Europeans who start a business in the U.S. need to consider this subject.
There are a lot of cultural differences in this area, even though our
laws are quite similar. In the U.S., as in most European countries, it's
forbidden to deny a position to someone because of his or her sex, age,
ethnic origin, religion, sexual preferences, disability, etc. These laws
are rigorously enforced in the U.S., and many organizations provide support
and legal aid to minority members who suspect an employer of discrimination.
Our advice: Keep certain
rules in mind, especially during the hiring process:
Never deny a position to someone by
stating you were looking for someone younger, or for a man rather then
a woman. Find a better reason!
During a job interview, do not ask the candidate if he or she is
married, or has children, etc. This could be understood as a disguised
way to inquire about the candidate's sexual preferences. However, it's
perfectly acceptable to ask the candidates if they can travel 80% of the
timeif they don't want to for family reasons, they'll usually
say so.
When reprimanding an employee, or if
a conflict occurs, always keep the discussion on factual grounds, and
never let personal considerations take over. More of your coworkers will
be glad to discuss their children or their latest weekend during the lunch
break, but if they do not show interest in such a discussion, don't insistrespect
of privacy is very important in the U.S.
Avoid making personal comments
or practical jokes, even
if you feel they are completely innocentthey can be poorly understood
by some of your coworkers. Even if they don't say anything, one day you
might receive a surprise letter from an attorney.
Don't ask your secretary to serve you coffee
unless you're in a meeting with customers, as this request could be considered inappropriate or gender biased.
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