MCAD training - Massachusetts commission against discrimination

What was covered; workplace discrimination protected categories;

Age - 40 and over, under 40, sorry you are out of luck in that category.

Criminal records, inquiry only, you cannot ask about that in an application. You can be asked about that further on, which seems to go against common sense; you can apply without having to explain any criminal record but in the one on one, you can be asked and denied the job because of a criminal record, why waste time and resources? The explanation was that everyone has the right to apply.

disability, actual or perceived.
gender
gender identity, as in you have a stick but wish to live as if you don't, so now you have to deal with all kinds of stuff rather than if you have a stick, you pee there, if you don't, you pee there. Now if you are not allowed to pee where you wish, you can go to mcad and scream discrimination. We have gone far!

genetics, which seems to be new.

military personnel

national origin or ancestry

race or color

religion

retaliation

sexual orientation

The material was not that complicated nor over-whelming.
Do not hurt anyone's feelings, do not have standards, do not state that employees are at will employees and can be dismissed at any time because that might not be true. In fact, the employer might be held to pay emotional distress damages.

One would think that after taking about two years to come up with a personnel policy, there would be no real need for more formal training as all of these scenarios would be covered in said policy. Personally, I have experienced all of this same "training" in the military and it did not have much effect, if any. It mostly ended up taking up valuable time that could have been utilized for more important and worthwhile things. Unfortunately in today's litigious society, this is what is has come to. So, on Tuesday of this week, your employees and elected folks were in Town hall, most being paid and having lunch on you, to learn how to be sensitive. Some may still be trying to digest this and figure it all out.

from the Templeton, draft, social media policy:

Town officials are discouraged from using personal accounts to comment on or post information to town social media sites, and/or posting information regarding official town business on other social
 media sites. All social media site comments and posts by town officials are subject to the Public Records Law, Open Meeting Law, and all other applicable laws, rules, policies, charter provisions and regulations. Town Officials including employees, volunteers, and elected officials posts to social media from personal social media accounts will be considered public records if the post discusses aspects of town government.

posted by Jeff Bennett


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