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Discrimination / Harassment

Rehiring Is Your Call

04/01/2002

Q. We have a number of Hispanic employees who speak little or no English. One of these employees recently resigned through a Spanish-speaking co-worker acting as interpreter. She quit after we denied a raise because of problems with her timecard. Her mother called and demanded that we rehire her daughter. Are we under any legal obligation to rehire? —W.K., Maryland

A few brief incidents can create ‘pervasive’ harassment

03/01/2002
Three Hispanic men were hired as a house-painting crew for a contractor. Typically, the crew checked into the company’s office for only two minutes to 15 minutes a day, once in …

Don’t deny leave requests based on gender stereotypes

03/01/2002
After his wife gave birth, Kevin Knussman, a Maryland state trooper, applied for family leave. Because his wife had medical problems after the birth, Knussman asked for an extra 30 …

Definition of ‘work environment’ just got wider–so did your risk

03/01/2002
During a layover in Rome, two Delta flight attendants went shopping. Afterward, the male employee invited his female co-worker to his hotel room to sample a new wine. After drinking a …

Create a job testing policy that’s rock solid and bias-proof

03/01/2002
Charles Sledge, an African-American builder at a tire manufacturing plant for 23 years, was repeatedly denied the chance to interview for a promotion to mechanic. In every case, the positions were …

Reject accommodation requests that harm business relationships

03/01/2002
Elizabeth Anderson, an office worker for a shipping firm, regularly ended her conversations and written communications with customers with the words, “Have a blessed day.” After her employer got a …

Study: Race colors perceptions of workplace discrimination

03/01/2002
A new national survey of 1,000 workers portrays sharply different views of how minorities are treated at work, and should serve as a wake-up call to employers. One key …

Age-bias lawsuits: The costliest battles

03/01/2002
Getting slammed with a discrimination judgment is bad. And the worst are age discrimination cases. Reason: A new study from Jury Verdict Research shows that the median jury award in age-bias …

One instance of sex-based pay is enough to prove discrimination

02/01/2002
Despite having applied for the position of route manager, Michelle Hennick was hired for the lower-level job of new account specialist for Schwans, a direct frozen-food seller. Hennick later sued the …

Strict new definition of employee ‘disability’ means less fear of ADA

02/01/2002
Employers won a big victory last month when the U.S. Supreme Court made it tougher for workers with job-related physical impairments to claim protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). …