UMUC-Europe Syllabus

(Students are recommended to take BMGT 380 before taking this course.) A conceptual and functional analysis of the legal framework and principles of industrial and employment relations, with special emphasis on discrimination in the workplace. Topics include wrongful discharge; discrimination based on race, sex, age, and disability; testing and performance appraisal; labor/management issues; and employee benefits. Salient global issues are also examined. Assignments may include conducting relevant research using computer databases and networks (such as LEXIS-NEXIS and the Web) as well as other methods for accessing information. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: BMGT 468, BMGT 498G, HRMN 408, or MGMT 498G.

Course Goals/Objectives:

The objectives of this course are to: (1) Acquaint students generally with relevant legal concepts, problems and issues associated with employment and human resource management. (2) Provide better understanding and awareness of the legal significance of decision-making in the employment context. (3) Develop critical thinking, analytic, and effective communication and written skills through assigned case briefings, presentations and class discussions when assigned; (4) Encourage and build cooperative team efforts via group assignments and solutions to problems; (5) Enable students to undertake appropriate research regarding topics of relevant interest and substance. (6) Develop applicable skills and knowledge in the relevant cross curricular initiatives including effective writing, information literacy, globalization, computerization, historical perspective, and civic responsibility.

Course Introduction:

Whereas the BMGT 362: Labor Relations course focuses on the role of labor unions in the determination of working conditions, the HRMN 408: Employment Law for Business course centers on governmental restrictions on business in the employment area. Special emphasis is placed on the understanding and applying the major non-discrimination laws because of their crucial importance for businesses today.

Grading Information and Criteria:

The final grade for the course will be based on the scores/grades earned from the exams, assignments (i.e. research paper, case briefings, etc), class participation and other assigned work. Quality and timeliness of completing all assignments will also be a factor in the determination of the final grade. This course consists of the following graded items: [Note: The specific percentages and nature of the assignments will be at the discretion of the instructor and will be established at the start of the semester] Participation: 10% *Written Assignments: 25% Midterm: 25% Final Examination: 40% Total: 100% *May include a research paper, individual/group projects, quizzes, case briefings, critiques, solutions to problems, outline of chapters) A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F below 60% By registering for this course, you have made a commitment to all the requirements for this course. The syllabus delineates the planned requirements for the semester. Other assignments, such as case briefings, problems, exercises, and so forth may be assigned either at the beginning of or during the course. Please note that the schedule is only a guide, and at times we may either fall behind or progress ahead, depending on the circumstances. NOTE: the instructor has the right to modify this syllabus with prior notice to the students.

Other Information:

STUDENT REPSONSIBILITIES 1. Participation: Participate regularly and positively in all course assignments and activities. You may wish to note that participation counts towards your final grade. 2. Preparation: Read and study the assigned text and other related materials ahead of time. Prepare critical questions on reading assignments for discussion. 3. Assignments: Submit assignments on time. Points will be deducted for late submissions unless otherwise indicated. You are responsible for keeping copies of all your work including graded exams and assignments and should be able to produce the same, if needed. The instructor will provide further direction and instructions regarding the submission of assignments 4. Student Conduct Students are expected to conduct themselves, at all times, with professional integrity and respect towards each other and the instructor. Students are subject to the UMUC Code of Student Conduct, which may involve disciplinary action for violations of UMUC policies. (See catalog) 5. Cooperation: Cooperate with your group members and work as a team if assigned group projects. Cooperate with the instructor to enhance the learning environment by providing constructive feedback on problems that may be of concern to you. 6. Research Conduct research in a timely and professional manner in accordance with prior defined expectations. 7. Examinations: a. Scheduled exams: Take all exams on the regularly scheduled date. b. Make ups: There will be no make up exams except in cases of unavoidable circumstances which must be verified. c. Incomplete: No incompletes (I) will be given except in case of a bona fide emergency and with completion of substantial amount of the performance and in conformity with university policy and guidelines. 8. Academic Integrity: All students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the University College's policy on Academic Integrity.

Project Descriptions:

The project may be a research report or a country analysis or a book critique or a review of current events or another similar project at the instructor's discretion. 1. Paper Requirements a. Due Date: See Course Schedule. b. Form: (insert font style/number and min/max length of paper) c. Citation Style: The paper should conform to (insert citation style) citation style standards as described in (insert style manual). It should be typed, double spaced, have page numbers, and (insert whether there should be in-paper citations, footnotes, or endnotes) with correct citations. The paper should also have a bibliography of sources used, which includes for each entry the author, title, publisher, year, and pages and which is in proper citation style. d. Parameters: Your topic must deal with a current aspect of the course that has been submitted to the professor for approval (See Course Schedule for Due Dates). Your research should include sound academic sources, such as articles from law journals obtained through the Index to Periodicals, Lexis/Nexis, the Internet, World Wide Web, and other methodologies for accessing information. Your submission should be on time (See Course Schedule) and conform to the following process: First, an initial list of sources. Second, an outline (using the format below). Third, a final list of sources. Fourth, a draft. Finally, the final version of your paper (using the format below): 1) Purpose/Thesis statement A well-defined thesis statement includes the purposes or assumptions or hypothesis of your research. It differentiates your paper from any current research. 2) Discussion Your Discussion should include your research results. 3) Evaluation Your Evaluation should present your critical analysis of your research findings. 4) Recommendations Your Recommendations should include a justification for both the choices you recommend as well as an explanation of why other choices are not recommended 5) Conclusion Your Conclusion should not contain any new research, discussion, evaluation, or recommendations. It should be a succinct wrap-up that is directly related to your statement of Purpose/Thesis in your Introduction. 6) Bibliography Bibliography references e. Evaluation Standards: Your paper will be evaluated basis on the above guidelines. In addition to content, logic, grammar, and style will also be graded. Late Papers: A paper that is turned in after the due date will be reduced one grade for each week that it is late. Thus, an "A" paper that is turned in the week after the due date will be reduced to "B". No papers will be accepted after (insert date). 2. Case Analysis and Briefs a. Due Date: See Course Schedule b. Definition/Purpose: A brief is a succinct condensation of essential case information in an organized manner. In briefing a case, organize the relevant information in accordance with the following format: Briefing of cases and Socratic analysis are standard methodologies utilized in the instructional approach for some courses. If assigned to brief a case or cases, you must follow the guidelines below for the elements and format of a brief. c. Format*: 1) (Insert of the number of briefs a student must do) 2) No more than 250 words (ca. 1 page). 3) Cite case at top center of page. Example of correct citation: Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228 (1989) The 490 refers to the volume which, in this case, is in the United States Reports and 228 refers to the page where the case begins, and 1989 refers to the year. * Logic, Grammar, and Style will also be graded. d. Parameters: Your discussion should include each of the following elements. 1) Facts: In a paragraph explain what happened as if you were telling a story. If there are lower court decisions include them. 2) Issue: This is the main issue the Court must decide. Normally it is presented as a question. It is a though you were the judge and you are telling someone what the question is that you must decide to resolve a certain problem; specify the issue which the highest court must resolve. The case citation will tell you which court or body is deciding the case. 3) Holding: This is the Court's decision. 4) Rationale: What is the Court's reason for doing what it did. You should be concerned with the decision of the highest court. 5) Rule of Law: This is what the case will stand for; a rule to be applied in future cases. 6) Case Analysis: ( Do this only if you are asked by the instructor) - Say why you agree or disagree with the Court's decision. The concurring or dissenting opinion, if there is one, will provide you with ideas. 3. Current Issue Reviews a. Due Date: See Course Schedule b. Purpose: To acquaint the student with current developments in the field of employment law and to encourage the student to critically evaluate these developments. c. Form: Number and Length Students will write (Insert the number of reviews a student must do) current issue reviews, each review being at least (insert page/word length of reviews), typed pages in length (ca. 1250 words). d. Citation Style: The reviews should conform to (insert citation style) citation style standards as described in (insert style manual), and have (insert whether there should be in-paper citations, footnotes, or endnotes) with correct citations. The reviews should also have a bibliography of sources used, which includes for each entry the author, title, publisher, year, and pages and which is in proper citation style. e. Parameters: Your topics should be on either discrimination or privacy. Research Sources must be approved by the instructor. Articles to be reviewed may be chosen from articles provided by the instructor or may be selected independently from current periodicals. If a student wishes to review an article selected independently, the instructor must be consulted in advance on the suitability of the article (it is particularly important that the article chosen provide a detailed analysis of a employment law problem or development). In addition, the instructor must be provided with a copy of the article chosen (when the review is submitted) in order to facilitate the grading of the review. Each review should conform to the following format: 1) Introduction (ca. 100 words): Be sure to introduce your topic: Why did you choose it? What is its relevance? 2) Description of major points in article (at least 250 words): Summarize in an organized manner the major points presented by the author in the article. Do not merely list the points but instead describe them in normal paragraph form. Your description should be sufficiently detailed to be understandable to a person who has not read the article. Be sure to clearly indicate in this section that you are summarizing the author's article and not presenting your own opinions. Also, since the assignment is intended to give you the opportunity to develop your writing skills, no quotations should be used; paraphrase the author's points. 3) Critical analysis of the article (at least 500 words): Employment law can be a very controversial area. Therefore, when one reads material in this area, it is important to critically analyze what the author is saying. Please provide two types of analysis: 4) Analyze the author's method of presentation: Is the author's presentation biased? Overly emotional? Inadequately supported by facts? Disorganized? Has the author failed to consider major aspects of the problem? Be sure to support your own criticisms. For example, if you claim that the author is biased against employers, give specific and important examples of the bias you have found in the article. 5) Then, give your own opinion on the main topic of the article or on a point closely related to it. For example, if your article is on privacy problems on the Internet, explain how you feel such problems should be treated. What general standards would you apply in making such decisions? The purpose here is to encourage you to develop your own opinion on these issues. Be sure to explain why you feel the way you do. Feel free also to refer to your own personal experiences if they have helped to form your own opinion. This segment of your paper will not be graded on the basis of your opinions but rather according to how well you have supported these opinions. 6) Conclusion (ca. 100 words): Do not simply stop the review at the end of your analysis. Instead, try to find a way to underscore the importance of the topic or the correctness of your opinion. 7) Evaluation Standard: Your paper will be evaluated basis on the above guidelines. In addition to content, logic, grammar, and style will also be graded. Late Papers: A review that is turned in after the due date will be reduced one grade for each week that it is late. Thus, an "A" review that is turned in the week after the due date will be reduced to "B". No reviews will be accepted after (insert date).

Academic Policies:

Cases of plagiarism are handled consistent with current UMUC guidelines. See the UMUC policies at the following URL: http://www.umuc.edu/policy/

Course Schedule:

* Subject to change with prior notice to students Meeting 1 Chapter 2: Who is an Employee and an Employer Assignments, etc. Discuss Syllabus and course mechanics Meeting 2 Chapter 1: Employment at Will, its exceptions and wrongful discharge Chapter 4 Establishing the Employment Relationship: Examines management concerns based on such issues as recruitment, selection and preferential treatment. Meeting 3 Title VII Discrimination Chapter 3 Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act: Theories, Proof and Defenses to Discrimination Claims Meeting 4 Chapter 5 Affirmative Action: History and Key Elements Chapter 6 Race Discrimination Assignments, etc. Paper topic due Meeting 5 Gender Discrimination Chapter 7 Gender Discrimination Chapter 8 Sexual Harassment Meeting 6 Chapter 9 Affinity Orientation Assignments, etc. Paper Checkpoint #1 due: List of resources Meeting 7 Discrimination other than race or gender forms Readings Chapter 10 Religious Discrimination Chapter 11 National Origin Meeting 8 Chapter 12 Age Discrimination Chapter 13 Disability Discrimination Assignments, etc. Paper Checkpoint #2 due: Outline Meeting 9 Assignments, etc. Midterm Exam (2 hours): Chapters 1 - 11 Meeting 10 Chapter 20 Immigration Reform and Control Act Meeting 11 Terms and conditions of employment Chapter 14 Testing Chapter 15 Performance Evaluations Meeting 12 Chapter 16 Privacy Chapter 17 Labor Law Assignments, etc. Paper Checkpoint #3: Draft of final version, and final list of resources Meeting 13 Chapter 18 Employee Safety and Benefits: OSHA Chapter 21 Workers' Compensation Meeting 14 Chapter 19 ERISA Meeting 15 Chapter 22 Fair Labor Standards Assignments, etc. Paper due: Final version Meeting 16 Assignments, etc. Final Exam (3 hours): Chapters 12 -22