What’s next?: Critical steps all nonprofits need to consider for achieving racial equity goals in the workplace |
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Local experts say transformative change demands a comprehensive strategy |
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by Shari Finnell, editor, Not for Profit News
With the events of 2020 heightening awareness around the need for racial equity and social justice reform, nonprofit organizations have been at the forefront of efforts to institute transformative change.
Yet, no matter how much progress was made in 2020, achieving racial equity in the workplace will continue to be one of the most important issues organizations must tackle for at least the next decade, predicted Ben Hecht, the CEO of Living Cities, a collaborative of foundations and financial institutions, in a Harvard Business Review article.
The work toward racial equity must be comprehensive and deliberate, according to two local experts who are immersed in racial equity initiatives.
“It’s important for organizations to do an assessment of all their systems, including policies and procedures, how you recruit and hire, how you promote, and what ongoing training looks like,” said Tim Nation, executive director of the Peace Learning Center, which works with schools and organizations on educational initiatives around equity, social and emotional learning and restorative practices. “Not-for-profit organizations also need to assess how connected we are to the community. Do we act as saviors who know all the answers? Or are we really connected to the community in a way that we’re able to truly understand what their needs are?”
Nation also said it’s important to determine if the composition of the organization’s board and staff is representative of the communities they serve.
The Peace Learning Center, which has been at the forefront of racial equity initiatives since its inception in 1997, continues to assess itself against those measures. “We have, at the Peace Learning Center, established a racial equity committee that is assessing where we are with all of those different components — determining our strengths and weaknesses, and identifying areas that we can improve.”
Michael Twyman, principal/owner of InExcelsis, an Indianapolis-based consulting firm, said the work to achieve racial equity within the workplace can seem daunting but nonprofits and other organizations must commit to it as they would with any other major initiative.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s necessary work,” said Twyman, who also is an associate faculty member of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “If we’re willing to do the work for other initiatives because we believe they’re important, we must put forward the resources to make racial equity happen.”
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Can Employers Require Employees to Receive the COVID-19 vaccine? |
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EEOC Provides Updated Employer COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance |
by Jeremy York
Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provided some much-anticipated guidance on an employer’s ability to require COVID-19 vaccinations and an employee’s ability to refuse such vaccination. Please note that the information provided below is not intended to be legal advice, but rather a summary of guidance provided by the EEOC.
While at this point it is unlikely the government will require vaccinations, employers may encourage and possibly require COVID-19 vaccinations if policies and practices comply with provisions of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), and other workplace-related laws.
Employers who are considering requiring its employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine will need to develop a written policy on the matter. The policy should outline how the employer will comply with the ADA, Title VII, etc. It will also need to consider that employees may have some objections to being vaccinated and include guidelines on how employees should notify the employer of these objections and how those objections will be handled.
Can employers require employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes, employers are permitted to implement mandatory vaccination policies under federal law. However, under the ADA, these particular policies must tread a fine line: an employer can have a workplace policy that includes “a requirement that an individual shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of individuals in the workplace.” If a vaccination requirement screens out a worker with a disability, however, the employer must show that unvaccinated employees would pose a “direct threat” due to a “significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.” If an employee who cannot be vaccinated poses a direct threat to the workplace, the employer must consider whether a reasonable accommodation can be made, such as allowing the employee to work remotely or take a leave of absence.
How can employers respond to employees who state they cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to a sincerely held religious practice or belief?
Title VII requires an employer to accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance, unless it would cause an undue hardship on the business—an undue hardship being defined as an accommodation that has more than a “de minimis,” or very small cost or burden on the employer.
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The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites has hired Megan Wagoner as development coordinator. Wagoner previously worked as a VISTA employer engagement coordinator at Ascend Indiana. |
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Sycamore Services Inc. has hired Skip Cramer as its director of human resources and quality assurance. Cramer previously worked in the pharmaceutical and housing industries. |
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Sycamore Services Inc. has hired Erin Tanner as its chief financial officer. Tanner previously worked at Wabash Center in Lafayette, where she served as CFO. |
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Sycamore Services Inc. has promoted LaDonna Everroad as its chief operating officer. Everroad previously served as director of human resources and quality assurance for the organization. |
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Helping Veterans and Families (HVAF) has hired Patrick Daskol as its senior staff accountant. Daskol previously served as a senior accounting consultant for Robert Half Services. |
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Helping Veterans and Families (HVAF) has named Sunny Reed as vice president for finance. Reed most recently served as controller at Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in Carmel, Ind. |
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As part of a measure to increase food access, the Indianapolis City-County Council recently approved Proposal 337. The measure establishes a new Division of Community Nutrition and Food Policy, the Indianapolis Community Food Access Coalition, to coordinate city programs related to food insecurity, food access and food equity. It also creates a 13-member Indianapolis Food Access Advisory Commission, which will act as the coalition’s governing board. Read more
Johnson County Community Foundation has granted $2,500 to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry for its ‘Meat’ing the Need Initiative. The organization is focused on ensuring that hunger relief agencies continue to have access to nutritious meat to serve food-insecure residents within Johnson County. Read more
Indianapolis Public Libraries (IndyPL) has implemented a fine-free policy, joining library systems around the United States that have eliminated “per day” late fines that accrue when materials are overdue. IndyPL also is forgiving the historic debt of more than 87,000 patron accounts to eliminate "barriers to library use that disproportionately affect low-income households. Read more
Boardable, a provider of board management software tools, has raised $8 million in a new round of funding. This latest round of funding will allow the company to expand its team, pursue new markets and build new product capabilities for its software, according to Boardable. Read more
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How to stay compliant while building trust and increasing giving webinar on Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. The session will highlight best practices and insightful strategies to help participants use compliance to drive digital fundraising success. Presented by Nonprofit Tech for Good. Cost: Free. Register
Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma during a pandemic webinar on Jan. 27 at noon.
The webinar will outline the stages of compassion fatigue, how the brain responds to it and how to build provider resilience through self-care. Cost: Free. Presented by Aspen. Register
Understanding the roots of racism: Social capital & civic engagement webinar on Jan. 27 from 5-6:15 p.m. A panel of Central Indiana’s young leaders will discuss how social networks and civic involvement build community and shape economic mobility. Presented by United Way of Central Indiana. Cost: Free. Register
Nonprofit capacity building & assessing the health of your grantees webinar on Jan. 28 from 1-2:30 p.m. Deputy Attorney General Tamara Weaver will assess the health of grantees, and Bryan Orander of Charitable Advisors will discuss capacity building and support approaches, capacity building initiatives and assess the readiness. Cost: $50 for Indiana Philanthropy Alliance/ $100 non-members. Register
How can your nonprofit tap into this form of giving? webinar on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. Learn how to include DAF gifts in your outreach and attract these donations and tips for connecting with wealth advisers and fund sponsors. Cost: $69. Presented by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Register
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law juris doctor virtual information session on Jan. 27 at Noon for those interested in applying to start law school in the fall of 2021. The one-hour session outlines the steps in the application process; the timeline for completing the application. Register IU McKinney Law is also offering Master of Jurisprudence virtual information sessions on Jan. 26 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Register
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Brookdale Hospice of Indianapolis is looking for compassionate and creative people to join its team of volunteers to safely visit and engage with patients through windows during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more
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A new COVID-19 relief package, the Economic Aid Act, was signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, authorizing over $284 billion in PPP loans for new borrowers who have not previously obtained a PPP loan and for “Second Draw Loans” to existing borrowers who previously received a PPP loan.
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Leadership is not a title. Leadership is not a position. But rather, leadership is a mindset. Michelle Buck, a clinical professor of leadership at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, provides four principles that make leadership "a way of being."
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Our sponsor marketplace serves to further connect our readers with our advertisers who are focused on serving nonprofits. To learn about each sponsor's nonprofit services, click on its logo.
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Office/art space available in Fountain Square
Office rental space available on Indianapolis’ Southeast side. Up to 1,970 sq ft. office space, five rooms for office/studio space, kitchenette, paid utilities, installed security system, parking and more. Contact Bradley Keen at (317) 634-5079, ext. 101.
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Nexus is a community dedicated to social impact!
With 2,000 square feet of coworking space, budget-friendly private offices, and comfortable meeting and event spaces, the Nexus Impact Center is an ideal location to pursue your mission. Located just off Interstate 465 and Michigan Road, Nexus allows your team members and visitors to quickly reach your space and meet in spacious rooms that allow for safe social distancing. More
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