Kansas City Star: Diversity Diva http://www.kansascity.com/770/index.xml News, sports and entertainment from Kansas City Star en-us Copyright 2008 Kansas City Star Diversity Diva 60 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:59:59 CDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's PubSys feedback@kansascity.com Will my hair be held against me in a job interview? http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/704672.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/704672.html Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:58 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: Because I’m a white guy, you may not find this a diversity issue, but it’s an issue to me. Two days after I put blond highlight tips in my hair, I got a call for a job interview. I’m in a fairly conservative industry and am wondering if that will be something held against me? — Highlights Holding Me Down Is every personnel issue a big deal? http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/685748.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/685748.html Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:19 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: No offense, Diva, but I think you dropped the ball on your last column. It sounded like you were saying that the manager should just blow off two employees getting into it about gay marriage. Shouldn’t someone have gotten in trouble? — Critical in Kansas City Gay-marriage remark causes discord http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/666373.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/666373.html Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:57 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: I manage a small retail store and the other day a disruptive conversation arose when one of my employees mentioned her plans to go to California to marry her lover and my other employee made a disparaging comment about gay marriage. How do I get two employees who have always gotten along back on track? How do I speak to a co-worker about racial issues? http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/645974.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/645974.html Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:35 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: I’m a white male who works in a predominantly white workplace. I’ve tried to talk to a black co-worker of mine about some of the racial events going on in the news, but she usually changes the subject. I really want to understand some things, but how can I learn if I can’t talk to people who have a different viewpoint than I do? — Seeking to Understand Speaking in another language isn't rude http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/616518.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/616518.html Tue, 13 May 2008 08:39 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: Where I work there are several groups of people who are originally from other countries, and when they are in the break room or standing off to the side they frequently talk to each other in their own language. Why are people that rude? — English As My Official Language How does a newcomer to a job deal with a veteran? http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/595647.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/595647.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:06 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: I’m new to my job and work in a department where there is a distinct divide between the people who are fairly new to the organization and the people who have worked there for years. How do I get along without stepping on any toes? — Newest Egg to the Dozen Is there a stigma associated with depression? http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/575284.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/575284.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:09 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: I have been diagnosed with clinical depression. Even though I’ve brought in documentation, my boss is being difficult about letting me take a leave of absence. What should I do? — Worn Out From Depression Think before you hit the ‘forward' button http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/544586.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/544586.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:09 CDT Dear Diversity Diva, I work for a large business and occasionally get e-mails that are of a patriotic and religious nature from friends within the company and outside the company that I like to forward to my friends at work. It’s never been a problem but lately I’ve wondered. Handling the transgender issue http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/525205.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/525205.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:10 CDT How might a progressive employer handle a transgender employee who, for example, goes from female to male, or male to female? How does one address those in transition? — Concerned About Change That Makes Sense When HR won't halt racism, seek outside help http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/504926.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/504926.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:11 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: I work for a medium-size organization where I am one of a handful of minority women. My team leader has openly made racist comments, which we reported to our human resources department. Upon investigation, our boss admitted that he made the comments, but HR came to us and pressured us into letting the situation go. What do we do now that we’ve complained and not only have our complaints been ignored but our boss still continues to offend? — Ignored by Management... To complain or not to complain http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/465528.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/465528.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:12 CDT Dear Diversity Diva: Recent events in the local news have made me wonder what is the best way of handling it when someone you work with calls you by a name or uses words around you that you find offensive. Should you always make a complaint? — Confused About Complaining Tackling the toughest of workplace issues http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/445163.html http://www.kansascity.com/770/story/445163.html Fri, 16 May 2008 09:12 CDT Diversity can be a dreaded word in the workplace. People just don’t like the concept. They don’t like having to think about it, having to talk about it, having to consider it. Most people just plain resent that it’s an issue at all.