Studies have shown that the perception of gender bias plays a significant role in many women’s educational and career decisions. Other reports have shown that black women are 80% more likely to change their hairstyles to conform to societal norms as black hair has a long history of being politicized. While it is clear that diversity has been directly linked to profitability, it is also clear that employers and management/leadership need to think differently on the hiring and retention of women and minorities by addressing pay gaps, disparities in promotional opportunities and selection, and standards of professional appearance. Ensuring that both the work environment and the culture of the business reflect California’s respective legislation on these issues, can prove to be a challenging feat for employers. This session will address all of these topics as applied to hiring, retention and termination and provide guidance on how to identify potential issues and avoid litigation in these areas.

Cecilia Martin represents public and private sector entities in all employment matters including wage and hour actions, workplace audits and investigations, and discrimination and harassment claims. She enjoys providing advice and counsel to employers on various issues such as discipline and termination, arbitration agreements, leave requirements, employee handbooks and laws affecting payroll and personnel decisions.