Enhance Supervisor Employment Practice Liability Training

Employment practice liability claims continue to plague emergency service organizations nationwide. Costly and high-profile lawsuits damage the reputation, morale, and financial well-being of emergency service organizations. Overall, your emergency service organization is held to a legal standard to make reasonable efforts to prevent and promptly respond to employment practice liability concerns.

During the recent Risk Control survey, it was noted your organization does have written policies in place to reduce the risk associated with employment practice liability claims.  In addition to written policies, the organization also provides initial and on-going training at the employee level.  However, the Risk Control survey revealed your organization does not provide supervisory level training in employment practices.

Supervisory training can decrease exposures to employment practice claims by providing tools to help prevent, detect and properly respond to workplace wrongdoing. Increased legal responsibilities fall on those with supervisory authority. Therefore, additional training is recommended for persons at all levels of supervision.  Supervisory level specific training should include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Hiring/Applying for Membership
• Background Check Procedures
• Performance Evaluations
• Promotion Processes
• Disciplinary Procedures
• Terminal/Dismissal
• Record Keeping/File Maintenance
• Reporting Allegations, Claims or Incidents of Workplace Risk and Wrongdoing

VFIS recommends your organization consult with a Human Resources consultant to plan, develop, and implement appropriate supervisor level employment practices training. The VFIS Communique Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Training provides guidance for selecting an appropriate trainer. 

Available Resources

• VFIS Employment Practice Update Newsletters
• Voting in Members and Discrimination in Volunteer Fire Companies
• Hiring - Applying for Membership
• Performance Evaluations
• Workplace Wrongdoing Reporting
• Progressive Discipline & Termination - Management Liability Exposures
• Harassment & Discrimination Prevention Training