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Discrimination / Harassment

EEOC casts a skeptical eye on the use of AI in hiring

11/11/2021
Employers considering adding or expanding use of artificial intelligence programs to screen job applicants, take note: The EEOC has announced a new initiative to examine the use of AI in hiring.

EEOC: Customer preference irrelevant in hiring

11/11/2021
When the Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the EEOC began filing a series of lawsuits, like this one.

Survey: Most employers conduct pay equity reviews

11/09/2021
Nearly three in five employers—58%—voluntarily conduct pay equity reviews to identify possible pay differences between employees performing similar work, according to new research by the Society for Human Resource Management.

‘Attractive people should expect harassment’: Really!?

10/28/2021
When a female security guard complained that a male co-worker verbally and physically harassed her, her supervisor’s only response was telling her “she should expect sexual harassment based on her appearance.”

Review points-based attendance system now

10/28/2021
Some employers use a points-based system to punish employees whose unplanned absences wreak havoc on operations. It can be effective. However, a system that’s too draconian or doesn’t allow for reasonable exceptions may invite litigation, especially from employees who claim they have an ADA-covered disability.

Remember, bias is illegal no matter who it helps

10/21/2021
Title VII and other federal employment laws were designed to create a level playing field for all employees. The EEOC takes all discrimination complaints seriously, even when it appears one group that has historically suffered because of bias is treated better than another oppressed group.

Consider religious objections to vaccination

10/21/2021
Legal experts say employers are within their rights to fire unvaxxed staff. However, Title VII’s religious discrimination provisions still apply. That means employers must weigh whether employees with sincerely held religious beliefs against vaccination are entitled to reasonable accommodations of those beliefs.

Tesla zapped with record race bias verdict

10/14/2021
A jury has ordered Tesla, the electric car maker, to pay a contract worker $137 million for the race discrimination and harassment he suffered at the hands of Tesla employees. It is believed to be the largest verdict in U.S. history for an individual claiming race discrimination.

More DEI initiatives in 2021

10/05/2021
Eighty-three percent of employers surveyed say they have been taking action on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in 2021, a 13 percentage-point increase from 2020.

Harassment settlement shows what EEOC expects

09/30/2021
The terms the EEOC decides to accept when it settles discrimination cases can help employers determine how to stay in the agency’s good graces. In addition to requiring employers to pay damages to aggrieved employees, EEOC settlements usually call for assurances the employer fixed the causes of the original complaint.