Scenario 3.3
You have recently been hired as the HR manager for KM Contracting, a medium-sized construction company with offices throughout Canada. Many of the company's trades employees are unionized, and one of the company's largest contracts is with the federal government. It has come to your attention that Ms. Jones, an elderly woman who works as an office clerk, has been humiliated and treated disrespectfully about her obesity for 11 years. She has been called offensive names and heard comments about the way she "waddles." During this time, her manager criticized her work performance and stated that "women are best working at home in the kitchen." She has been passed over for promotions and no longer applies for other positions because of her low self-esteem resulting from the intimidating workplace environment. The company's discrimination policy states that it promotes a work environment that is free from discrimination. Managers have stated that they cannot always distinguish between inappropriate or illegal discrimination behaviours. The CEO has asked you to educate all levels of management about the legal requirements that must be met in recruitment and selection. He also wants you to develop some practical nondiscriminatory recruitment and selection guidelines for all employees.
-Refer to Scenario 3.3. There are many reasons that Ms. Jones may not have reported the problem over the 11 years. These could have ranged from fears of job loss, retaliation, and embarrassment to low self-esteem, questioning her abilities, and believing she would be unsuccessful in her complaint. As the HR manager, what do you need to do?
A) Develop policies and step-by-step procedures on your internal complaint process.
B) Immediately begin checking the actions of Ms. Jones's manager on a regular basis.
C) Rescue Ms. Jones from the situation.
D) File a complaint immediately with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

As the HR manager, the first step is to develop policies and step-by-step procedures on your internal complaint process. Ms. Jones may feel uncomfortable reporting the issue, so it is important to establish clear procedures for reporting and resolving discriminatory behaviours. This will provide a safe and confidential environment for employees to report incidents and provide the company with the necessary information to take corrective action. It is also essential to ensure that all employees, including management, receive training on the policies and procedures in place, as well as their legal obligations regarding discrimination. Checking the actions of Ms. Jones's manager and rescuing her from the situation are important, but they are not the first and only steps that should be taken. Filing a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission should be a last resort when internal procedures fail to resolve the issue.

Scenario 3.3 You Have Recently Been Hired as the HR Manager for Manager