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Discrimination / Harassment

Be prepared to root out hidden harassment: EEOC files a whopper against Burger King

04/06/2011
When a former Burger King employee complained to the EEOC that she had been sex­ually harassed at one of the chain’s restaurants in Glens Falls, N.Y., the EEOC sprang into action. As part of its efforts to stop sexual harassment against teenage employees, the agency began looking at more than 350 Burger King restaurants in 16 states. The agency eventually sued.

Quick action cuts sexual harassment liability

04/06/2011
You can’t prevent every vulgar act an employee may commit. But you can and should act fast when you learn about misbehavior. Doing so can keep a minor problem from growing into a major one.

Former Historical Commission worker files bias suit

04/06/2011
A white woman who once worked for the Texas Historical Commission has filed a lawsuit claiming the commission discriminated against her on the basis of race, gender, age and in retaliation for making a complaint.

East Texas college president’s secretary sues for age bias

04/06/2011
The former executive secretary to the president of Jarvis Christian College has filed an age discrimination lawsuit against the East Texas college.

Violinist, West Texas A&M playing in harmony after mediation

04/06/2011
A West Texas A&M University violin instructor, who is also a member of the university’s acclaimed Harrington String Quartet, has agreed to settle a lawsuit that alleged she was fired after she missed work due to pregnancy complications and subsequent time off she took after giving birth.

Log when you told employee about adverse decisions

04/06/2011

Employees who want to sue for discrimination under the Texas Code have to file state charges within 180 days of alleged discriminatory conduct. The time is measured from the date the employee learns of the decision. That’s why it’s important to document that you let the employee know he was being demoted, denied a promotion or is scheduled for termination.

Hey, boss, you’d better call HR! Warn managers: Don’t fix complaints informally

04/05/2011

When supervisors hear someone complaining about sexual or other harassment, they may be tempted to blow it off as a distraction or tell the co-workers involved to stop it. That’s not good enough. To prevent a successful employee lawsuit, you must impress on first-line supervisors and managers that it’s their responsibility to report any sexual harassment complaint to HR or other appropriate company official.

Document all disciplinary actions, including why and when you decided to act

03/31/2011

Some employees facing discipline believe that if they file a discrimination complaint, they can escape trouble. If disciplined, they’ll cry “retaliation!” Smart employers counter this subtle form of blackmail by clearly documenting and time-stamping all decisions and the process that led up to those decisions.

Dayton revises police exam following race bias settlement

03/31/2011

As part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the city of Dayton has revised its police entrance examination. The DOJ and Dayton had settled a 2009 suit involving allegations that the city discriminated against black applicants who applied for jobs in both the police and fire departments.

Jury awards $900,000 in age discrimination case

03/31/2011
A 30-year veteran at University Hospitals in Cleveland has won an age discrimination case in Cuyahoga County court. Gloria Parks argued that her supervisor blamed her for the mistakes of two younger co-workers because he favored young, female workers.