Leadership buy-in is one of the most critical elements of any successful DE&I project or initiative. Leadership buy-in must be more than a one-time occurrence, and it must be highly visible and consistent. It is important for the HR director to dig further into why and how the first project check-in by the COO occurred a full six months after its launch. By establishing timelines with clear deadlines for goals and objectives, the COO can remain present with the project to guide and support both the division leaders and the focus group members. The future goals of the focus groups (C) are important to consider when planning the next action steps, but without digging into the root causes of the project's initial challenges, progress and positive change will be limited.

The most appropriate course of action would be to of fer Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)-protected leave so the employee can attend rehab. You might also verify with your insurance to see if, and how, it is covered. Although it is true that he/she could be held to the same standards as other employees, it is important to first provide the tools for the employee to get clean. Once he/she is recovered, you may hold him/her to that standard. Additionally, current drug users are not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but recovered addicts are.

This audit should address all human resource (HR) functions, not just employee relations.
The poor survey results could be prompted by other processes such as performance reviews, benefits enrollment, promotional opportunities, and so on. Although compliance is important, it is not the goal of this audit. Industry best practice will provide a useful benchmark to identify deficiencies in the HR function.

Systemic inequality (of ten times manifested as systemic racism and/or systemic classism) refers to the societal histories, policies, and disenfranchisement that can lead to disadvantages for certain dimensions of people. Lack of access to affordable higher education can force those who grew up in less economically stable communities to seek employment instead of a college education; this lack of formal schooling can be a barrier even in situations where the experience in the field may be more valuable than the diplomas their more privileged peers have earned. It is essential for companies to review and assess the job descriptions and promotion specifications to ensure that the job requirements are truly required and not just preferred. Unintentional discrimination in the job descriptions like this situation is likely to amount to disparate impact as opposed to disparate treatment (A). Ableist standards (C) may be at play in the event that an employee was not physically or mentally able to complete a college education: however, this explanation is less likely to affect many experienced individuals at once. Stereotyping (D) is a barrier to diversity but is not overtly present in this scenario.

Senior leaders who are focused in finance are usually most interested in how much things will cost and what the return on investment will be. Furthermore, usually their time is short and valuable, so a more succinct delivery of this information is better.