Chevron criticized for press release touting improved diversity post-layoffs
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive layoffs across the country. But some people are questioning whether or not these layoffs are being performed in an equitable and legal fashion.
For example, oil magnate Chevron just made headlines due to their press release which said that their mass layoffs will lead to more diversity, as white males lost positions, giving women and minorities the opportunity to claim those leadership roles.
The press release has been criticized and sparked a larger conversation about how employers should handle the layoff process.
“Layoffs and furloughs are really unavoidable right now,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “Especially for those in the travel, hospitality, and event management fields. But that doesn’t mean employers don’t have to be very, very careful when it comes to how they put these layoffs into action.”
Wilson says employers have to carefully consider which employees they are letting go and why.
“You need to consider the demographics,” he says. “If the department you are downsizing is nearly all older people, you could potentially be opening yourself to age discrimination complaints unless you can demonstrate exactly how the decision was made and that it was made fairly.”
Similarly, Wilson says employers need to pay attention to the race, gender, and sexual orientation of their staff. “As Chevron proved, even releasing white males isn’t without criticism. You have to prove that you’re letting go of employees solely because your business needs to do so in order to survive.”
For more on this topic, please contact Rob Wilson at rwilson@thewilsoncompanies.com.