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Discrimination / Harassment

Train bosses: You must report all harassment

09/05/2018
Anyone who sees harassment happening should say something to the appropriate company office or individual in charge of preventing and stopping harassment. The EEOC takes this “see something, say something” reporting requirement very seriously.

Report: Glass ceiling holds women back at DOJ

08/31/2018
The U.S. Justice Department’s Inspector General has issued a report showing that women are substantially underrepresented in criminal investigative and leadership positions within the Department of Justice.

Good documentation wins discrimination lawsuits

08/31/2018
If you have to discharge a difficult employee, be patient—and carefully document everything. You need detailed records showing exactly how the em­­ployee interacted with other workers and why the behavior was unacceptable.

Embarrassing emails could wind up being aired in court

08/31/2018
Remind supervisors to choose their words carefully when composing emails. Generally, all forms of communication are fair game for discovery during litigation.

Harassed employee may have legal case even if she ignored internal complaint procedures

08/31/2018
If supervisors and managers witness harassment and do nothing, an employee may conclude that the workplace is so permeated with harassment that it would be pointless to complain. That’s particularly true if HR personnel are among the managers apparently ignoring harassment.

EEOC paperwork flaw means Weis Markets won’t be sued

08/31/2018
The Weis Markets grocery chain is off the hook for a hostile environment harassment lawsuit because a Cumberland County, Pa. woman who sued mishandled the required EEOC paperwork.

Nail down all the details when settling lawsuit

08/29/2018
Sometimes, it makes sense to settle a lawsuit instead of pursuing long, drawn-out litigation. But if you do, make sure that the written settlement agreement (and any promises made along the way) is accurate and specific.

Employers must take steps to put a stop to customer harassment of employees

08/27/2018
The source of the harassment doesn’t matter. What matters is that the employer knew about the harassment and didn’t take adequate steps to stop it or prevent it from happening again.

Fear of ICE raids no excuse for discrimination

08/27/2018
Refusing to hire workers because of a perception that they might be undocumented may backfire badly.

Disciplining employee with spotless record? Document precisely what went wrong

08/23/2018
It’s crucial to document the problem if you suddenly have to discipline a long-term employee who has never been in trouble before. That’s especially true if he or she has also recently complained about some form of discrimination.