20th Anniversary Issue, MAY 1997

Keeping The Peace
Could your company be the target of a racial or gender discrimination lawsuit? Smaller companies are not immune - and the risk is rising. The 1991 Civil Rights Act allows lawyers who prevail in employment bias cases to charge double their usual hourly rates and sometime more. Not surprisingly, discrimination cases are on the increase.

On way to protect your company is to be proactive: Analyze your employees attitudes, and, if necessary, implement diversity training. Thomas Rundquist, president of Nova Counseling Associates, Inc. in Big Rapids, Michigan, has developed a test that can evaluate on a variety of biases (racial, ethnic, gender, religious and more). If a problem is identified, Nova can determine an appropriate corrective strategy.

Rundquist's test costs about $1 per person, plus an administrative fee, which ranges from nominal to as much as $3,000 if he handles the setup and evaluation. However, "companies can do most of it themselves." says Rundquist, who adds, "This test is set up so a small company can test its people at a reasonable rate."

Beyond preventing discrimination and lawsuits, Rundquist also says testing can also be a defense if you are sued. Test results on file will show whether you had problems, and, if so, what you did to correct them. As an additional protective measure, Rundquist recommends maintaining relationships with organizations that deal with diversity and discrimination issues.