SYLLABUS

WED 551-Employment Law for Human Resource Development Spring 2015 Instructor:

Molly Hamilton, Ph.D. Office Phone: 618-453-1935 Cell Phone: 618.317.6644 e-mail: [email protected] Desire2Learn (D2L) URL: http://online.siu.edu Office Hours: Mondays 10 am-1 pm or by appointment

Course Description and Format: This course is designed to provide current and practical information in the area of employment law as it relates to human resources in organizations. To that end, various cases based on actual organizational situations will be examined and the case law utilized to determine actions required of the organization.

Course Rationale: As practitioners and researchers in the field of human resources, a strong familiarity with employment law and the ability to understand the application of various laws that affect human resource development within organizations is critical.

Course Goals: The following are the general outcomes of the course. Students will: 1. Comprehend the principles of various employment laws applicable to the HR functions in organizations as laid down by legislation and interpreted by the courts. 2. Understand the direction of and emerging issues of employment law in the coming decade. 3. Understand how to make economic use of legal counsel for their organization. 4. Analyze how various employment laws guide reducing the organization’s exposure to liability. 5. Analyze permissible activity in organizations and the actions to take when “red flag” behavior is recognized in the organization.

Course Requirements: Assessment of student performance will be based on the following requirements: 1. Tests (take 2 of 3 tests-75 points each) 2. Complete Human Resource Dilemma Activities (4 @ 25 points each) 3. Web Site Assignments (3) 4. Discussion Board 5. Participation/Online Meetings (25 points each)

150 100 150 50 50

Grading A = 450 – 500 B = 400 – 449 C = 350 – 399 D = 300 – 349 F = 299 and below

Course Readings Moran, J.J. (2014). Employment law: New challenges in the business environment (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

1

SYLLABUS

Policies and Standards 1. Students will adhere to the SIU Graduate Student Conduct Code available at http:/www.siu.edu/gradschl/catalog/Student_Conduct_Code.pdf 2. Assignment Submission and Due Dates a. Students will submit assignments through Desire2Learn (D2L) (or via email as a backup) as assigned by no later than midnight (students’ local time) on the due date. Please follow proper etiquette for communicating electronically. Proper “netiquette” includes: identification of the writer (including affiliation and title if applicable), avoidance of excessive punctuation (e.g., exclamation points), i. abbreviations, highlighting (e.g., bold face type), inappropriate language, and emotion (e.g., all caps). ii. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the instructor receives electronic communications and assignments. b. The instructor will be happy to answer questions about assignments in advance without pre-grading the work. Please let me know your questions as they come up! I am happy to set up a time to talk via phone or discuss via email. c. Students will notify the instructor in advance if there are conflicts with the established due dates. If necessary, we will as a group identify new due dates within the time frame of the course beginning and ending dates. d. Out of respect for the majority of students who meet deadlines, 15% of the possible points associated with an assignment will be deducted for any work submitted after the established (or revised) due dates. 3. Academic Honesty a. Plagiarism is defined as the use, without proper acknowledgement, or the ideas, phrases, sentences, or larger units of discourse from another writer or speaker and the act of plagiarism is grounds for dismissal from the university. b. Unauthorized copying of software and violation of copyright laws are also serious forms of academic dishonesty. c. Actions involving either plagiarism or violation of copyright laws will result in a grade of “F” for the course. 4. Students needing course related accommodations must contact the instructor during the first week of class (NLT February 28, 2015).

2

SYLLABUS

Course Schedule Term Begins: February 22, 2015 Online/Video Meetings: March 14th and April 4th (we will meet using video conferencing software. I will let you know what we will use in advance.) Introduction: Due February 22nd Print course syllabus. Post a short bio about yourself, and list questions about the syllabus, on the course discussion board. 

Module One: Introduction to the Course Content and Processes – Work Due: NLT March 1st 1. Read text Chapter: 1 (employers and employees). Use the Vocabulary List Worksheet to help your understanding of the terms in this module. 2. Review Module One Power Point presentations. A helpful learning strategy would be to print the slides in note form so that you can write as you read.  Chapter 1 3. Select and complete two (2) Human Resource Dilemmas (bottom of page 28-29) at the end of Chapter 1; avoid yes/no answers providing a reason for your response. Submit your completed assignment to your instructor NLT March 1st



Module Two: Employment Relationships and Procedures – Work Due: NLT March 22nd 1. Read text Chapters: 2-6 (selection, hiring, privacy & termination, and arbitration). Use the Vocabulary List Worksheet to help your understanding of the terms in this module. This learning activity is intended to engage your mind through the kinesthetic sense (touch) as you write definitions. 2. Review Module Two Power Point presentations linked below. A helpful learning strategy would be to print the slides in note form so that you can write as you read, thereby using the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic perceptual senses.  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4

 Chapter 5  Chapter 6

3. Select and complete two (2) Human Resource Dilemmas (from two different chapters: Chapters 2-6). Avoid yes/no answers and provide a reason for your response. Submit your completed assignment to your instructor NLT March 22nd .

3

SYLLABUS 4. Submit Web Site Assignment 1 a. Policy Manual. Follow Web Site Assignment directions at the end of Chapter 2. Select two topics from those provided: (a) selection procedure, (b) recruitment, (c) promotion, (d) nepotism, and (e) negligent hiring. Submit your completed assignment to your instructor NLT March 22nd. 

Post to the discussion board as directed.

Take Modules One and Two Test available on D2L (open March 20th -23rd). 

Module Three: Employment Discrimination – Work Due: NLT April 12th 1. Read text Chapters: 7-17 (Civil Rights Act, affirmative action, and discrimination based on race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, & disability). Use the Vocabulary List Worksheet to help your understanding of the terms in this module. 2. Review Module Three Power Point presentations linked below. A helpful learning strategy would be to print the slides in note form so that you can write as you read, thereby using the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic perceptual senses.    

Chapter 7  Chapter 11  Chapter 15 Chapter 8  Chapter 12  Chapter 16 Chapter 9  Chapter 13  Chapter 17 Chapter 10  Chapter 14 3. Select and complete two (2) Human Resource Dilemmas (from two different chapters: Chapters 7-17). Avoid yes/no answers and provide a reason for your response. Submit your completed assignment to your instructor NLT April 12th

4. Submit Web Site Assignment 2. a. Qualified Disabilities. Follow Web Site Assignment directions. Your completed assignment to your instructor NLT 12th . b. Post to discussion board as directed. Take Module Three Test on D2L (open April 10th -13th , 2014).

4

SYLLABUS



Module Four: Employment Regulation – Work Due: NLT May 1st. 1. Read text Chapters: 18-22 (unions & collective bargaining, wage & hour regulation, OSHA, workers’ compensation, and employee benefits). Use the Vocabulary List Worksheet to help your understanding of the terms in this module. 2. Review Module Four Power Point presentations. A helpful learning strategy would be to print the slides in note form so that you can write as you read, thereby using the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic perceptual senses.  Chapter 18  Chapter 19  Chapter 20

 Chapter 21  Chapter 22

3. Select and complete two (2) Human Resource Dilemmas (from two different chapters: Chapters 18-22). Avoid yes/no answers and provide a reason for your response. Submit your completed assignment to your instructor NLT May 1st. 4. Submit Web Site Assignment 3 a. Your Own Topic. Your completed assignment is due to your instructor NLT May 1st 

b. Post to discussion board as directed. Complete course evaluation activities.  Instructor Course Evaluation



Take Module Four Test on D2L (open April 24th-27th, 2014).

Class Ends: May 1st, 2014. No late assignments will be accepted after this date.

5