Webster
U N I V E R S I T Y
The School of Business
&
Technology
Course Syllabus
Course MNGT 3420, Labor-Management Relations
Term SUMMER I 2013 ( May 27 – Jul 26 ) Mondays 5:45 pm – 9:45 pm
Instructor Glenda Coleman
(803) 240-2650
*** Office hours by appointment only. ***
Students are encouraged to ask questions at anytime during this course.
Catalog
Description This course provides students with the historical development and legal
framework of labor-management relations, labor unions, and collective bargaining. Explores current trends in labor relations.
Prerequisites
Human Resource Management ( MNGT 3400 )
Course Level Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
1. Define, discuss, and differentiate important terminology, facts, concepts, principles, laws and legal theories relating to labor law.
2. Apply appropriate terminology, facts, concepts, principles, laws and legal theories when analyzing basic labor law problems.
3. Develop appropriate solutions to basic employment law problems using the terminology, facts, concepts, principles, laws and legal theories taught in this course.
4. Evaluate the quality of their proposed solutions against appropriate labor law criteria.
5. Discuss the role of employment law in helping to make decisions about human resources management problems.
Materials Textbook:
Holley, William. The Labor Relations Processes, 10th Edition (2012). New York: Cengage Learning, ISBN 10: 053-848-1986
Supplemental Resource:
Bennett-Alexander, Dawn. Employment Law for Business, 6th Edition (2009). New York. Irwin McGraw- Hill, ISBN: 0073377635
Grading
Your course grade will be based on your scores on your examinations, papers, assignments, and your contributions to class discussions. These different components will be weighted as follows:
Midterm Project & Presentations 20 %
Final Examination 25 %
Assignments & Papers 35 %
Class Participation 20 %
The UNDERGRADUATE catalog provides these guidelines and grading options: A, A- superior work in the opinion of the instructor
B+, B, B- good work in the opinion of the instructor C+, C, C- satisfactory work in the opinion of the instructor
D+, D passing, but less than satisfactory work in the opinion of the instructor I incomplete work in the opinion of the instructor
ZF An incomplete which was not completed within one year of the end of the
course
F unsatisfactory work in the opinion of the instructor; no credit is granted W withdrawn from the course
IP course in progress
NR not reported for the course
Z a temporary designation given by the registrar indicating that the final grade
has not been submitted by the instructor. When the final grade is filed in the Office of the Registrar, that grade will replace the Z.
Activities Classes will include lectures, group exercises, and discussions of videos and short cases. Some individual exercises may be completed during class. All group exercises will be completed during class, and obviously cannot be made up individually later—you will simply not get credit for those missed group exercises. For all classes other than the first class, you are expected to have read the assigned chapters before class each week. This will enable you to participate in any exercises and to ask questions about material you didn't understand.
There will be one midterm examination and a final examination. The examinations will consist primarily of multiple choice questions, short answers, and short essay questions or exercises. The examinations will cover all of the assigned readings, even if the material was not discussed in class. In addition, you may be tested on information introduced in lectures, videos, or cases, but which is not covered in the textbook.
Policy Statements University Policies
University policies are provided in the current course catalog and course schedules. They are also available on the university website. This class is governed by the university’s published policies. The following policies are of particular interest:
Academic Honesty
The university is committed to high standards of academic honesty. Students will be held responsible for violations of these standards. Please refer to the university’s academic honesty policies for a definition of academic dishonesty and potential disciplinary actions associated with it.
Drops and Withdrawals
Please be aware that, should you choose to drop or withdraw from this course, the date on which you notify the university of your decision will determine the amount of tuition refund you receive. Please refer to the university policies on drops and withdrawals (published elsewhere) to find out what the deadlines are for dropping a course with a full refund and for withdrawing from a course with a partial refund.
Special Services
If you have registered as a student with a documented disability and are entitled to classroom or testing accommodations, please inform the instructor at the beginning of the course of the
accommodations you will require in this class so that these can be provided.
Disturbances
Since every student is entitled to full participation in class without interruption, disruption of class by inconsiderate behavior is not acceptable. Students are expected to treat the instructor and other students with dignity and respect, especially in cases where a diversity of opinion arises. Students who engage in disruptive behavior are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the course.
Student Assignments Retained
From time to time, student assignments or projects will be retained by The Department for the purpose of academic assessment. In every case, should the assignment or project be shared outside the academic Department, the student's name and all identifying
information about that student will be redacted from the assignment or project.
Contact Hours for this Course
It is essential that all classes meet for the full instructional time as scheduled. A class cannot be shortened in length. If a class session is cancelled for any reason, it must be rescheduled.
Course Policies
This syllabus may be revised at the discretion of the instructor without the prior notification or consent of the student. The schedule below presents an approximate expectation of course progress. The instructor reserves the right to add, delete, or modify any weeks of this schedule. Any changes will be announced during class.
In line with the University’s policy on academic honesty, please be advised that instances of academic dishonesty will result in a zero for the assignment and will be reported to the Dean of the School of Business and Technology for further disciplinary action.
Students are required to write a well-prepared research term paper that is grammatically correct and properly referenced. Students are to use APA manual.
At a minimum, the research paper should consist of at least 8-12 pages, double-spaced, in a 12-point font format, and cite at least four sources. Our Alexander text, or other such textbooks are not considered proper references for this research paper. The finished product may contain relevant graphs or charts in addition to the text.
Presentation:
In addition to the written term paper, students will make a short
presentation during the 3rd class meeting. Presentations may be the same
topic as their term papers, or if the student wishes, of another topic that demonstrates their understanding of an employment law concept.
Class Participation and Assignments:
Students are required to attend class sessions on time and prepared to discuss reading assignments in a meaningful and constructive manner when called upon to contribute to the dialog.
Two (2) short Reaction Papers (3 - 4 pages in length), based on the assigned readings and peer-reviewed articles, are assigned to facilitate in-class discussions.
An electronic Management Business Journal addressing your personal analysis of current issues relating to the labor law and concepts we will study. The journal entries will be submitted to Blackboard and are due as detailed in the weekly course schedule.
These exercises are an important evaluation component based on the student’s class participation. Therefore, the student’s intellectual
engagement and contributions to the learning process is important. Please note, incorrect or misunderstood concepts will not be held against any student seeking to explore or clarify his or her understanding of employment/personnel law. Moreover, the student’s willingness to participate in the free exchange of ideas is a valuable learning tool and is encouraged, and will impact their grade in a positive manner.
The Midterm Examination will include topics presented in class, written publications, and handouts to evaluate the student’s understanding of the material. The final exam is comprehensive and will contain material from the beginning of the semester. Class discussion and participation are at least as important as the other evaluation components; therefore, preparation and engagement are vital.
Week Topics Chapters in Text Week 1 Introductions
Blackboard: Post Student Bio
Reaction Paper: State of Labor Unions
Today (APA style)
Journal Topic: Same-Sex Benefits
1-2
ERISA Article
Week 2
Introduction to EEO Laws: Title VII of Civil Rights Act
Disparate Impact and Disparate Treatment 3-4 First Reaction Paper (APA style) Week 3
Affirmative Action and Reverse Discrimination
EEO Laws: Race Discrimination EEO Laws: Gender Discrimination
5-6 Business Journal Week 4 MIDTERM REQUIREMENT
EEO Laws: Sexual Harassment EEO Laws: Affinity Orientation
Presentation
7-8
Week 5
Religious Discrimination
National Origin Discrimination Age
9-10 Second Reaction Paper (APA style) Week 6 Disability Discrimination 11-12 Business Journal Week 7 Labor Law
Occupational Safety Laws
14-15 Business Journal Week 8
Fair Labor Standards Act 16-17
Week 9
FINAL EXAM CASE 1-17
Additional Information
Students are encouraged to contact me via email to arrange appointments and to advise of any substantive course-related information.
