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Discrimination / Harassment

Trump administration initiatives to affect HR

10/11/2017
Three Trump administration policy reversals issued over the course of two days in early October could quickly begin affecting the HR practices of employers nationwide.

EEOC challenges docs’ pay practices in Denton County, Texas

10/06/2017
The EEOC has sued Denton County, Texas, alleging its health department violated the Equal Pay Act when it paid a female doctor less than a male colleague who performed substantially the same work.

Note business reason for demotion to prove it wasn’t discrimination or retaliation

10/03/2017
Before an employee can sue his employer for discrimination, he usually has to show that he was subjected to some sort of adverse employment action. Under the right circumstances, that can include being moved into a position the worker considers demeaning, such as being forced to work for someone he once supervised.

Off-site assault demands careful handling

10/03/2017
It goes without saying that you must handle with care any situation in which an employee accuses another of sexual assault. Any hint that you are treating the victim less favorably than the alleged perpetrator can lead to a hostile work environment claim.

The cost of crude workplace racism: $125,000

09/28/2017
A Minnesota company has agreed to settle charges that it allowed a white supervisor to harass two black carpenters with a steady stream of racial epithets and death threats.

EEOC says Cargill violated Muslim workers’ rights

09/26/2017
Minnetonka-based agribusiness giant Cargill has run afoul of the EEOC when it refused to allow Somali-American workers to pray during their breaks at one of their Colorado facilities. The EEOC says that violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Single ethnic slur constitutes misconduct

09/26/2017
Employees who are fired for misconduct can’t collect unemployment compensation. Generally, any action that violates a known company policy qualifies as misconduct.

8th Circuit backs NLRB: What happens on the picket line stays on the picket line

09/26/2017
Employers generally don’t have to tolerate racially hostile or otherwise offensive language at work. But under some circumstances, you may not be able to discipline a worker’s behavior if it occurred on a picket line.

‘Criminal’ doesn’t get Title VII protection

09/26/2017
For an applicant to sue under Title VII, she can’t merely allege that she suffered because of having a criminal record.

Don’t assume you know what women want

09/26/2017
Sometimes, managers make decisions based on outmoded notions of women, their role in society and their commitment to their families versus their work and employers. Make sure you warn supervisors to guard against such attitudes.