In HR Dive’s Mailbag series, we answer HR professionals’ questions about all things work. Have a question? Send it to [email protected].

Q: Our company runs D&I initiatives across states with different political climates. How should we approach it?

A: “That’s something that we’ve seen a lot of employers asking in our practice,” Emily Chase-Sosnoff, attorney at FordHarrison, told HR Dive. Based in Tampa, she has closely watched developments with the Stop WOKE Act and helped advise employers on D&I in the state and beyond.

Some have questioned whether they should scrap D&I training entirely, but in addition to being counter to what some employees are demanding, Chase-Sosnoff said that approach poses its own risks. “Making sure that all employees feel valued for who they truly are … that can decrease turnover and increase productivity — and it also can reduce the risk of lawsuits,” she said.

So far, Florida’s Stop WOKE Act appears to be the only D&I workplace training legislation any state has passed into law — for now. In the diversity realm, many more states have focused on the education system and teachings regarding systemic racism. Additionally, workplaces have been contending with discrimination lawsuits related to diverse hiring initiatives and goals.

It’s also worth noting that Stop WOKE currently is not enforceable due to a preliminary injunction. In August, a federal district court judge found the language of the bill “impermissibly...

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