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Discrimination / Harassment

Feds file harassment suit against Muskegon County

01/09/2009

Muskegon County faces a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit claiming the county failed to respond to sexual harassment complaints dating back nine years. In 2000, Eva Amaya, a former computer analyst for the 60th District Court, complained about inappropriate touching by co-worker Eugene Beene …

No anguish needed to show hostile environment

01/09/2009

Some employers assume that for a hostile environment claim to have merit, the victim must practically have a nervous breakdown. Not so. A strong-willed employee may be able to tolerate a barrage of abuse in good spirits, but may still have a hostile work environment claim.

$1.3 million discrimination judgment against Spitzer senior

01/09/2009

A Bronx jury has ordered Bernard Spitzer, father of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, to pay more than $1.3 million to four former employees to settle racial discrimination charges.

Employee requests transfer? Get it in writing to avoid later false claims

01/09/2009

Sometimes, employees with disabilities don’t choose to let their employers know. If such an employee needs an accommodation such as a transfer to a less stressful position, she may make the request but never explain why. Then, when she is turned down, she may sue and allege she said she needed the transfer because of her disability.

When applicant has more experience, be prepared to justify hiring someone else

01/09/2009

You don’t always have to promote the best educated or most experienced employee—but you must at least have a good explanation why you chose another candidate.

Greece Central School District settles age discrimination lawsuit

01/09/2009

Greece Central School District has settled a $1 million age discrimination lawsuit with elementary school teacher Mary Donlon for $235,000.

HR officer accuses boss of assault, harassment

01/09/2009

Margaret Tarulli, a special officer for New York City’s Human Resources Administration, has filed a sexual assault and harassment lawsuit against her former supervisor.

Are there limits on the kind of political activity employees can engage in?

01/09/2009

Q. In New York, can an employee be prohibited from engaging in political activity?

Workers gone wild … and the legal lessons to be learned

01/06/2009

Employees do the darnedest things, and HR frequently winds up trying to undo the damage. One of the highlights of HR Specialist’s upcoming Labor and Employment Law Advanced Practices Symposium will be a session on “The Most Bizarre Recent Workplace Cases—and What You Can Learn from Them.” Here’s our take on the topic, with cases pulled from the pages of HR Specialist newsletters.

Promote civility, but watch for discrimination

01/05/2009

How much effort should the HR office put into getting everyone to get along? The best approach is to let employees handle most social conflicts among themselves—as long as there are no overt signs of discrimination.