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Discrimination / Harassment

Justify why you decided not to follow the ‘same rule violation, same punishment’ rule

02/01/2019
Generally, if two employees break the same workplace rule and don’t have any prior violations, you should punish them the same way. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make judgment calls on which one may deserve more severe punishment, including discharge.

Supreme Court could address LGBT bias

01/31/2019
The U.S. Supreme Court could decide in the next few weeks whether to hear cases that ask if Title VII’s prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex also bans discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

EEOC, DOJ cooperate to stop public-sector harassment

01/31/2019
The EEOC and the U.S. Department of Justice have signed a memorandum of understanding that will allow faster federal intervention in sexual harassment complaints involving state and local government employees.

Prepare to explain unusual compensation formulas

01/29/2019
There may be many reasons why one employee is paid differently than another. Be prepared to explain such discrepancies.

Centralized pay & promotion guidance is fine, but leave individual decisions to managers

01/29/2019
You may still face isolated lawsuits alleging discriminatory pay practices by a specific supervisor. However, that’s preferable to a potential class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of similarly situated employees across the company.

Document belligerence during hiring process

01/29/2019
If you ever encounter an applicant so difficult that you suspect she might become a disruptive employee, document why you are concerned. If she later sues, you will be able to describe exactly what happened.

Telecommuting trouble lurks across state lines

01/24/2019
Do you allow employees to regularly work from home? Be careful if one of them lives in another state. You could be subject to that state’s jurisdiction and employment laws.

$22 mil for revoking religious accommodation

01/24/2019
In an expensive reminder of what not to do, a Florida jury has ordered a $22 million payday for a hotel employee whose request for religious accommodation was honored for six years, and then suddenly revoked.

Don’t let disability stop legitimate discipline

01/23/2019
It’s reasonable to worry that disciplining an employee who is disabled might trigger a lawsuit. Don’t let those kinds of concerns dissuade you from otherwise legitimate discipline. Courts general allow employers great leeway to punish employees who seem to genuinely deserve it.

Prepare to show you impose discipline equally

01/22/2019
Would you be able to persuade a judge that every employee you have recently disciplined was treated the same as every other employee you have previously punished for the same infraction? It’s essential.