MGT 3715 - Managing Employee Relations
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 02, CRN 41028,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
Log in to view more
Instructor
Kimberly Pleva
Email: kmpleva@ysu.edu
Course Description
3715. Managing Employee Relations. Business success often hinges on an organization’s most valuable resource: its employees. In today’s dynamic business environment, effective leaders must prioritize positive employee relations practices to foster a workplace that minimizes conflict, enhances employee retention, and promotes satisfaction, all while upholding ethical standards. This course will explore how to develop and implement strategies that support healthy employee relationships, address challenging employment situations, and navigate issues such as labor organizations and current workplace trends. Prereq.: 2.5 GPA. Prereq. or Coreq.: MGT 3725. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Managing Human Resources | Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, Cardy, Carson | 978-0134900001 |
| Required | It Depends: Employee Relations Case Studies for Human Resource Professionals & Students | Angela Champ | 978-1773700700 |
- Each week a learning module will be released on Blackboard covering one large topic. The module will contain items to support the week’s learning such as readings, videos, and assignments. All recommended course readings and links are listed in the schedule at the end of this document.
- Each module should be reviewed thoroughly before starting any work. Start by reviewing the “Welcome” page. This covers all the details for that module including assignments.
- After reading the objectives, read all the readings for the week. This will contain key content to aid in completing any work (including discussion boards). THEN, start your work for the week.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
Log in to view more
Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/19 | • Textbook Chapter 3 (except 90-94) • Textbook Chapter 15 (15.2 only, p. 461-464) • Summary of Major Equal Opportunity Laws Summary of Employment Laws - KMPleva • "Everything you need to know about Labor and EmployeeRelations"https://www.hracuity.com/blog/what-is-labor-relations-everything-hr-should-know/ HR Acuity, 2025. • HR Basics: Equal Employment Opportunity https://youtu.be/3lRjzlnR1i0?si=6bsBsikZu6bT4p1U GreggU, 2019. • HR Basics: Employee Relations https://youtu.be/j2WsfhSIEHI?si=3iNVpjVCVAowrbtY GreggU, 2017. |
Employee & Labor Relations: Shaped by Employment Law | Discussion Board 1 Course Objectives Quiz; Quiz: Module 1 |
| 10/26 | Textbook Chapter 15 (except 15.2 from Module 1 and 484-486 from Module 3) Do’s and Don’ts in Union Organizing Campaigns. https://www.laborconsultants.org/dos-donts-union-campaign/ Reliant Labor Consultants, 2021. The Five Steps Unions Use to Organize Your Employees https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-basic-steps-unions-use-organize-your-employees-walter-orechwa/ Orechwa, Walter, 2017. How Does Collective Bargaining Work? https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/How%20Does%20Collective%20Bargaining%20Work%3F%20A%20Step-by-Step%20Guide.pdf. National Education Association, 2022. Glossary of Terms - Labor Relations . UW HR, 2025 |
Labor Relations: How, Why & Then What? | Discussion Board 2 Quiz 2 |
| 11/2 | Textbook Chapter 15 only p. 484-486 (contract administration) What is a "union contract?" What is a Union Contract? UFCW, September 2020. Subjects of Bargaining What are subjects of Bargaining? Austin Legal, February 2022. What is a Grievance: Everything You Need to Know https://www.upcounsel.com/what-is-a-grievance UpCounsel, December, 2024. Whether or Not to Arbitrate https://www.ueunion.org/stwd_arb.html UE, March 2025. The Seven Test of Just Cause https://www.ueunion.org/stwd_jstcause.html UE, March 2025. Check out some CBAs at YSU: https://ysu.edu/human-resources/bargaining-unit-agreements Youngstown State University, March 2025. |
Labor Relations: Key Contract Provisions | Discussion Board 3 Quiz 3 |
| 11/9 | Textbook Chapter 13 “Employee Relations Best Practices to Stay Union-Free” https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/employee-relations-best-practices-stay-union-free-walter-orechwa/ Orechwa, June 2021. Your Best Employees are Burning Out: A Framework for Retaining Talent https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/your-best-employees-are-burning-out-a-framework-for-retaining-talent Harvard Business School, August 2022. What is Employee Turnover & Why It Matters for Your Business https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/human-resources/employee-turnover.shtml Holliday, January, 2021. |
Employee Relations & Engagement | Discussion Board 4 Quiz 4 |
| 11/16 | Textbook Chapter 14 - Employee Rights only p 424-437 How Leaders Determine Workplace Ethics https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5608-workplace-ethics.html Anziano, November 2023. Ways to Prevent Unethical Behavior in the Workplace https://smallbusiness.chron.com/ways-prevent-unethical-behavior-workplace-21344.html Brookins, March 2025. Employee Privacy Laws: What Employers Should Know https://technologyadvice.com/blog/human-resources/data-monitoring-and-employee-privacy/ Sherrer, January 2024. Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices https://mitratech.com/resource-hub/blog/why-ethical-employees-sometimes-make-unethical-decisions/ Carucci, Harvard Business Review, December 2016. What is a Code of Conduct? https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/code-of-conduct-examples Indeed Editorial Team, March 2025 |
Ethics, Workplace Privacy & Fraud | Discussion Board 5 Quiz 5 |
| 11/23 | Textbook Chapter 14 – 437-450 How to Create Bulletproof Documentation https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/how-to-create-bulletproof-documentation Meinert, July 2016. 10 Sins of Employee Documentation https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/video/10-sins-of-employee-documentation/ Bruce, January 2017. 5 Steps for Tackling Difficult Conversations https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/5-steps-for-tackling-tough-conversations/#:~:text=Start%20from%20the%20%E2%80%9Cthird%20story.%E2%80%9D&text=Describe%20the%20problem%20as%20the,sort%20out%20the%20situation%20together. Center for Creative Leadership. February 2023. How to Handle Difficult Conversations at Work https://hbr.org/2015/01/how-to-handle-difficult-conversations-at-work Knight, January 2015. OR https://executive.berkeley.edu/thought-leadership/blog/how-have-difficult-conversations How to Have Difficult Conversations with Employees https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-have-difficult-conversations-with-employees Landry, 2022. |
Handling Employee Situations | Discussion Board 6 Quiz 6 |
| 11/30 | Textbook Chapter 16 (pages 507-516 "Managing Contemporary Safety, Health & Behavioral Issues"); Chapter 3 (pages 90-94 "Sexual Harassment") The Effects of Substance Abuse in the Workplace https://americanaddictioncenters.org/workforce-addiction Generes, March 2025. The Prevalence of Substance Abuse in the Workplace https://drugabuse.com/addiction/substance-abuse-workplace/ American Addiction Centers Editorial Staff, August, 2024. Why Sexual Harassment Programs Backfire https://store.hbr.org/product/why-sexual-harassment-programs-backfire/s20031?sku=S20031-PDF-ENG Dobbin & Kalev, May 2020 Workplace Bullying & Harassment https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/e18a9637-8b0c-4c6a-9daf-98a907bfee63/bullying-english.pdf.aspx National Safety Council, 2020. Workplace Drug Testing: Weighing the Pros and Cons https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/employment-law-compliance/workplace-drug-testing-weighing-pros-cons Nagele-Piazza, January 2020. |
Current Events - Key Topics Affecting HR | Discussion Board 7 Quiz 7 |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.