Phyllis W. Cheng Partner DLA Piper LLP (US) 1
Session Objectives Effective April 1, 2016, new amendments to the FEHA Employment Regulations became effective (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 2, 10500 et seq.) Objectives: 1. Identify the amendments to the new FEHA Regulations 2. Translate new regulatory requirements into workplace policies 3. Develop best practices to comply with the new regulations 2
Overview of Amendments to FEHA Regulations 1. Standard for establishing discrimination 2. Definition of interns and volunteers 3. Victim of human trafficking may have a separate right of action under the FEHA 4. Employee may be personally liable for harassing a coemployee 3
Overview of Amendments to FEHA Regulations 5. Standards for harassment and discrimination prevention and correction 6. Requirement to provide training on abusive conduct as a component of sexual harassment training 7. Standard for discrimination on the basis of possessing a driver s license granted under section 12801.9 of the Vehicle Code 8. Definitions of sex, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, and sex stereotype 4
Overview of Amendments to FEHA Regulations 9. No defense to a complaint of harassment based on sex that the alleged harassing conduct was not motivated by sexual desire 10. Standards for what constitute sexual harassment 11. Definition of support animal 12. Elimination of affirmative action as it relates to state contracts 5
Definitions Unpaid Interns and Volunteers Unpaid Interns and Volunteers: 1. Works without pay 2. Unpaid internship or other limited duration 3. Unpaid work experience 4. Or volunteer Nondiscrimination 6
Victim of human trafficking Separate right of action under FEHA If allege discrimination on basis covered by FEHA Human trafficking defined: Reference Civil Code section 52.5 and Penal Code section 236.1. 7
Personal Liability for Co-Employee Harassment Employee who harasses co-employee Personally liable for harassment Regardless of: Whether employer knew or should have known, and/or Failed to take corrective action 8
Standards for harassment and discrimination prevention/correction Employers have affirmative duty to take reasonable steps to prevent/correct discrimination and harassment: Individual assessment No stand-alone private cause of action Except DFEH can independently seek non-monetary preventive remedies under its police powers, whether or not Department prevails in underlying claim 9
Requirement to provide training on abusive conduct AB 1825 sexual harassment training for employers with 50 or more employees must include content on abusive conduct. Definitions: With malice that reasonable person would find hostile, offensive, and unrelated to an employer s legitimate business interests. May include repeated infliction of verbal abuse Derogatory remarks, insults, and epithets Verbal or physical conduct that a reasonable person would find threatening, intimidating, or humiliating Gratuitous sabotage or undermining of a person s work performance Single act not abusive conduct, unless especially severe and egregious Note: abusive conduct not actionable under FEHA But DFEH can seek order requiring employer to comply with training 10
Discrimination against holders of undocumented driver s license No discrimination against applicant/employee for holding or presenting a undocumented person s CA driver s license Requiring driver s license permitted by required by state or federal law Driver s license policy must be consistently applied Does not change employer s rights/obligations under federal immigration 11
Updated definitions Sex: Same as statute, including pregnancy; childbirth; medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breast feeding; gender identity; and gender expression Gender identity: identification as male, female, a gender different from the person s sex at birth, or transgender Gender expression: gender-related appearance or behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person s sex at birth Transgender: gender identity differs from the person s sex at birth, may or may not have a gender expression that is different from the social expectations of the sex assigned at birth, may or may not identify as transsexual Sex stereotype: assumption about a person s appearance or behavior, or about an individual's ability or inability to perform certain kinds of work based on a myth, social expectation, or generalization about the individual's gender sex 12
Harassment not motivated by sexual desire not defense Employer can be liable for sexual harassment when conduct not motivated by sexual desire Person alleging sexual harassment not required to lose tangible job benefits 13
Sexual harassment policy Employers must develop harassment, discrimination and retaliation prevention policy that: 1. Is in writing 2. Lists all current protected categories covered under the FEHA 3. Indicates that the law prohibits coworkers and third parties, as well as supervisors and managers, with whom the employee comes into contact from engaging in conduct prohibited by FEHA 14
Sexual harassment policy 4. Creates a complaint process to ensure that complaints receive: A. An employer s designation of confidentiality, to the extent possible B. A timely response C. Impartial and timely investigations by qualified personnel D. Documentation and tracking for reasonable progress E. Appropriate options for remedial actions and resolutions F. Timely closures 15
Sexual harassment policy 5. Provides a complaint mechanism that does not require an employee to complain directly to his or her immediate supervisor, including: A. Direct communication, either orally or in writing, with a designated company representative, such as a human resources manager, EEO officer, or other supervisor; and/or B. A complaint hotline; and/or C. Access to an ombudsperson; and/or A. Identification of the Department and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity 16
Sexual harassment policy 6. Instructs supervisors to report any complaints of misconduct to a designated company representative (i.e., HR manager), so the company can try to resolve the claim internally. Employers with 50 or more employees are required to include this as a topic in mandated sexual harassment prevention training 7. Indicates that when an employer receives allegations of misconduct, it will conduct a fair, timely, and thorough investigation that provides all parties appropriate due process and reaches reasonable conclusions based on the evidence collected 17
Sexual harassment policy 8. States that confidentiality will be kept by the employer to the extent possible, but not indicate that the investigation will be completely confidential 9. Indicates that if at the end of the investigation misconduct is found, appropriate remedial measures shall be taken 10.Makes clear that employees shall not be exposed to retaliation as a result of lodging a complaint or participating in any workplace investigation 18
Sexual harassment policy Dissemination of the policy shall include one or more of the following methods: 1. Printing and providing a copy to all employees with an acknowledgment form for the employee to sign and return 2. Sending the policy via e-mail with an acknowledgment return form 3. Posting current versions of the policies on a company intranet with a tracking system ensuring all employees have read and acknowledged receipt of the policies 4. Discussing policies upon hire and/or during a new hire orientation session; and/or 5. Any other way that ensures employees receive and understand the policies 19
Sexual harassment policy Employer must translate policy: Translate the policy into every language that is spoken by at least 10 percent of the workforce at any facility or establishment 20
Support Animals A support animal may constitute a reasonable accommodation in certain circumstances A support animal is one that provides emotional, cognitive, or other similar support to a person with a disability, including traumatic brain injuries or mental disabilities, such as major depression Reasonable accommodation requires an individualized analysis reached through the interactive process 21
Elimination of affirmative action as to state contracts A nondiscrimination program is a set of specific and resultoriented procedures to which a contractor or subcontractor commits itself for the purpose of insuring equal employment opportunity for all employees or applicants for employment 22
Key Takeaways Update policies, procedures and handbooks Survey non-english-speaking workforce and provide translations Train managers and supervisors 23
Key Takeaways Content to update Standard for proving discrimination (Harris v. Santa Monica) Interns/volunteers protected Personal liability for co-worker liability in harassment Sexual harassment training materials, content and procedures, including abusive conduct Caution on undocumented driver s licenses Interactive process and reasonable accommodation process for support animals If state contractor, no affirmative action required 24
QUESTIONS Phyllis Cheng, Partner DLA Piper LLP (US) 550 South Hope Street Suite 2300 Los Angeles, California 90071-2678 phyllis.cheng@dlapiper.com T: +1 213 330 7713 25
SHRM PDC Activity #16-NA57L HRCI Activity ID 275885 26