• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Discrimination / Harassment

Long Island company settles EEOC bias case for $407,000

06/13/2019
West Babylon-based A&F Fire Protection Co. Inc. has agreed to pay a class of black and Hispanic employees $407,000 to compensate them for blatant racial discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Carefully track all details when replacing older worker

06/13/2019
To win an age discrimination case, a worker usually must prove she was replaced by someone significantly younger.

Work just sorta stinks? Judge says, ‘Too bad!’

06/13/2019
When it comes to work, pleasant is often good enough. Perfection is probably too much to ask for. Courts understand this, and won’t let a lawsuit advance if it’s just based on common gripes.

Act immediately to put a stop to harassment

06/13/2019
Employers that take every sexual harassment complaint seriously, investigate the allegations and act fast to stop it usually prevail if an internal complaint turns into a lawsuit. A recent case demonstrates what employers should routinely do.

No ‘magic words’ needed for bias complaint

06/13/2019
Employees are protected from retaliation for reporting discrimination or complaining about other Title VII violations. It’s even true if the employee doesn’t specifically state what kind of discrimination she’s charging, if she has generally been complaining about it over some time.

Ensure dress code allows for religious needs

06/11/2019
Your dress code must allow some leeway for religious exemptions. The EEOC takes religious discrimination seriously and has been aggressively going after employers that enforce dress codes that unnecessarily restrict employees’ faith-mandated attire.

Any risk of not reducing demoted worker’s pay?

06/10/2019
Q. We moved a salaried supervisor to a rank-and-file hourly position, but we left him at the higher salary. Now, several co-workers are complaining that they’re being paid less for the same job and grumbling about discrimination. The co-workers are of different nationalities than the former supervisor. Should we raise the co-workers’ salaries if we want to be as cautious as possible to avoid a lawsuit?

Fort Worth firm pays $85,000 to settle age bias complaint

06/10/2019
Atlas Energy in Fort Worth has agreed to pay a former production foreman $85,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit.

Warn all bosses against ageist comments, including the most senior executives

06/10/2019
When you train managers and supervisors, be sure to issue this simple warning: It is never appropriate for anyone in a supervisory role to make age-related comments. The problem is even worse when senior executives make age-related statements.

Prepare to pay up when retaliation is alleged

06/10/2019
Even if you win an employment discrimination case, you may end up losing if someone foolishly retaliates against the employee for complaining in the first place.