This guide outlines how employers can create an onboarding process that gives employees all the information they need to be productive. The guide draws from HR experts and provides additional resources on creating on onboarding program and an optimal first day for new employees. It also details how human resource teams and upper management can evaluate the onboarding process and shift to employee retention and satisfaction. This guide is intended for employers, human resource leaders, and managers across industries looking to hire new employees for the first time or who are revamping existing onboarding processes.
The passage of the 13th Amendment following the American Civil War abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, but it included a crucial exception: “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” This exception allowed southern governments to institute an early version of prison labor called convict leasing. Black Americans arrested for minor offenses, once imprisoned, were effectively purchased from state and local governments by individuals and companies looking to continue using cheap labor. This allowed individuals and companies to keep slavery in action. Though the practice of convict leasing ended in the mid-20th century, its infamous traits can still be seen in today’s incarceration system.
Today, the majority of incarcerated workers in the US, who are disproportionately Black and people of color, are often required to work or face retaliation such as solitary confinement, denial of opportunities to reduce their sentence, and loss of family visitation. They work jobs that might pay pennies on the hour, if they are paid at all, and are often not protected by labor laws. Many work in dangerous conditions. At the same time, some find deep purpose in their work behind bars, an opportunity to build skills, and support in making a successful transition to life after incarceration. In this recorded event, the first in a two part series, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program explores the history and conditions of work for incarcerated people and ideas for creating more humane and dignified work for those behind bars.
Our second conversation, Re-Entry and Good Jobs: Building the Second Chances We All Believe In, explores the opportunities and challenges of work for returning citizens after they have been released from incarceration.
The “Guide to Combatting Harassment in the Construction Industry” by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) provides an overview of what constitutes harassment in the workplace, including the definition of sex- and gender-based harassment. The guide is most relevant for employers and workers in the construction sector. It defines harassment (unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic) and sexual harassment, as well as offering promising practices to prevent and remedy harassment, such as providing and posting EEO policy statements, developing formal complaint procedures, and promoting apprenticeship programs accessible to all individuals. While the guide was created for the construction industry, and contains best practices and strategies for employers in this industry, the content may be helpful to those in other industries as well.
This is part of a collection of resources created by the Department of Labor and other federal agencies, relating to job quality and implementing good jobs priorities through federal investments and beyond. Many of these resources are no longer publicly available on government websites, though they were all at one point public and shared with the intent of preserving these resources for public use.
Please note that we cannot guarantee that information contained in these resources related to specific programs, policies, and processes remains accurate, though many best practices and examples remain useful. In addition, many of these resources link out to government websites that do not exist anymore. You may be able to find these linked resources in the archive itself by searching the Overview document. For more resources, please visit the Data Rescue Project website, at https://www.datarescueproject.org/
Today’s politicized environment poses unique challenges for worker rights advocates. With Congress often divided, and many state and local governments as well, the path to improving worker rights through legislation is narrow. Nonetheless, we have seen some remarkable progress on worker rights over the last few years through executive action. Leveraging executive action, however, is not a straightforward and easily discernible path for grassroots activists and organizations interested in advancing worker rights and job quality.
In the “Toolkit: An Organizer’s Guide to Executive Action,” Mary Beth Maxwell, executive director of Workshop, demystifies and democratizes the policy-making process by sharing lessons learned during her time in federal government. Toolkit offers a blueprint for advocates inside and outside on how they can collaborate to build an economy that works for all and, in the process, rebuild a healthy democracy.
This webinar, co-hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and Workshop, featured a panel of experienced public servants and organizers. Speakers will dive into the lessons and stories from Toolkit and provide guidance to advocates and organizers striving to advance worker rights.
This tool from the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Commerce helps employers adopt and implement skills-first hiring, a strategy that prioritizes a worker’s actual skills and knowledge over traditional credentials like a college degree. Skills-first hiring promotes job quality by expanding access to high-quality jobs for skilled workers often overlooked due to non-traditional backgrounds. Employers benefit from this model by tapping into a broader, more diverse talent pool, which can lead to reduced time-to-hire, lower costs, and higher employee retention.
The kit provides a practical, step-by-step roadmap for implementation, advising employers to clearly identify their hiring goal, select a simple job role, break a job into “core” versus “great-to-have” skills, develop a scoring rubric, and use multiple, accessible evaluation methods beyond the resume, such as structured interviews and hands-on assessments. Finally, the guide emphasizes the importance of transparent recruiting and inclusive onboarding that addresses skill gaps, provides mentorship, and ensures the new hire is paid fairly based on their actual skills, not previous salary history.
This is part of a collection of resources created by the Department of Labor and other federal agencies, relating to job quality and implementing good jobs priorities through federal investments and beyond. Many of these resources are no longer publicly available on government websites, though they were all at one point public and shared with the intent of preserving these resources for public use.
Please note that we cannot guarantee that information contained in these resources related to specific programs, policies, and processes remains accurate, though many best practices and examples remain useful. In addition, many of these resources link out to government websites that do not exist anymore. You may be able to find these linked resources in the archive itself by searching the Overview document. For more resources, please visit the Data Rescue Project website, at https://www.datarescueproject.org/
This brief set of 13 tips for managers and supervisors offers a framework by which to address scheduling flexibility. Each tip provides useful considerations to keep in mind when discussing flexible remote work options with employees. HR professionals, managers, and supervisors interested in creating work environments that support flexible working schedules may find this resource helpful. Additionally, workforce development and worker advocacy professionals may find it helpful to send this set of tips to employers with whom they work.
This guide contains frameworks and case studies designed to help employers support mental health in the workplace. Included are checklists to assess workplace practices, develop a workplace ecosystem that supports mental health, and implement new initiatives focused on mental health. There is also a case study focused on implementing mental health days for employees. Although written for employers, those who partner with employers may also find it beneficial to use or share this tool. Visitors can download the guide by scrolling down and filling out a brief sign-up form.
This website includes resources to support pregnant and breastfeeding workers. Resources are designed to educate employees about their workplace rights, for employers to adopt family-friendly policies and ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and for policymakers and advocates to support pregnant and breastfeeding employees. Tools include a model policy that reflects current legal requirements, a webinar for employee training, and a chart of workplace accommodations for common pregnancy-related conditions. In addition to workers, employers, and policymakers, workforce development professionals who support workers may also find this resource guide useful.
This training curriculum supports direct care supervisors to strengthen communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Curriculum content includes improving active listening, learning how to ask questions, and giving and receiving feedback. While designed for direct care organizations, this curriculum has applications for practitioners across fields seeking to encourage supportive supervisory practices that are critical to job quality.
The Management Center created this library of tools related to equity and inclusion aimed at addressing internal practices and management approaches of organizations. Included are worksheets, resources, and case studies that have applications for organizations seeking further equitable opportunities and outcomes.