Andrew Gordon Discusses Florida's Stop WOKE Act in SHRM Article
In a recent article published by The Society for Human Resource Management, Hinshaw partner Andrew Gordon discussed the impact of Florida's Stop WOKE Act on Florida employers and DE&I training programs. The controversial bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, would prevent companies from conducting workplace training that implies any individual's "moral character or status as either privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by his or her race, color, sex or national origin."
Gordon advised that employers should consult with their attorneys before offering any diversity and inclusion training as such programming could potentially subject a company to legal action under the Stop WOKE Act. "The Stop WOKE Act could result in the removal of much of the context that DE&I training programs rely on to get important points across," he said. "Without this context, DE&I programs could arguably lose some of their meaningful impact and make them less of a culture-changing tool."
Gordon also noted that, under the act, companywide DE&I programs used in multiple states may no longer be legal in Florida. "Because of this, multi-state employers with employees in Florida need to know that a one-size-fits-all approach to employee trainings may no longer work, at least here in Florida," he said.
"Florida Legislature Passes Controversial 'Stop WOKE Act'" was published by The Society for Human Resource Management on March, 31, 2022.