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Legislative training stresses DEI basics, harassment prevention and where to file complaints
Summary
Two external consultants led a one-hour diversity, equity and inclusion training for legislative members and staff, covering definitions, hiring practices, microaggressions, accommodations and the House policy on discrimination reporting.
CHARLOTTE STEVENS, founder of Charlotte Stevens Consulting and a retired labor and employment attorney, and Sam O'Neil, founder of Forge Point Solution Group and an HR consultant, led a one-hour diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training for legislators and staff that emphasized definitions, everyday workplace conduct and the office procedures for reporting discrimination.
The session opened with Stevens saying the training was intended "to begin, not the end of a conversation," and she laid out definitions the presenters used during the hour: diversity as the range of psychological, physical and social differences among people; equity as "a guarantee of fair treatment" that recognizes and seeks to remove barriers; and inclusion as creating an environment where people "feel welcome, feel appreciated" and can bring different perspectives.
The training focused on how discrimination differs from allied workplace concerns, using hiring and promotion as a primary example. Stevens and O'Neil warned against intentionally excluding candidates on the basis of age, race, gender or other protected characteristics and described lawful approaches employers can use to broaden applicant pools, such as targeted recruitment or internship programs. O'Neil advised that when two candidates have similar qualifications, an employer may choose the candidate who advances workplace diversity without making a categorical exclusion of others.
Presenters discussed accommodations and workplace practice. Stevens said the employer has an obligation to engage in an "interactive process" when an accommodation might be needed and described reasonable accommodations as a shared conversation between supervisor and employee. On workplace presentation skills, presenters recommended private coaching, mentoring or written reports as possible accommodations rather than immediate public correction.
The session included examples of uncivil conduct and microaggressions that can erode workplace inclusion. O'Neil described microaggressions as "death by a thousand cuts" and cited a 2019 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey presenters used in the session: 26% of adults reported they had experienced a microaggression at work, 36% said they had witnessed one, and 22% were unsure. Stevens and O'Neil urged supervisors to address repeated misconduct rather than ignore it, and promoted allyship—intervening or speaking up when a colleague is interrupted, dismissed or demeaned.
The training closed with a review of complaint channels. Stevens said "The House has a policy on the prevention of discrimination" that covers conduct of House members and staff and directed anyone with a concern about a House member to contact the House Discrimination Prevention Panel. For staff complaints, presenters said to contact the Legislative Office of Human Resources. They noted the Senate has no separate written DEI policy; instead, discrimination is treated as "conduct unbecoming a Senator" and complaints should go to the Senate Ethics Panel or the Secretary of the Senate.
No formal motions or policy changes were recorded during the session. Presenters encouraged continued conversation within legislative offices and offered to answer questions after the training concluded.
Sources: Presentation remarks by Charlotte Stevens and Sam O'Neil at the DEI training (session 4).
