Labor board rules ex-Google employees firing over gender stereotypes was legal

Labor board rules ex-Google employees firing over gender stereotypes welches legalLabor board rules ex-Google employees firing over gender stereotypes was legalA federal government agency has concluded that Google did not break labor laws for firing James Damore, the Google engineer who wrote a controversial memo about his companys diversity initiatives, according to a National Labor Relations Board memo written in January that was made public on Friday.Damore, a Google senior software engineer, was fired from Google in August after circulating an internal memo that questionedwomens biological suitability for technology jobs. Titled Googles Ideological Echo Chamber, the 10-page manifesto alleged that women are underrepresented in technology because women are more anxious and have lower stress tolerances than men.NLRB Statements about womens biological capabilities are not protected speechBefore he was fired, Damore filed a complaint with NLRB, arguing that Google was misrepresenting and shaming me in order to silence my complaints. TheNational Labor Relations Actgives employees the right to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, including charged political speech.In an agency memo, Jayme Sophir, an attorney withNLRB, was not convinced by Damores argument and recommended dismissing his complaint, agreeing that Google was within its rights to fire him. Sophirs memo outlined that while Damores criticism of Google was protected speech, Damore had also made unprotected discriminatory statements regarding womens heightened neuroticism and mens prevalence at the top of the IQ distribution.Employers have a strong interest in promoting diversity and encouraging employees across diverse demographic groups to thrive in their workplaces, Sophirwrote. Employers must be permitted to nip in the bud the kinds of employee conduct that could lead to a hostile workplace. Damores words caused negative, disruptive consequences to Googles workplace. The NLRB memo said that at least two female engineering candidates for employment at Google said they were withdrawing from consideration explicitly because of Damores memo.The memo also gives us insight into what exactly Damore was told during his firing. Google has chosen not to comment specifically on Damores case, but in the NLRB memo, Sophir noted that Google emphasized Damore was being fired for what he said about women, not what believed about Googles hiring practices.I also want to be clear that this is not about you expressing yourself on political issues or having political views that are different than others at the company, Googles menschengerecht resources department told Damore over the phone when he was fired, according to the NLRB. Having a different political view is absolutely fine. Advancing gender stereotypes is not.Although the memos words are not legally binding since Damore dropped his NLRB complaint before it could potentia lly get dismissed, it shows how a court could rule if Damore continues to pursue legal action. And Damore is not letting his grievance go. In January, Damore announced that he was filing a class-action suit against Google on behalf of discriminated male, politically conservative employees at the tech giant.

Running Taught Me About Overcoming Work Challenges -The Muse

Running Taught Me About Overcoming Work Challenges -The MuseRunning Taught Me About Overcoming Work Challenges Outrageous. Thats how I wouldve characterized the suggestion of running a half-marathon several years ago. I wouldve laughed it off, made excuses for why it was impossible, and maybe even thought unkind thoughts about the person encuraging me to pursue such a challenging and time-consuming hobby.Fast-forward to the future and on February 26, 2017, I crossed the finish line of my first half-marathon. In plus-rechnen to figuring out I could tackle what once seemed out of reach, I learned (or in some cases re-learned) several other compelling lessons along the way that I found applicable in other areas of my life. In fact, I used those principles to overcome several challenges at work recentlyThese wont be entirely new to everyone reading this, but they are good reminders of important principles that can get lost when were feeling overwhelmed or scared.1. Good Relationships W ill Push You to New HeightsFor many years I was a solitary runner, but when I discovered that a new friend was also a runner, we began logging miles together. She was the first to suggest we sign up for a half-marathon. Id never run more than seven miles, but she knew I could do it, even if I doubted my own ability. Her encouragement and unwavering belief played a huge role in my success.We all struggle with internal doubts, and there are plenty of people who will readily reinforce your doubts lest you outshine them. Those arent your people. Surrounding yourself withstrong role models, mentors, and true friendswill help you blast through your own limits. How do you tease the two exotisch? Pick people who will challenge you and who are genuinely thrilled when you excel. When you identify your workplace champions, make the effort to build and maintain those important relationships while managing your less supportive colleagues in a way that doesnt sabotage your time or energy. 2. Qual ity Guidance Is Worth the InvestmentMy friend and I didnt just start running long distances. We selected and followed a tried-and-true training guide developed by experienced and deeply knowledgeable runners. We invested in quality shoes and researched tactics specific to distance races, resulting in weekly gains in our abilities.Similarly, in your career, if you dont make the right investments, youre going to struggle to get ahead. If you want to advance, you have to look at the ways you can invest in your career. Maybe that means taking a class or even going back to school. Maybe you need to focus on building an online presence. Regardless of where you are in your career, theres always something you can learn or improve, and there are plenty of qualified people and quality tools that can help. 3. Preparations ImportantI didnt decide to run the longest distance Ive ever run on race day. I started a year in advance by talking with several runners about the preparation process, looki ng into training options, and researching different races before I took the leap and signed up for one.Similarly, in your career, its foolhardy to apply for a new position or dive into a project with little to no preparation. You might not have the luxury of preparing for a year, or even a couple of months, but any preparation is better than none. If its a job youre after, take the time to garner support from your network and put together top-notch application materials. If youre tackling a new project, at a minimum, startwith a list of what you need to acquire and a list of what you need to do.4. Perfection Should Never Be the GoalOn the other hand, I also didnt wait until I knew I would win the race to participate. During the training process, my running partner and I both dealt with illness, injury, work and family obligations, and other unexpected disruptions that are simply part of life. We forged ahead anyway, determined to see ourcommitmentthrough. On race day, my friend ran despite an ongoing battle with a wicked cough. I had to stop twice in the last two miles to stretch. It wasnt a perfect race, but we crossed the finish line.If you attempt to wait until your circumstances are just so before presenting an initiative to your boss, youll only sabotage your success. Ive been in many planning meetings where someone was willing to share a half-formed idea that, through the collaborative process, developed into a great program or product. Had they kept their lips zipped until they had a fully-developed presenation, it wouldve been too late. If youre going to make a mistake, you certainly want to err on the side of being a creative, contributing team member who sometimes pitches a bad idea instead of the person who never speaks up.Sometimes a great idea can seem too far-fetched initially. An amazing job may seem out of your reach. A project may seem riddled with insurmountable challenges. Heres the truth You can do the scary things, just like thousands of p eople before you. It wont always be easy or go smoothly, but you can work your way through the most daunting obstacles.Whether in your career or in your personal life, if you want to function at your very best, connect with supportive people, invest in your own development, do what you do as well as you can, and reject the mythology of perfectionism. You just might surprise yourself and do something outrageous.

Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New York

Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New York Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New York Three ASME Code Courses to Be Presented Next Month in New YorkASME Learning Development will offer three Code-related training courses next month in New York City. The classes, which are developed and presented by respected industry experts, will take place from Aug. 20 to 24 at New Horizons at 462 Seventh Ave. in Manhattan.The first course, API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 Fitness-for-Service, is designed to help participants understand and apply the API/ASME fitness-for-service standard in the workplace. The werkstoff presented in the course, which will take place Aug. 20-22, will demonstrate how the disciplines of stress analysis, materials engineering, and nondestructive inspection interact and apply to fitness-for-service assessment. The assessment methods apply to pressure vessels, piping, and tanks that are in-service.BPV Code, Section VIII, Division 1 Design and Fabrication of Pressure Vessels, to be held Aug. 20-22, is a comprehensive, three-day introduction to the requirements of Section VIII, Division 1 including background, organization, design, materials, fabrication, inspection, testing and documentation of pressure vessels. The class will examine the more commonly applied subsections and paragraphs, and includes a practical discussion of individual problems and situations.A third training course, Inspection, Repairs, and Alterations of Pressure Equipment, will provide participants with a thorough introduction to the requirements of various codes and standards as they relate to inspection, repairs and alterations of pressure equipment, particularly pressure vessels. The course, which will be offered Aug. 23 and 24, will cover the requirements of the National Board Inspection Code and the API-510 in detail and include a brief introduction to API-579, Fitness-for-Service.Participants can register for the last two courses as the BPV Code , Section VIII, Division 1 Combo Course and save up to $665.For more information on the ASME Learning Development training courses in New York, or to register, visit http//go.asme.org/newyork3.