Jeffrey Mosher spoke with Edythe Hatter Williams, CEO, Capital Area Michigan Works! CAMW! Lansing, MI, about an upcoming EO Summit and EO Laws.

• As a CEO and leader in the business community, I know that being compliant with Equal Opportunity (EO) laws is critical. Organizations that are NOT compliant face real consequences, especially if an organization receives federal funding.
• Enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), EO laws are guidelines regarding equality in the workplace. They serve as a ‘checks’ and ‘balances’ branch of government that pursues complaints about hiring and firing practices based on people's differences in ethnicity, color, race, religion, age, country of origin, sex, genetics or disability.
• Members of the Business Services Team at Capital Area Michigan Works! are frequently asked about EO requirements as they are working with companies, especially with smaller businesses. Businesses, large and small, need to be compliant with EO laws and guidelines.
o If your business is not compliant with EO laws, your organization is at risk for suffering financial impact from settlements and court fees; decreased customer and employee loyalty; and, loss of business as companies will avoid doing business with organizations because of discrimination.
o Being compliant with EO laws not only keeps your organization out of hot water with the EEOC, but creates a healthy workplace. Establishing your company culture as EO compliant promotes an atmosphere of respect, inclusion and teamwork.
• How can you best ensure your organization is compatible with EO laws? This week, the Michigan Works! Association will host the Equal Opportunity Summit on April 10-12 in Detroit. Businesses have a legal obligation to end workplace discrimination, prevent recurrence and create an inclusive environment, and the EO Summit will provide attendees with the right resources to ensure compliancy.
• The EO Summit brings together national subject matter experts to address Limited English Proficiency (LEP) protections, Autism spectrum disorders and employment, Reasonable Accommodation, LGBTQ updates from an HR perspective, and much more. With nearly 40 workshops to choose from, attendees will get all of their questions answered at one time, in one place.
• Additionally, experts from some of the brightest Michigan companies, including Dow Chemical Company, Meijer and Mercy Health, will be on hand to discuss how they’re championing workplace diversity and inclusion.
• Who is attending? The summit is open to all professionals, but is particularly valuable to:
o Frontline staff that work with job seekers
o Workforce program staff
o State and local EO officers
o Business services staff
o Workforce partners, including rehabilitative services, adult education, corrections, housing and development, career prep and technical education, veteran programs and more
o HR professionals
o Employers and business owners
o Non-workforce System EO officers
o College and university staff
o Private recruiters and staffing companies
o Anyone who works with employers in the hiring process
• The good news? There is still time to register and attend!
o Visit http://www.michiganworks.org/events/equal-opp to register and learn more about the three-day event.
• Visit www.camw.org to connect with the Capital Area Michigan Works! team for assistance with career exploration or staffing needs. Capital Area Michigan Works!, a proud partner of the American Job Center Network, offer services in Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties at our Lansing, St. Johns and Charlotte American Job Centers.

For more knowledge, news, and insights visit:
www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com