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Discrimination / Harassment

Make it one of HR’s goals: Ensure everyone gets training on harassment

07/13/2010

Courts have long said that employers are supposed to be proactive about preventing and stopping sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers know or should know that simply having a sexual harassment policy in place isn’t enough—they have to aggressively enforce that policy. What employers may not fully realize is that no one within the organization is exempt from education, training and discipline.

When you learn of possible harassment, investigate promptly, take fast action

07/09/2010

Employers that act fast when an employee complains about any form of harassment can almost always salvage what would otherwise be a very bad situation. The key is prompt investigation—followed by equally fast and decisive action if it turns out the complaint has merit.

After years of harassment, settlement in flasher case

07/09/2010

Biewer Wisconsin Sawmill has agreed to settle sexual harassment complaints brought by two female employees alleging a male co-worker repeatedly exposed himself to them over the course of several years. Biewer, which has a manufacturing and distribution outlet in Seneca, failed to deal with the complaints promptly …

Balance Staffing blindsided by recruiter’s ADA lawsuit

07/09/2010
Balance Staffing’s short-sighted treatment of a visually impaired recruiter will cost it $100,000 to settle a disability discrimination suit.

Just one stupid statement from boss can mean lawsuit

07/09/2010
Here’s incentive to clamp down on supervisors who seem to be angry with their employees and who generally treat their subordinates poorly. Typically, being an equal opportunity yeller means no liability. But belligerent bosses are bound to slip up eventually.

Use better treatment of class members to counter discrimination lawsuit

07/09/2010

Employees who charge discrimination often have to prove that others outside their protected class were treated more favorably than they were. But what if the employer can show that others belonging to the same protected class got better treatment than the employee who sued? That can often get the case dismissed.

Retain e-mails after receiving EEOC complaint

07/09/2010

When sued, employers must preserve all evidence in their possession that may concern the lawsuit and its underlying claims. That means that as soon as you receive an EEOC complaint, you should issue a litigation hold directing the retention of all electronic communications, such as e-mails. Don’t let employees make their own decisions about which e-mails they should keep.

Separate the harassed and the harasser, fast

07/09/2010

Here’s a problem that is easily solved. An employee complains that she’s being harassed by a co-worker. If you can easily separate the two, do so sooner rather than later. Merely having a complaint lodged may be enough to stop the harasser. But his continued presence can still mean you’re allowing a sexually hostile work environment to exist.

Public employees have no legal ‘right’ to have affairs with their subordinates

07/09/2010
The U.S. Constitution guarantees citizens the right to free association without government interference. But what about the right of public-sector employees to free association? Can a public employer punish an employee for having a romantic relationship with a subordinate?

Commercial pilots claim FAA retirement plan broke state law

07/08/2010

When Congress raised commercial pilots’ mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65, not all pilots were pleased. Pilots who had been forced to retire under the 60-years-of-age rule weren’t grandfathered into the new system. The pilots are seeking back pay and lost wages under state laws and the Federal Tort Claims Act.