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Discrimination / Harassment

Boss is equally demanding on everyone? That’s no excuse for employee lawsuit

06/06/2017
Some supervisors are more demanding than others. That’s no reason to sue, as long as the boss heaps demands equally on everyone, regardless of protected characteristics.

9th Circuit: Equal Pay Act allows past pay as excuse for current pay differences

06/06/2017
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has concluded that employers are free to use past pay as the starting point for a compensation offer as long as they can justify the practice as having a legitimate business purpose. That’s true even if using past pay ends up perpetuating past pay discrimination.

$1.9 million to settle EEOC race bias lawsuit against Chicago restaurants

06/06/2017
The owners of 13 Italian restaurants in Chicago have agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle an EEOC class-action suit alleging they routinely refused to hire black job applicants.

Research: Gender wage gap established early in careers

06/02/2017
The wage gap between men and women is established early in workers’ careers and increases “considerably” in the first 20 years of their working lives, according to new research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Transgender employee rights case advances

05/30/2017
A  Pennsylvania woman is suing her former employer claiming she was discriminated against because of her transgender status. The case is making news not just because it involves transgender rights, but because of the unique legal arguments it raises.

Never, ever say a word about applicant’s age

05/24/2017
You may see more older workers seeking open positions in your organization. How you treat those applicants can mean the difference between winning or losing an age discrimination lawsuit.

$1 damage award in University of Minnesota harassment case

05/17/2017
A federal jury has awarded just $1 in damages to a former University of Minnesota doctoral student in a two-year-old case that alleged a professor had sexually harassed her on a research trip to Alaska.

Sealy settles harassment charges for $175,000

05/17/2017
Sealy of Minnesota has agreed to settle charges it failed to properly address and end racial harassment at its mattress and box spring factory in St. Paul.

Minnesota Supreme Court: Discriminatory animus not required in pregnancy bias case

05/17/2017
The Minnesota Supreme Court has remanded a case involving pregnancy discrimination. The trial court will have to decide whether an employer revoked a job offer due to pregnancy.

When promoting from within, make sure you provide anti-harassment training

05/17/2017
Remember, employers can be held liable for managerial harassment, even if they’re unaware that anything wrong is happening. Show your good-faith effort to prevent harassment by documenting that you provided training to new managers.