By Hunter Krupka
I believe that the most important lesson that I have learned in this course (as it applies to my career) is everything relating to discrimination and the various laws and regulations. Upon graduating, I will be joining a management training program with the end goal of being in charge of a small-medium sized electrical distribution center. Even if this isn’t where I end up, a position in management is ultimately my end goal. More than likely, a portion of my job will involve the hiring of new employees to fill various openings in my staff. While I by no means consider myself to act discriminatory, my major concern is adverse impact. I believe that everyone should have a fair shot at whatever they are applying for, and being turned down for any other reason than being under qualified is in my eyes, unacceptable and unfair. Part of avoiding adverse impact and discrimination in general is abiding by the many acts that have been passed over the years to prevent this issue from occurring.
In class, we learned about the specific protections that these acts offer, such as the Civil Rights Act (protects race, color, religion, sex or national origin), the Age Discrimination Act (protects age), and the American Disabilities Act (protects individuals with disabilities), among others. The only way to protect yourself from accidentally discriminating against someone within the hiring process (and protect both your and your companies reputation while avoiding legal trouble), is by understanding and following all of the rules and regulations stated in these acts. Prior to this class, I was aware of several of the different anti-discriminatory acts that were present in our country, but this class provided me with the opportunity to learn much more about them. This information will help me avoid any discriminatory behavior or decisions and will allow me to stay successful in the long term as I work towards meeting my career goals.
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