The Higher Education Act of 1965 requires that all colleges that operate as a for-profit institution are to at least provide a training program for students that will ultimately prepare them for gainful employment in a recognized occupation. 

Gainful employment sounds like a promising idea. Certainly, the vast majority of individuals who are unemployed should agree to it being something of a positive interest. It would only make sense that millions of students around the world would hope to receive training that would lead to a better future, career-wise.

The Department of Education has proposed regulations that basically require career educational programs to step up and offer opportunities for students to acquire training that will lead them to gainful employment in a recognized occupation. Federal student aid is directly attached to this initiative. Therefore, there is a true connection between the student-loan repayment rate of graduates and their expected average earnings. One reason these regulations target programs at for-profit institutions is due to the fact that the fast-growing sector among higher education is known for enrolling a large portion of students who fall under the umbrella of low-income or minority status.

For students or individuals seeking jobs in Alabama, our state is tagged as an employment at-will state, with no laws strictly enforced regarding the hiring and firing of employees — other than discrimination based on the common terms of religion, sex, age and disability.

State laws not only affect the minimum wage earned, but also overtime pay provisions and human-resource regulations. Nearby, Georgia laws are similar, but promote a lower amount of pay for minimum wage and exclude from coverage any type of employment subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Basically, the federal rate cannot be greater than the state rate.

Employment law focuses on leadership. With this notion, leaders should not be providing judgment to a situation, but more importantly taking a real look at the totality of all circumstances involved. Effective leaders will always think productively before acting.

When it comes to the point that employees should be terminated, the human-resources department has the responsibility of guiding conversations and protecting the employee and the company. HR ensures that company policies and procedures are followed and all actions enforced are in alignment with legal guidelines. However, it is wise that departmental managers are proactively coached and encouraged to refrain from terminating an employee by giving a one day’s notice of statements regarding disappointments in the individual’s daily work performances.

A well-defined process for performance reviews and employee terminations should already be in place within any organization.

Dr. Sonya Rogers is a certified counselor who lives in Daphne.

Her column regularly appears in The Bulletin.