August/September 2000 Issue Number 14
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!
Fifth Biennial Women in Uniform Conference, November 30- December 1, 2000, Arlington, VA. For information call: 202-628-0444 ext. 12.
Leading Diverse Communities Beyond Conflict, August 24-25, 2000, Dallas, TX. The new National Fire Academy diversity course, will be offered as a pre-conference seminar at Fire Rescue International.
"Managing Change and the Conflict that Comes With It", August 30, 2000, The Dallas-Ft. Worth Hyatt Regency Hotel. This workshop will be presented at the Department of Defense Fire and Rescue Conference.
Diversity Challenges: Can People Really Be Doing These Things?, August 27, 2000 from 1500-1700, Dallas, TX. This workshop will be presented as part of the Fire-Rescue International Conference in Dallas.
As Goes Nebraska, So Goes the Country
Nebraska is not usually seen as the most diverse place in the United States. Historically, the population has been white, Christian and of German descent, and this is still the dominant demographic group in the state. But things are changing.
The 1990 census reflects a much more diverse population than most would expect in the heartland of America. Nebraska has always had a small but significant black population, but that group has been outnumbered in the last decade by a rapidly growing Hispanic population, which has doubled in size throughout the 20th century. Immigration is also playing a major role in Nebraska, particularly in the Omaha area, where Korean, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Serbian, and Ukrainian are joining English, Spanish and other European languages as common means of day-to-day communication among residents.
Religious diversity is expanding as well. Although Nebraska remains overwhelmingly Christian, with Roman Catholicism being the predominant sect, other religions are gaining a foothold. The 1990 census reported 500 houses of worship representing 49 different denominations in the Omaha area alone. Ninety different holidays and festivals are celebrated by different faith groups in Nebraska.
No matter where they live, firefighters can no longer assume the ability to communicate easily on every emergency call they go on. They have to be cognizant of cultural and religious rules that may be completely unfamiliar to them. This is true not only in places like New York City and Los Angeles but also in places like Omaha and Little Rock and Bismarck.
The growing diversity of this country will certainly be even more clearly demonstrated by the upcoming 2000 census. Whether these changes are seen as a problem or an opportunity, the reality of the change is undeniable. And as one Nebraskan of Pakistani and Islamic descent said, "A lot of people are surprised that we have so much in common."
Source: The Associated Press, January 8, 2000
Women earned half of the top ten slots in this yearâs Air Force Academyâs graduating class. While women made up only 18% of the class of 945 students, they held five of the top ten class positions. Two of the top ten spots, including that of #1 student, were held by twin sisters. Class standings are determined by academics, military achievement and athletics.
Source: The Denver Post, May 31, 2000
Lawsuits are Forever
The federal government agreed earlier this year to a record $508 million settlement in a class action sex discrimination lawsuit filed by 1100 women from the now-defunct U.S. Information Agency. The settlement does not include an estimated $23 million in back pay, interest and retirement benefits to be paid to some plaintiffs.
The original lawsuit was filed in 1977.
The litigation began when a female employee of the agency was denied a position specifically because of her gender. Other women with similar complaints joined the suit, which was decided in the plaintiffsâ favor in 1984. Government officials appealed the decision, unsuccessfully, all the way to the Supreme Court, and then insisted on adjudicating claims on a case-by-case basis, a process that could have continued until 2017 if a settlement had not been reached.
Who wins in such circumstances? The clear answer is: no one. Although the plaintiffs in the case ultimately prevailed, the long delay hurt everyone. Two of the plaintiffs died before the final settlement was made. The amount of the judgment was vastly larger because of the time frame of the case. Enormous amounts of time, energy and money were spent fighting a lawsuit that was lost over a decade ago. According to attorneys involved, the size of the settlement was also affected by gross misconduct by the U.S. Information Agency following the 1984 judgment. Is it just coincidence that this agency no longer exists?
Lawsuits are bad news for everyone involved, and once you are in one, chances are it will be with you for a long, long time. The best tactic when it comes to lawsuits is: just don't do it! Be proactive about discrimination and harassment complaints, train all employees in the law and appropriate business practices, and lead by example in fostering a work environment where all employees are treated fairly and given equal opportunity to succeed.
Source: Los Angeles Times, March 23, 2000
© Linda F. Willing, 2000
