Syndicate Susan Klopfer's Articles Straight onto Your Web Site! - easy one-time setup, takes only minutes - fresh, informative content on your site - updates automatically - build content-rich sites with our authors! - best of all, it's FREE!! Click here to get started! Feature Articles How Much Money Are You Subconsciously Program... Fast Track Your Journey to Home Business Succ... Recreate Your Life: Summer is the Perfect Tim... What Hollywood Can Teach You About Business S... How Online "Cloud" Services Save Yo... Converting Websites Through Effective Web Sit... 3 Simple Steps to Taking a Quantum Leap in Yo... The Etiquette Book for the Rest of Us... Click here for more >> Books by this Author 301+ Ways to Get Ahead: Business Success from Home If you want to kiss your boss good-bye, this book could be your ticket to a home-based business. Lots and lots of examples of possible home-based activities are included along with stories of real people from across the county who have their own businesses, from accountants to zen instructors.   How Branson Got Started How Branson Got Started is the captivating story of how a small Missouri town -- less that 5,000 people -- has become the world's live entertainment capital.   Internet Success with Fred This is a very good introduction to the Internet. If you're smart enough to get this book, you won't need another because you'll learn by doing.   The Emmett Till Book What happened to cause a young African American student's lynching in the Mississippi Delta? When Emmett "BoBo" Till threatened Mississippi's rigid Jim Crow laws this fourteen-year-old paid with his life. Till's murderers were set free yet his death spurred Rosa Parks to take her important stand in Montgomery. In this 50th anniversary, the case has finally been reopened with new and intriguing information.   Where Rebels Roost: Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited Discover unresolved Mississippi murders - untold stories of the civil rights era. Susan Klopfer's "Where Rebels Roost" reveals new information about unique, persevering and brave people -- many who were murdered and forgotten.   Where Rebels Roost; Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited New stories of Mississippi's civil rights journey. Focus on the Delta from pre-Civil War to present days.   Who Killed Emmett Till? Audio Book Professionally recorded, 6 CD set. Story of Chicago's Emmett Till, killed in the Mississippi Delta, 1955. Death sparked modern civil rights movement.   Who Killed Emmett Till? E-book edition I moved to the Mississippi Delta in 2003 as the Emmett Till cold case was opened by the U.S. Dept. of Justice. Living on the grounds of Parchman Penitentiary, a notorious compound with a fascinating history, gave me a unique opportunity to take a fresh look at this civil rights ground-breaking event and to meet some of the people who still had the story fresh in their hearts and minds.   Subscribe to Our Content Updates *  Your email address: *  Preferred Format: HTMLText     YourName: *  Enter the security code shown:

My husband and I were having a quick breakfast in an unfamiliar restaurant, waiting for the doors to open at a nearby museum. As I sipped my coffee, I began to realize why I wasn't comfortable. It wasn't just because we were having Sunday breakfast away from home.

Every person serving us, from the greeter to wait staff, was young and white. And when I peeked into the kitchen what I saw confirmed what I was guessing, the invisible people working behind the scenes, performing the lower paying jobs, were Latino, African American and of varying ages. Will this restaurant get my return business? Probably not.

Later, a friend and I were talking about diversity in employment and she told me a similar story. While out for a walk, she saw a sign in a local breakfast shop window that advertised "... Restaurant Needs Morning HOSTESS. Apply Now Inside."

While Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender and national origin, it seems that a number of companies still don't get it when it comes to discriminatory advertising or other issues like denying an employee the right to use the Family Medical Leave Act or allowing sexual harassment in the workplace.

Employees get it -- in a recent three-year period, related employment discrimination lawsuits increased by 77 percent.

Discrimination issues can be complex; gray areas abound. But the prohibition of basic employment actions based on federally protected classes is much easier to understand. Employers can't make a hiring or firing decision based on a person's race, color, religion, gender or national origin.

The restaurant that Joan spotted obviously wants anything but a big guy of mixed ethnicity to greet their customers. That's apparent from their advertisement and the restaurant manager will probably find the hostess he or she is looking for.

But wouldn't it be less offensive to all of the restaurant's customers and potential employees if the manager would post a proper notice that complies with civil rights laws? Perhaps something like "Seeking a Greeter or Host/Hostess"?

They may still hire the female hostess they appear to want. But then again, they could expand their search and find a guy who really appeals to their morning coffee crowd to be the new greeter. What is good about doing this right in the first place, is a business doesn't have the problem of being in violation of federal, state and regional laws.

Better yet, a business won't suffer from opportunity lost when it tries to appeal to today and tomorrow's ever-changing population.

Figures from the Pew Research Center and from the U.S. Census show that in the next forty years, nearly one in five Americans will be an immigrant.

The Latino population alone, already the nation's largest minority group will triple, becoming 29 percent of the U.S. population. Black citizens will become 15 percent of the population and Asian Americans will be about nine percent of all citizens.

The United States by mid-21st century will be not only more racially and ethnically diverse, but much older. One in five citizens will be 65 years of age or older.

By using non-discriminatory advertising and other equitable practices, a business opens itself to seeing all of the possibilities for marketing to more and more customers while using the talents and skills of a wide array of employees.

Some might say that concern over a sign in the window might represent a case of too much political correctness. But I really don't think so. It simply represents basic employment practice and compliance.

Now, I wish the restaurant where Fred and I were having coffee would take a second look at their hiring practices. As customers, we would have enjoyed seeing our money go to pay people from a variety of backgrounds, and not just young and white.

It's hard enough to find a job these days, and everyone deserves an equal opportunity.

The information here does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice. If you have a legal problem, consult an attorney in your area concerning your particular situation and facts.

Keywords: diversity, business, marketing, Title VII, employment discrimination, harassment, race discrimination, sexual harassment, family leave medical act

About the Author
Susan Klopfer, Mount Pleasant, IA, USA
sklopfer@gmail.com