Office for Access and Equity (OAE)

Overview: Learn what is involved in the search and hiring process for academic professionals and faculty. This module is intended for anyone responsible for conducting searches or anyone who may serve on a search committee.

What You Will Learn: the role of OAE in the process; the procedures needed to fill a position with the best possible candidate; the relevance of law and UIC policy; and the steps to follow and forms to be completed in the process for a successful hire.

Overview: This workshop provides practical ways for handling employee complaints and disputes; addresses how to minimize and respond to unlawful discrimination/harassment charges of all types; and explains the Office for Access and Equity’s process for responding to external administrative charges and internal complaints.

What You Will Learn: Federal and state laws and UIC policies relating to discrimination and harassment. Management’s role in avoiding and handling employment discrimination and harassment complaints. Best practices for documentation and avoiding retaliation claims. Informal means of preventing and/or resolving employee disputes. OAE’s process for responding to administrative charges and internal complaints.

Overview: This training explains the purpose and nuisances of the Americans with Disabilities Act (and state disability discrimination laws) as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act; explains how disability is defined under both law and UIC policy; and provides a step-by-step, detailed explanation of UIC’s accommodation policy and process.

What You Will Learn: Federal and state laws and UIC policies relating to workers with disabilities. How to effectively handle accommodation requests. How to identify and avoid unlawful discrimination against a person because of his/her disability.

Overview: This interactive workshop examines diversity in the workplace. Participants will learn to identify/prevent unlawful workplace discrimination while exploring how assumptions/stereotypes lead to premature/prejudice judgments.

What You Will Learn: UIC policies, as well as Federal and State laws related to discrimination/harassment. To identify the different types of assumptions that lead to a lack of respect and/or discrimination in the workplace. Self-monitoring techniques that enable participants to be more aware of assumptions in their own decision-making processes.

Overview: This presentation explores the services offered by DRS such as confidential consultations, facilitations, mediations and trainings. An overview of the mediation process will be given and the benefits of DRS as it positively affects the work environment will be shared.

Overview: This program consists of brainstorming exercises, conflict resolution style inventory and interpretation and teambuilding through brainstorming solutions. The goals of the training are to understand the costs of conflict; examine the norms of conflict resolution and barriers to resolving conflict in the unit; identifying the dominant conflict resolution styles of the participants and understanding the pros and cons of each conflict resolution style; generating solutions to the barriers perceived in the unit; and, understanding the element of a culture of engagement. Please note there is a charge assessed for this session. For additional information please contact our office.

What You Will Learn: An assessment of the participants will result in a comprehensive report and debriefing with relevant managerial staff, including recommendations for improvement.

Overview: This workshop will clarify many of the issues surrounding unlawful sexual harassment, including recognizing and handling harassment in the University environment.

What You Will Learn: UIC policies related to harassment and what constitutes unlawful harassment under state and federal laws. Avoiding complaints and charges of unlawful sexual harassment. OAE’s role regarding unlawful sexual harassment issues.