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Discrimination / Harassment

How to protect yourself from Internet-Related liability

07/01/2008
The Internet is an invaluable tool in many workplaces, but lately it’s become a somewhat unexpected cause of employment law litigation. Two issues lead the wired way to the courthouse for employers: gathering information about job candidates through web sites and potential liability for what their employees do while using the Internet …

Sex harassment complaints only in writing?

07/01/2008
Q. Our regional manager wants me to revise our sexual harassment policy to require that complaints be in writing. He says this will formalize the procedure and help ensure that only valid complaints are filed. I’m not sure this is a good idea. Is it? …

U.S. citizenship status irrelevant to Title VII claims

07/01/2008
While Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects employees from discrimination based on national origin, it does not separately protect employees from discrimination based on their citizenship status. What counts is alleged discrimination based on the country of origin, not whether someone is a citizen of the United States or some other country …

Review all reprimands so they don’t become ‘Adverse actions’

07/01/2008
Even something as routine as a reprimand may end up being the basis for a lawsuit. That’s why someone in the HR department should be in charge of making sure that all disciplinary actions, including reprimands, are applied fairly and evenhandedly …

Obama weighs in on Amendment 46

07/01/2008
What does the country’s first black presumptive presidential nominee think of Colorado’s proposed constitutional Amendment 46, which would ban affirmative action in state government and education? An Obama campaign spokeswoman said he “opposes these ballot initiatives, which would roll back opportunity for millions of Americans …"

The right way to prepare for layoffs … and some alternatives

07/01/2008
Because of the nationwide economic slump, layoffs are a hot topic these days. What sort of employment law issues should HR professionals consider when the possibility of laying off workers becomes increasingly likely? Here’s a step-by-step guide for smoothing out a difficult and painful process …

About those waiver-and-Release agreements

07/01/2008
Q. Are there any special requirements for waiver-and-release agreements? …

How many kinds of harassment policies do we need?

07/01/2008
Q. We have a sexual harassment policy. Is that enough? …

Terminations: 6 steps to ensure firing won’t backfire

07/01/2008
In most states, workers are employed on an “at will” basis, meaning they can leave the company at any time. Conversely, employers typically retain the right to terminate workers at any time for any legal, nondiscriminatory reason. Courts continue to chip away at the at-will doctrine, providing less flexibility to employers. This has led to an increase in wrongful discharge lawsuits …

Demanding coffee may be gauche, but is it harassment?

07/01/2008
Maybe she was a bit of a drip, but one employee got in such a froth about her bosses’ demands for coffee service that she sued. Did she really have grounds to bring a harassment and retaliation lawsuit? Did her employer wind up in hot water?