by Race in the Workplace special correspondent Erica Mauter

House Approves Broad Protections for Gay Workers - New York Times
“The House on Wednesday approved a bill granting broad protections against discrimination in the workplace for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals, a measure that supporters praised as the most important civil rights legislation since the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 but that opponents said would result in unnecessary lawsuits.” Notably lacking is any protections for transgendered workers.

Does political correctness foster hypocrisy? - Leadership Turn
“What if [Mel] Gibson, [Isaiah] Washington and [Don] Imus had stayed politically correct—mouths shut and attitudes private—would that have been better?” I’m personally guilty of expressing dismay that people don’t know enough to not say certain things out loud, even if they really think that way.

Have you planned for a personnel disaster? - Ask a Manager
“In my office, we call it the ‘hit by a bus’ plan. The idea is to document enough key information that if someone gets hit by a bus tomorrow, their department would be able to continue functioning. (We’re a sensitive bunch.) This means that information related to the job is all written down in a formal manual, not just recorded in someone’s head.”

Late for Work: When Does It Really Matter? - Workers Comp Insider
Jon Coppelman sums up a case in which a disabled worker who was by all accounts an excellent employee was fired when a new company president instituted a zero-tolerance policy on tardiness. The worker was routinely delayed in punching in on time, usually only by a few minutes or less, due to having to maneuver his wheelchair through the workplace.

My Union: A facebook application for union members
My Union is a facebook application, developed by the Trades Union Congress… It lets you add a little badge to your facebook profile to show everyone which trade union you’re a member of. You can also see which unions your friends are members of. (via Work-related Blogs and News)

Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership - Portfolio.com
“Women’s leadership style—characterized by innovating, building trust and empowering followers—is ideally suited to today’s business challenges. Tackle the obstacles to women’s progress, and you’ll increase your firm’s competitive prowess.”

Baloney Meter: Antidiscrimination Bond Will NOT Prevent You From Being Sued - DiversityInc.com
“Employers would offer the ‘bond’ to prospective employees, who would pay an annual premium and earn interest the company would match on their investments. If the employees never sue the employer, they get the principal, interest and employer contributions back about six months after leaving the company to coincide with the period within which they could file suit. If they do sue, they forgo their investment. The bond is priced such that theoretically, job applicants with litigation in the back of their minds would opt not to purchase it, and the employer wouldn’t hire them.”

Recommended Reading is a weekly feature where we link to some of our favorite workplace-related blog posts and articles. If you would like to suggest a link to Erica, please email tips@raceintheworkplace.com