Page 134 - An Indispensible Resource for Being a Credible Activist

CHAPTER 9

ROUNDUP OF ADDITIONAL LEGAL ISSUES,

PROCEDURES, AND OBLIGATIONS

COMMUNICATING WITH COLLEAGUES ABOUT
COMPLIANCE CONCERNS OR CONFIDENTIAL ISSUES

HR professionals should be aware of the SHRM Code of Ethics whether they are SHRM
members or not and should abide by it as well as instruct their staff and unpaid interns to
abide by it. The sad truth is that many HR executives do follow this code of conduct with
their leadership yet are not taken seriously, are ignored, and/or are overruled regarding com-
pliance issues.
By now you’ve seen several sample memos and can draft one of your own in a similar
structure to let your supervisor and/or leadership know that this is the SHRM Code of Ethics
and you will abide by it. This is a good opportunity to check in with your supervisor and
ask for feedback on your job performance with regard to the SHRM Code of Conduct. It’s a
very good idea to also ask him or her if he or she has any commentary on how your role in
the company and your job description specifically relate or do not relate to the SHRM Code
of Ethics. Ideally, you would review a job ad and/or job description against the SHRM Code
of Conduct during your HR job interview before you even accept the position. However, if
you find yourself already in the position or with a new boss, this is also a good time to make
sure you’re both on the same page.
If you suspect that you may get a competitive or angry reaction from your boss, or he
or she may dismiss the SHRM Code of Ethics, saying it isn’t the company’s policy, or direct-
ing you to not follow it, it’s a good idea to be prepared before you meet. Bring a list of all
applicable city, state, and federal laws that would protect you from unlawful retaliation for
raising concerns about noncompliance with relevant employment laws. Don’t try to memo-
rize the laws instead; there is no need to add stress to the situation.
Refer to the HR Tool entitled “Sample Memo Requesting (Company)-Sponsored SHRM
Membership” at the end of the chapter, on page 128.

THE LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT

According to the U.S. Department of Labor,

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other anti-
discrimination laws to clarify at which points in time discriminatory actions qualify as

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