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Discrimination / Harassment

Tolerate boss’s racist behavior, retaliation? Prepare to pay millions in damages

10/16/2024
If you need a reason to stamp out workplace name-calling, discriminatory work assignments and retaliation, consider the massive punitive-damages award a jury recently granted to an employee who sued because of ongoing racist behavior by a supervisor.

Fed agencies by the numbers for FY 2024

10/15/2024
The EEOC, National Labor Relations Board and OSHA have released new statistics on their activities during federal fiscal year 2024, which ran from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024.

Ban numerical goals, quotas from efforts to diversify

10/15/2024
Studies show that employers with diverse workforces outperform homogenous organizations on such important measures as innovation, revenue and profitability. However, employers intent on fostering diversity must do it in a way that doesn’t discriminate against any specific group of applicants or employees.

Disciplining for harassment? Ensure it’s even-handed

10/10/2024
When disciplining workers for harassing co-workers, make sure the punishment isn’t disproportionate and that you can show similarly situated workers were punished the same way.

Employers embrace pay transparency

10/10/2024
New laws in a growing number of jurisdictions now require some form of pay transparency from employers. The House of Representatives has introduced the Pay Transparency Act, which would amend the FLSA.

Gender wage gap widened for first time in two decades

09/30/2024
According to a recent Census Bureau report, working men earned a median $66,790 in 2023, a 3% change from 2022. Wages for working women increased by half as much.

Review policies limiting workplace romantic relationships

09/27/2024
Earlier this year, the EEOC released the final version of its Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace. One of the report’s most significant conclusions: Employers can lessen the likelihood of workplace sexual harassment by putting up guardrails to regulate workplace romantic and sexual relationships.

Take employee misconduct complaints seriously, for their sake and yours

09/27/2024
Employers would love it if unacceptable behavior never happened in their workplace. Unfortunately, few work environments escape problems. Effective leaders realize their actions during such critical times play a huge role in employee relations going forward.

Require supervisors to consult HR before removing reasonable accommodation

09/12/2024
Once an employer accepts and approves an employee’s request for a reasonable accommodation, it has essentially agreed that an accommodation was warranted. Think twice before removing that accommodation!

$45 million to settle pregnant workers’ suit

09/12/2024
In a case that highlights the need for employers to take the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act seriously, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has agreed to pay $45 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by 1,000 agency employees. The suit alleged CBP refused to accommodate pregnant workers with anything other than light-duty work.