HR Policy Assignment: Responding to a Real-Life Situation

1. To enhance student awareness and understanding of corporate purposes and applications of human resource policies as a method of influence.
2. To provide practical experience with policy development.

Complete two segments of the assignment that work together to introduce, explain, and offer an HR policy in response to a real-life situation.  Students complete the case using a combination.

i) Student-sourced news/contemporary business issue

ii) Course information – particularly M01, M03, 04, and 05

Students have the option of working on this assignment on their own or in pairs.  If two students decide to work as a pair:

1. Students must communicate this to the Professor by email, with each student separately emailing the Professor to indicate the name of their partner.
2. Both students receive the same mark, regardless of perception or complaint of unbalanced contributions to the assignment.

Provide a brief overview of the company or organization that you have chosen (it can be a real or fictitious company). 

Then answer the following questions with about 1-2 paragraphs of response for each question:

1. Outline what the general issue is that you are addressing and why you selected this issue
2. Describe the risk or problem(s) that you are trying to solve by introducing a policy
3. Explain why you think that a policy is an appropriate mechanism for solving this problem
4. Indicate the legal and/or regulatory parameters (i.e. relevant legislation) that the policy must work within or satisfy. (If none, indicate what was considered why it/they does not apply)

The length of Segment 1 should be a maximum of 2 pages.

Using course materials, internet research & samples, and independent thinking, draft a policy that a) fits to the chosen issue, and b) satisfies the problem noted in Segment 1.

Students are free to determine the format they would like to follow for the policy.  It is recommended that the policy include a purpose, scope, policy elements (what is or is not permitted), responsibilities, consequences of non-compliance, and who to contact with questions or for more information.

The length of the policy is expected to be a maximum of 3 pages.

If students borrow ideas from 3rd party policy materials, the original source should be listed as a footnote at the end of the policy, using APA citation format, with a statement similar to: “Inspiration for portions of the policy came from the following sources:”

With each question worth four marks, and each questions assessed using the following criteria:

1. Responses demonstrate quality writing and composition. (#/2)
2. Responses include or apply course-related information or material. (#/2)

1. Policy content demonstrates quality writing and composition. (#/3)
2. Policy content includes or applies course-related information or material. (#/3)
3. Policy score on the Audit Table. (#/2 for each item, summing to #/10)

1. Clearly communicates clarifications or definitions of terms that may be open to interpretation or misunderstanding.
2. Clearly communicates the ownership and duration of the policy.
3. Clearly communicates the intent of the policy.
4. Clearly communicates policy related key responsibilities of the primary actor(s).
5. Policy is not in conflict with legislation.