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Discipline / Investigations

Employee does not have to specify race to invoke protection

10/28/2008

Bernard Pettis, who is black, worked for R.R. Donnelley as a materials handler, loading skids for press operator Tim Cain. Whenever Cain, who is white, helped Pettis seal the skids, he would smash Pettis’ hands under the top board, then laugh and tell co-workers, “I got his hands,” or “Ooh, look at him.”

Rutgers poli-sci department is old school, women claim

10/27/2008

Five female faculty members at Rutgers University in New Brunswick have filed a complaint with the state Attorney General’s Office, alleging bias in pay and decision-making in the Political Science Department.

There’s getting hurt … then there’s the fear of getting hurt

10/27/2008

Here’s a tale of workplace terror so harrowing that one of the characters even used a pseudonym when he filed for workers’ comp … for injuries he had yet to receive.

N.J. Supreme Court sets rules for proving religious discrimination

10/27/2008

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled for the first time on the proof employees must offer to make a religion-based hostile work environment claim stick. The case, Cutler v. Dorn, established that New Jersey courts must decide workplace religious discrimination claims using the same legal standards they use in racial and gender discrimination claims.

Discipline only after documenting work slippage

10/24/2008

Sometimes, it takes a new manager or supervisor to see how poorly an employee is performing. If an employee who has been getting good reviews suddenly appears to slump under new leadership, don’t jump the gun and discipline the employee right away. Here’s a better approach …

Former sheriff won’t be handing out paychecks anytime soon

10/24/2008

Ronald Hewitt, former Brunswick County sheriff, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison, ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and attend mandatory substance-abuse counseling after pleading guilty to obstructing justice in a case that was a hit parade of workplace impropriety.

Track discipline by protected characteristics

10/24/2008

Poor performers who think they have been discriminated against when fired, demoted or otherwise disciplined can still win a lawsuit—if they can show that others outside their protected class were just as lousy but didn’t receive the same discipline. Be ready to defend yourself with solid, carefully documented proof…

Ethics battle rages as Election Day approaches

10/24/2008

State Auditor Les Merritt has released a preliminary report concluding that the State Ethics Commission is “hiding facts from the public” regarding its termination of commission office assistant Amanda Thaxton and a related investigation into whether it gave Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue preferential treatment …

With security like this, who needs thieves?

10/22/2008

A crack trio of loss-prevention officers hired by Nordstrom in King of Prussia has been arrested for allegedly operating a theft ring. Rozita Davani, former loss-prevention manager, along with Marguerite Willis and Athina Theodoridis, former loss-prevention agents, allegedly began stealing from the store’s mailroom in May …

Perhaps councilman will next be kissing seat goodbye

10/22/2008

Terri Vaughn, finance director for the Yeadon Borough Council, has filed a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the EEOC, alleging that council member Terry McGirth kissed her inappropriately on numerous occasions …