Bus 157 Legal and Regulatory Issues in HRM

Tuesdays 6-8:45 PM    

 

Session 1 (8-30) 

• Course and instructor introduction
• Preferred contact method [email, email, email! Include "Bus 157" in the subject line]
• Guided Tour of Course Website: Syllabus, Professionalism in Class, preparation procedures, FIRACT format, reading assignments, other features 
• Overview of Legal Procedure, Court Systems, and Citation Forms
• Preview of upcoming class sessions [reading/preparation, writing assignments, self-evaluation form (blank, with name & photo for next class), "FIRACT"s] 

 

Session 2 (9-6) 

Self-evaluation form due, beginning of class [blank, signed with name & photo in the upper left hand corner cropped so I can see both your photo and your name below it; keep a copy for yourself to use in class for documenting your participation on a weekly basis]

Discuss syllabus and other general course questions

Topics: Employee/Contractor status; Exempt/Non-Exempt status [see Topic 1 outline]

Reading: -Guide to Reading Cases [pp. xxxiii-xxxvi and 43-47; very important material for understanding stare decisis and use of precedent in U.S. law as well as final paper!]

              -Chapter 1 [all]; Chapter 16 [pp.746-758]

FIRACT NLRB v. Friendly Cab Co. [Also skim Murray v. PFG (text at p. 35) as well as 2014 Fedex and Varisco cases (posted on Topic 1 outline)]

[Preview Writing assignment—Employment-at-will (due beginning of next class)]

  

Session 3 (9-13) 

Writing assignment—Employment-at-will due, beginning of class

Topics: The Employment Relationship and At-will Employment; Exceptions to at-will doctrine, tort liability, and introduction to privacy issues

Reading: Chapter 2 (through p. 63)

Dr. Malos' article on At-Will and international comparative employment relationships

FIRACT: Guz v. Bechtel [p. 92]

 

Session 4 (9-20) 

Topics: Privacy and related Employee Rights issues [e.g., electronic monitoring, email, "BYOD" issues]

Reading: Chapter 14

FIRACT: Quon [p. 728; also skim (no FIRACT) O'Connor v. Ortega, p. 722, note its use as precedent in Quon]

Video: Privacy [computer surveillance and related developments]

Hand out Exam 1 [Take-home; use T&E 0200 blue Scantron and #2 pencils]; Do not neglect very important reading for next class as well as exam! 

 

Session 5 (9-27)

Exam 1 due, beginning of class; review and discuss Exam 1

Topics: Title VII of CRA 1964 and related state law provisions (California's Fair Employment & Housing Act [FEHA]); CRA 1991

Reading: Chapter 2 [p. 62 to end]; Chapter 3 [all]; Chapter 6 [all].

Proving and defending discrimination claims (Disparate Treatment, Racial Harassment).

FIRACT: McDonnell Douglas v. Green [p. 91; also skim (no FIRACT) Vaughn v. Edel at p. 295 for discussion in class]

 

Session 6 (10-4) 

Topics: Proving and defending discrimination claims (Adverse Impact);

Establishing and Managing the Employment Relationship: Miscellaneous Issues in Recruitment, Selection, Performance Appraisal

Reading: Chapter 4 [all]

FIRACT: Griggs v. Duke Power [p. 94; review discussion of Bradley v. Domino's at pp. 279-280] 

-Hand out Exam 2 [Take-home; use T&E 0200 blue Scantron and #2 pencils]; again, do not neglect reading [at least Ch. 8] for next class as well as exam!

[Note: Extra credit assignment Option 1 (see separate link) due next class period, beginning of class, for those doing it] 

 

Session 7 (10-11) 

(Option 1 credit paper due, beginning of class)

Exam 2 due, beginning of class; review and discuss Exam 2

Topic: Overview of gender discrimination, harassment, stereotyping, sexual orientation discrimination/harassment; road map for understanding Chapters 8, 9, & 10 overall.

Reading: Chapter 8; Chapter 10, pp. 448-454 [skim remainder of Chapter 10 for class discussion]

FIRACTS: Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins [p. 384; skim Dothard v. Rawlinson, p. 383; Nichols v. Azteca, p. 469 for class discussion]

[Note: Extra credit assignment Option 2 (see separate link) due next class period, beginning of class, for those doing it] 

  

Session 8 (10-18)

(Option 2 credit paper due, beginning of class)

Topics: Sexual harassment: Investigating and managing harassment complaints

Reading: Chapter 9

FIRACT: Meritor SB v. Vinson [p. 425; skim Faragher, p. 429, Ellerth, p. 424 for class discussion]

Harassment role play exercise

[Note: Extra credit assignment Option 3 or Option 4 (one or the other; see separate link) due next class period, beginning of class, for those doing it] 

 

Session 9 (10-25) 

(Options 3 or 4 extra credit paper due, beginning of class)

Topics: Religion/National Origin Discrimination, and related Immigration issues;

Reading: Chapters 11, 7

FIRACT: TWA v. Hardison [p. 510, skim Peterson v. HP, p. 512, Garcia v. Spun Steak, p. 327]

Review all LRP links; discuss LRP & interim components

Online Legal Research Demo

[Note: LRP fact situations and Web Research FIRACT due next class*; also we will discuss reading on Age and Disability modules (upcoming)]

*Checklist: Review carefully before handing in LRP facts and web FIRACTS!

  

Session 10 (11-1)

*Checklist: Review carefully before handing in LRP facts and web FIRACTS!

LRP fact situations and Web Research FIRACTS due, beginning of class

Topic: Age Discrimination

Reading: Chapter 12.

FIRACTS: None [skim: Hazen Paper v. Biggins, p. 556; Western Air Lines, p. 553, Oubre, p. 558]

Topic: Disability Discrimination, Occupational Safety, and Workers Compensation, and FMLA/CFRA issues [the "treacherous triangle" of employment law!].

Reading: Chapter 13; Chapter 15 pp.779-788

FIRACTS: None [skim Huber v. Wal-Mart, p. 653]

Hand out Exam 3 [take home]--due next time, beginning of class

Note: Self-Evaluation bundle due next session, beginning of class [see check list, bottom of this schedule]

 

Session 11 (11-8)

Self-Evaluation bundle due, beginning of class

Exam 3 due, beginning of class; review and discuss Exam 3

Return LRP fact situations and Web Research FIRACTS; meet individually with Dr. Malos to discuss/obtain feedback on LRP fact situations & cases [optional but highly recommended]

Discuss peer review process and point awards, deductions for quality of LRP drafts/cases if not acceptable when due

[Note:Complete draft of Legal Research Paper due, with cases, beginning of next class session for screening by Dr. Malos and first peer exchange and review; no credit for peer review process unless you have legitimate complete draft of paper (see separate format link) with your 3 cases!]

 

Session 12 (11-15)

*Complete 1st draft of Legal Research Paper due, with cases, beginning of class for screening by Dr. Malos and first peer exchange and review [partners will be assigned] 

[No Class on 11-22: Happy Thanksgiving!]

 

Session 13 (11-29)

*Complete 2nd draft of Legal Research Paper due, with cases, beginning of class for second peer exchange and review [partners up to you)!]

 

Session 14 (12-6)

[No Class: Complete LRP Bundle (see Final Submission Checklists at end of this schedule below) due BT 650 on or before Tuesday, 12-6 at 4 pm* [*office may close early so don't be late!]

 

[Note 1: If you want your LRP returned with my comments, please also submit a SASE [Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope; self-sealing adhesive strips only!] with enough postage for your 6-page paper and my comment/feedback cover sheet [cases will not be returned]. Two regular stamps should be more than enough; one is probably OK]

 

[Note 2: Final Grades will be posted by SIDN as soon as I can read everyone's materials and get the spreadsheet calculations finalized. Please DO NOT slow me down and pester me with emails asking if I got your final materials or when grades will be ready; anyone sending me such email(s) will be subject to a 10% point deduction from your final score! [OK, not really, but please try to be thoughtful/considerate :-)]

 

[Note 3: Have a great holiday season and a happy new year--hope to see you in January for Bus 159 and in May for graduation!]

 

Final Submission Checklists*

*There are 2 separate "bundles" due [see due dates above; a "bundle" is a stack of papers, in order, bound by binder clips or rubber bands, but NOT report covers or other slick packaging--thank you :-)]

 

1)      Self-Evaluation Bundle:

• Completed Self-Evaluation Form, with real-time notes on class participation contributions, your photo again [no photo, no credit] and proposed realistic total score [of 100]:

Class written HW & Prep      Oral Participation in class

50 points 50 points

• Attach any weekly FIRACTS you've done, including those collected and returned for extra credit and those you did but which were not collected; please do not include other writing assignments for added weight :-)

  

2)      LRP Bundle:

• The final Legal Research Paper itself [remember to check the Reminder re: Research Paper Format and my LRP Grading Form links before and after to make sure your paper complies]
• Your three (3) recent cases [complete, recent, high-quality appellate opinions, from the Supreme Court, 9^th Circuit, or California, highlighted per instructions in the Further Details on the Legal Research Paper link]
• Your annotated first draft of the LRP with the green Peer Evaluation Form filled out by your first peer partner on top
• Your annotated second draft of the LRP with the yellow Peer Evaluation Form filled out by your second peer partner on top     
• Your blue "Confidential: For Dr. Malos' eyes only!" form, filled out, with your comments regarding the quality of the LRP first draft you peer-reviewed
• Your pink "Confidential: For Dr. Malos' eyes only!" form, filled out, with your comments regarding the quality of the LRP second draft you peer-reviewed