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Firing

Club manager, golf pro resign in wake of harassment suit

12/01/2007

The general manager resigned and the head golf pro was fired at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada after a former assistant golf pro filed a $100,000 lawsuit over sexual bullying …

Don’t retaliate against harassment victim who calls police

12/01/2007

Here’s a risk you may not have considered: Ignoring a sexual harassment complaint may prompt the alleged victim to get help from outside law enforcement agencies. React inappropriately and you’re likely to have a retaliation suit on your hands …

Discipline tracking system beats discrimination claims

12/01/2007

Can your organization produce concrete evidence backing up every disciplinary decision it’s made? You need a tracking system that does just that. Here’s why …

No substantial limitation? Obesity isn’t an ADA disability

12/01/2007

Even as America’s waistline expands, employers can take some comfort in knowing that obesity, by itself, does not constitute a disability under the ADA. Unless an employee’s obesity substantially limits his ability to perform a major life function, he isn’t covered by the ADA …

The Geo Group hit with religious discrimination suit

12/01/2007

The EEOC has slapped The Geo Group, a Boca Raton-based prison management company, with a religious discrimination lawsuit over the company’s 2005 ban on Muslim head scarves …

One lost lawsuit doesn’t necessarily lead to more

12/01/2007

Has your organization lost a previous race discrimination lawsuit? Ouch! You can bet some of your employees filed away that information for future use. However, you can take heart in a court’s recent decision that having previously lost a discrimination suit doesn’t constitute “proof” that your organization continues to discriminate—unless the new case deals with exactly the same type of alleged discrimination …

It’s OK to have higher expectations of employees during probationary period

12/01/2007

If your organization uses a probationary period to test out employees before making permanent hiring decisions, know that you can—and perhaps should—expect more during that period than you may later. It’s not unreasonable to expect new employees to be on their best behavior …

Car dealer had a right to send salesman packing

12/01/2007

A salesman for Spring Hill Ford in East Dundee sued the company for race discrimination after he was fired for tardiness. Harland Creal admitted reporting to work 45 minutes late one afternoon in May 2005, but said his supervisor reprimanded him on the showroom floor and then became angry and orally abusive …

‘Cultural fit’ might be code for age discrimination

12/01/2007

Each organization has its own culture, and some even strive to differentiate themselves based on that unique atmosphere. But some words of caution are in order: If you use “cultural fit” to limit applicants or to drive out those who don’t conform, prepare for trouble …

Nuclear plant whistle-Blower terminated, then sues

12/01/2007

An engineer at a Georgia nuclear plant was terminated and escorted from the plant after he filed a complaint about plant safety with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The engineer filed the complaint after a valve at the plant became stuck, affecting the plant’s ability to control the nuclear reaction …