboard and be prepared to present it.

 

 

Part IV: PAY, BENEFITS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

 

Date:

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

 

 

Readings:

12. Wages, Hours, and Pay Equity.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group I leads the class. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

 

 

Date:

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

 

 

Readings:

13. Benefits.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group II leads the class. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

 

 

Date:

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

 

 

Readings:

14. Unions and Collective Bargaining.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group III leads the class. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

 

 

Date:

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

 

 

Readings:

15. Occupational Safety and Health.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group IV leads the class. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

Part V: MANAGING PERFORMANCE.

 

Date:

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

 

 

Readings:

16. Performance Appraisals, Training, and Development.

17. Privacy on the Job: Information, Monitoring and Investigations.

 

 

Other preparation:

Group 1 – Chapter 8 cases, Group 2 Chapter 9 cases. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

Part VI: TERMINATING EMPLOYMENT.

 

Date:

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

 

 

Readings:

18. Terminating Individual Employees.

19. Downsizing and Post Termination Issues

 

 

Other preparation:

Choose one of the cases on Blackboard and be prepared to present it. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

International Projects

 

Date:

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

 

 

Topics:

Group A, Group B. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.

 

 

International Projects

 

Date:

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

 

 

Topics:

Group C, Group D. See specifics of assignment on Blackboard.