African-American surgeon calls for equality in US medical system
Voice of America
When Augustus White was growing up in the American south in the 1940s, racial segregation was an accepted part of life. African-Americans got second best — in education, employment, and health care. But White overcame those barriers, becoming an orthopedic surgeon, professor of medicine at Harvard and a leading figure in the struggle to reduce discrimination against minority medical patients. White first became aware of discrimination against minorities at the start of his medical career in the early 1960s and, later, while serving as a combat surgeon during the Vietnam War.More

AARP's best employers
Human Resource Executive Magazine
By 2016, one-third (33.5 percent) of the total U.S. workforce will be age 50 or older, up from 28 percent in 2008. As the proportion of younger workers continues to decline, attracting and retaining mature, experienced 50-plus employees is becoming increasingly crucial for organizations that seek to remain competitive in today's changing economy.More

More Americans turn to lower-cost alternative meds
Health Behavior News Service via Center for Advancing Health
Without counting prayer for health purposes, 33 percent of whites report using at least one complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, while 31.8 percent of Asian-Americans, 20.1 percent of African-Americans and 16.9 percent of Hispanics report using these therapies. The use of CAM rose across all these populations between 2002 and 2007, but at different rates. The increase was highest among whites and Asian-Americans, at 18.1 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively. Use among African-Americans increased only 6.6 percent. Use among Hispanics increased only 1.01 percent.More

Why are natural African-American hairstyles professionally controversial?
WTVR-TV
Krystal Gaines, a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, once had long, straight hair. Now, it's natural. She's been looking for a full-time job in finance, her field of study. She admits to straightening her hair just to go on a job interview. "Just coming out of college, no experience in your field," Gaines says. "I didn't want to do anything to compromise my chances."More

American Indian health advocates bridge gaps in care
Minnesota Public Radio
Statistics show wide health disparities between American Indians and the rest of the population. For instance, American Indians are six times more likely to die from tuberculosis and twice as likely to die from diabetes than other Americans. Doctors and others who work with American Indians say using specially designated advocates can improve care for Indian patients while they're in the hospital — and improve health outcomes once they return home. More

Flexibility vital in war for talent
Postmedia News via The Vancouver Sun
In a business as cyclical as the energy sector, flexibility and adaptability are seen as crucial to the long-term success of a company and it's no different when it comes to human resources strategy.More

CDC: Health disparities for Hispanics continue, tied to social inequalities
Hispanically Speaking News
Since 1946, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has monitored and responded to challenges in the nation's health, with particular focus on reducing gaps between the least and most vulnerable U.S. residents. Health disparities are different in health outcomes between groups that reflect social inequalities. Among the CDC findings for Hispanics we see that pregnancy for Hispanic girls is three times more likely than whites, occurring 77.4 percent per 1,000 Hispanic femalesMore

Advocates seek Obama order barring LGBT job bias
Washington Blade
An executive order to prohibit workplace discrimination against LGBT people is receiving renewed attention now that the makeup of Congress makes passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act highly unlikely for at least two years. LGBT rights supporters are pressing President Obama to issue a directive requiring the federal government to contract only with companies that have nondiscrimination policies based on sexual orientation and gender identity protecting their employees.More

Barriers to advancement
Human Resource Executive Magazine
A new study finds that the barriers to women —and other minorities — advancing to the top corporate levels are at the management level. Downward mobility also plays a role, according to the research, which drew disagreement from some diversity experts.More

How ERGs increase engagement
DiversityInc
How do you make your employee-resource groups effective across all cultural groups and issues? More than 150 chief diversity officers and senior executives from more than 75 companies attended DiversityInc's November event in Washington, D.C., discussing this and other questions on diversity management.More