Nov./Dec. 1999 Issue Number 5

Is a monthly electronic newsletter which links current events and issues to the daily challenges faced by fire and emergency services managers. Current topics in the area of sexual harassment, diversity management and conflict resolution will be discussed.

We hope that you find the information here useful and provocative.
Let us know what you think!

Interpersonal Dynamics in Fire Service Organizations, February 7-18, 2000. Emmitsburg, MD. Linda Willing will be co-instructing this class at the National Fire Academy.

Leadership Training Seminar, April 28-30, 2000, Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, contact Women in the Fire Service www.wfsi.org.

Fear of Lawsuits May Affect Hiring Practices

In a recent column, Harvard Professor Jeffrey Seglin reported that increasingly, some employers hesitate to hire minority workers for fear of being sued by those who fall into one of the identified protected classes under Civil Rights law. The reasoning behind this behavior is the belief that unless someone in a protected class is the best possible candidate, the employer is risking litigation if that employee must be disciplined or dismissed at a later date.

In fact, diversifying work environments and changing employment law do increase the risk of litigation overall. A 1997 survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that over half of the 616 companies surveyed had been sued at least once by former employees in the last five years, and that nearly half of the suits were for claims of discrimination.

However, to refuse to hire someone for fear of a lawsuit later is not only illegal but also unethical and just poor business practice. According to Martha Fields, a Cambridge, Massachusetts management consultant, worrying over potential lawsuits is often just an excuse to mask a deeper motive for not wanting to hire someone.

With the demographics of this country changing literally every year, and unemployment at a record low, it makes no sense to eliminate potentially good workers because of fear or unwillingness to lead or manage effectively. Such hiring practices are also a disservice to the community that expects to see their public services and businesses reflect those they serve.

The way to deal with such fears is to take a proactive and optimistic approach toward all new employees. Recruit effectively. Design a hiring process that actually measures what you want to find. Develop a good personnel evaluation system, and train supervisors how to use it. Keep accurate, objective records of incidents and actions taken. Provide training for everyone in effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Most of all, behave ethically and treat employees fairly, honestly and directly. Those who feel that they have been treated fairly and with respect all along are much less likely to file a lawsuit if a job action is taken at a later date. More importantly, such valued employees are far less likely to have problems that require such actions.

Source: When Fear of Firing Deters Hiring by Jeffrey Seglin. The New York Times, April 18, 1999.

National Fire Academy Diversity Course

The National Fire Academy is currently preparing for the first field deliveries of its new two day diversity program entitled "Leading Diverse Communities Beyond Conflict." Applications from those interested in being on the instructor list for this class are being accepted until December 3, 1999, and a required instructor in-service will be held January 10-11, 2000 in Emmitsburg, MD. For more information, see the posting at www.usfa.fema.gov.

Sexual Harassment Training: Getting it Right

In a recent NFPA Journal article, Chief Robin Paulsgrove of the Arlington, Texas Fire Department, described his own department's commitment to training on sexual harassment and gender sensitivity. "It's unlikely that this training will be met with the same enthusiasm as the new Star Wars movie," he acknowledged. But while recognizing that sexual harassment training isn't usually much fun, he went on to state in no uncertain terms that such training is critical as part of the guiding principles of his organization, fostering "respectful and supportive relations among co-workers."

Chief Paulsgrove is correct in his observation that sexual harassment is rarely anyone's favorite subject. Sexual harassment training is almost always mandatory, and may come on the heels of some type of incident in the workplace that already has everyone on edge. In addition to common misunderstandings about sexual harassment, there have been frequent and dramatic changes in the law that undermine an individual's sense of comfort and security with the topic. When handled badly, the subject is one that can polarize a workplace and turn allies into adversaries.

You can't avoid doing sexual harassment training. The law is clear about that. What you do have a choice about is how you do the training. Good choices in this area can mean the difference between training that actually makes a positive difference, and that which is worse than a waste of time.

When planning sexual harassment training for your department, consider your overall goals before jumping into a program. Comprehensive training in sexual harassment training will include the following elements: