The Americans with Disabilities Act, or the ADA, covers more than just employment, it requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. This can include allowing animals in the workplace to help an employee perform job functions. In this episode, APU professor Cynthia Gentile talks to employment lawyer Neil Goldsmith about the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal. He also discusses the range of important questions employers need to ask an employee about their disability and how the animal would allow them to perform essential functions that they couldn’t otherwise perform.

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Nearly half of U.S. employees reported that they observed misconduct in the workplace. This is both extremely concerning, but also mind-boggling that companies believe they can essentially get away with unethical or illegal practices without consequences, says APU professor CJ Sherman. In this episode, she talks with Dr. Linda Ashar about misconduct in the workplace, what measures need to be put in place to prevent it from happening, and how to address misconduct when it occurs. Hear examples of companies that engaged in gross misconduct and illegal activity like Wells Fargo, Volkswagen, and General Motors. Also learn what options employees have when they recognize misconduct, how to protect themselves from retaliation, and what policies companies need to have in place to encourage employees to report misconduct.

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There’s a major cultural and social shift underway compelling organizations to focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within their workforce. While the benefits and value of a diverse workforce are unquestionable, the path for organizations to get there requires leaders to acknowledge uncomfortable truths. In this episode, APU’s Dr. Linda Ashar talks to Dr. Larry D. Parker, Jr. about his research into outgroups and the steps executive leaders need to take to create an inclusive work environment where employees feel a sense of belonging.

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Everybody wants to feel like they belong, so it’s imperative that organizations create a workplace culture that provides employees with a strong sense of belonging. In this episode, APU professor Linda Ashar talks to Provost and author, Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, about his research on belonging and how he’s applying his findings to drive employee and student success. Learn about the responsibility of leaders to foster a sense of belonging in the workplace, ways for leaders to show students and employees that they’re valued and they matter, and how such efforts can improve employee retention, satisfaction and productivity.

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Every organization has divisions, which can become deep and disruptive and affect the organization’s ability to reach its goals. In this episode, American Public University professor Linda Ashar talks to author and business leader Laura Kriska about her new book that aims to remove the “Us versus Them” dynamic from the workplace. Learn her practical three-step process to help people build trusting relationships with people who aren’t like them, why leaders must recognize who’s on the “home team,” and how WE-Building can bridge the gap to create an inclusive workplace.

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Can employers require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine? In this episode, APU professor Cynthia Gentile talks to attorney Neil Goldsmith about legal issues surrounding workplace vaccine mandates. Learn the legal grounds employers have for mandating vaccination as well as considerations involving the ADA and Title VII. Also hear details of a recent ruling from a Texas court that upheld an employers’ right to mandate vaccination and terminate employees who did not comply with the vaccination requirements.

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What laws should employers understand when it comes to employing military servicemembers? In this episode, APU professor Cynthia Gentile talks to attorney and JAG officer Melissa Strickland about what both employers and military employees should know about USERRA and other laws that provide protections to military employees. In addition to knowing its legal obligations, she also offers insight into how employers can provide additional support by valuing military servicemembers’ unique experience, seeking to employ military spouses and veterans, and ensuring there are systems in place to support and engage military employees.

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The growth of the gig economy has upended traditional employment classifications and sown uncertainty regarding labor laws. Companies like Uber and Lyft, which rely on independent contractors, face employment law challenges regarding the status of freelancers and gig workers. In this episode, APU professor Cynthia Gentile talks to attorney Neil Goldsmith about how the gig economy is changing employment law. Learn about the various tests used to determine employment status, laws like Prop 22 that change employment classifications, and other changes affecting the gig economy under the Biden administration.

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After 98 years, the Equal Rights Amendment was finally ratified by 38 states, qualifying it for full ratification the U.S. Constitution. But will it become an amendment? In this episode, APU professor Cynthia Gentile talks to Krista Joy Niles, Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist, and founder of the ERA Advocacy Committee at the Alice Paul Institute. Learn about the history of the ERA, the anti-ERA movement that prevented ratification by states in the 1970s and 80s, and what led to the final ratification in 2020. Also learn what legal scholars contend is the path to full ratification of the ERA to the Constitution and the impacts the ERA would have regarding equal pay, equal access to healthcare for both genders, and more.

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Recent national attention on systematic social injustices has caused many corporate leaders to take a hard look at their company’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion. In this episode, APU business professor Cynthia Gentile talks to Uva Christina Coles, the founder and CEO of Inclusiva, a consulting firm specializing in workforce inclusion. Learn about the need for companies to create an open and safe space for leaders and employees to talk about diversity, steps and tools needed to build comprehensive DEI policies and procedures, and how the pandemic has helped further these conversations by humanizing employees and drawing closer the line between work and personal lives.

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Awareness of social injustices further escalated in the national consciousness in 2020. As a result, it became imperative that organizations assess their approach to issues related to equity and diversity. In this episode, APU business professor Linda Ashar talks to Caroline Simpson, Assistant Provost of Student and Alumni Services, about the creation of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Task Force. Learn about the strategic goals of this task force, its university-wide reach to staff, faculty, and students, and the work being done to ensure it will have long-term effects on the university’s organizational culture. 

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Corporate culture is critical to the success of any business. In this episode, APU business professor Dr. Linda Ashar talks to Dr. Suzanne Minarcine about her work consulting with businesses to assess and improve their organizational culture. Learn about the role of leadership in establishing a positive work culture by valuing employees and customers over the bottom line. Also learn about strategies to assess culture, including conducting exit interviews for employees leaving the company, implementing clear policies allowing employees to freely report harassment or discrimination, conducting regular training sessions, and establishing zero tolerance for people who contribute to a toxic workplace.

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Ethics must be intentionally coded into artificial intelligence systems. But who decides on the ethical or moral standards used? How can programmers minimize bias from the system? What regulations are needed to oversee this evolving technology? In this episode, Dr. Linda Ashar talks to APU business professor Dr. Wanda Curlee about the challenges of incorporating ethics into AI. Learn why it’s so important for corporations and any entity using AI to understand the system in entirety, monitor for unintentional bias, and assess the validity of outcomes. 

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Working from home during the pandemic can blur the lines between an employee’s work and personal life. In this episode, Dr. Linda Ashar talks to APU business professor and entrepreneur Dr. Suzanne Marlowe Minarcine about her years of experience supervising and managing remote employees. Learn why it’s so important to establish clear expectations so employees don’t feel pressured to work beyond business hours, why everyone needs a designated work space to focus, ways to improve time management strategies, and how to build trust and communication in a virtual work environment.

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The COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to adapt operations nearly overnight. In this episode, APU business professor Dr. Linda Ashar talks to Dan Cwalina, the CEO of Lormet Community Federal Credit Union, about his experience leading an essential business through the pandemic. Learn how everything changed on March 9, 2020 – a day he equates with 9/11 – and how communication, transparency, flexibility, creativity, unity, and strong technological infrastructure helped this financial institution adapt its business model to operating in a new normal.

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In this four-year anniversary episode, Dr. Linda Ashar interviews the original host, Dr. Marie Gould Harper, Dean of the School of Business at American Public University. Learn how much has changed in the business world during the last four years including the explosive growth of social media and what that means for employers and employees; social and cultural shifts that highlight inequality and the need for business leaders to address diversity; and the heightened political divisiveness that often spills over into the workplace. Also learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has forced executive leaders to practice crisis management on a daily basis and change business operations including managing a remote workforce. 

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Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate. In this episode, Dr. Linda Ashar talks with Dr. Wanda Curlee, the Program Director of Business at APU, about the influence of artificial intelligence, or AI, on the workplace today and in the future. Learn how AI is changing the way companies interact with customers, manage projects, assess risk, collect and manage data, and much more. As AI is integrated into more work functions, learn why it’s so important for organizational leaders to understand the technology, train employees so they can effectively use the technology, and plan for the future implementation of AI into more business operations.

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What impact has COVID-19 had on mentoring programs and relationships? In this episode, APU business professor Dr. Ashley Taylor talks to Linda Beach about her experience participating in both informal and formal mentoring relationships during her 30-year career. Learn about the most successful approaches to matching mentors and mentees, the importance of aligning personal and organizational goals, as well as common mistakes organizations make in their formal mentoring programs. Also learn how the shift to teleworking has impacted mentoring relationships and what organizational leaders must be doing to ensure this critical professional development strategy continues to help them develop knowledgeable, competent, and confident employees.

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Have affirmative action policies been effective in balancing demographics in the workplace? In this episode, Dr. Linda Ashar talks to Dr. Gary Deel about the origin of affirmative action policies, whether all companies should have a formal policy as part of their recruitment and hiring practices, and some of the common misunderstandings about affirmative action. Also learn about other ways companies can evaluate and audit their hiring practices to ensure they are fairly representing community demographics and addressing any biases.

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Millennials now make up the largest workforce generation in the U.S. so it’s critical for organizational leaders to understand what drives and motivates them. In this episode, host Dr. Linda Ashar is joined by Dr. Doris Blanton to explore the mindset of millennials to understand how they’re hardwired differently than past generations. Learn what supervisors can do to support millennials with a stronger work-life balance, greater work flexibility, increased engagement, recognition of their passions, and other motivating forces, to foster strong work performance by millennial employees.

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