Ice Miller partner Jennifer Jackman will be participating in a Strafford live video webinar titled, "Implementing Metrics-Based DEI Programs Post-SFFA: Navigating an Evolving Regulatory Landscape, Meeting Company Goals."

This CLE webinar will provide a road map for employment law attorneys and in-house counsel on how to best create and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent Students for Fair Admissions decision and the political firestorm that ensued. The panel will discuss how to create a program that aligns with the company's values and goals while incorporating compliance metrics within the scope of EEOC guidance and emerging state and federal rules.

Description:

Corporate DEI programs have been in the political crosshairs following the U.S. Supreme Court's Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (2023) (SFFA). Even though the decision did not apply to private employers' DEI initiatives directly, these initiatives will continue to be challenged moving forward. Yet, despite the controversy, many employers interested in developing a more diverse and equitable workforce continue to rely on DEI programs to help them achieve that goal.

There is no "one size" fits all DEI policy. Rather, today's DEI programs incorporate key strategic principles that are based on data-driven emerging research. Businesses must first assess where they currently stand so they can set realistic intentions for future goals and outcomes.

Once goals are set, the employer can develop a customized agile DEI framework that strives toward balancing a business' core values, labor market trends, employee demographic data, evolving industry standards, and emerging legal compliance rules that not only meet today's marketplace demands but also keep pace with the future of the workplace.

DEI programs and policies must be carefully crafted to comply with evolving federal and state employment laws and be coupled with actionable and measurable goals with an eye toward accountability and transparency.

Listen as our expert panel discusses how to implement a legally compliant metrics-based DEI program, taking into account the ever-evolving regulatory landscape while meeting the company's goals and workforce needs.

Faculty:

• Jennifer Jackman, Partner, Ice Miller
• Dawn Siler-Nixon, Partner, FordHarrison
• Punam Singh Rogers, Partner; Co-Chair Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Practice Group, Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete