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Discrimination / Harassment

Small businesses: Check to see if you’re too small to be sued

12/26/2011
Here’s an important note for small employers looking to avoid unnecessary hassles and lawsuits: If you receive a complaint from the EEOC or local employment discrimination agency, don’t assume or admit that you have enough employees to be covered by the law. If you have fewer than 15 em­­ployees, you could win instant dismissal.

Can we tamp down political discussions?

12/21/2011
Q. The sexual harassment accusations brought against presidential candidate Herman Cain have been generating quite a bit of controversy in our office. What can we do to ensure that our employees do not use these conversations as the basis upon which to bring a sexual harassment claim?

Lovejoy girls hoops coach sues for discrimination

12/21/2011
A former Lovejoy High School girls basketball coach has filed a lawsuit against the Lovejoy Independent School District alleging that administrators discriminated against her on the basis of her age, race and gender.

What are they drinking at the TABC?

12/21/2011
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission—already rocked by allegations of gay-bashing and sexual assault against underage, undercover agents—now faces a sexual harassment lawsuit from one of its officers.

Mandatory retirement policy costs manufacturer $60,000

12/21/2011

A Houston manufacturer will pay $60,000 and provide other relief to settle an EEOC age discrimination lawsuit. According to the EEOC, Metallic Products Corp. had an unlawful mandatory policy that required em­­ployees to retire when they reached age 70.

Take every lawsuit seriously, even those that seem weak

12/21/2011
Employees with flimsy cases sometimes decide to sue anyway, acting as their own attorneys. No matter how frivolous such a lawsuit seems to be, face it head on and fight for dismissal.

Beware ill-chosen words, which–all by ­themselves–can sometimes launch lawsuits

12/21/2011
Sometimes, a single poorly chosen phrase can generate large legal bills, as the following case shows.

It’s got to be more than a hunch! Courts nix unsupported bias claims

12/21/2011
Good news for employers fighting off discrimination claims: Courts are losing patience with lawsuits based on little more than the argument that “it must have been discrimination.”

Leave this ugly legacy for the history books: Warn bosses against any reference to nooses

12/21/2011
You must instruct supervisors and managers: Any reference to hanging, ropes or nooses is absolutely forbidden in the workplace. Immediately address any complaints about nooses in the workplace. Also make sure no employee is punished for reporting the presence of a noose.

Refusing hair-sample drug test trims firm’s bank account

12/20/2011
G2 Secure Staff has settled a disability discrimination charge stemming from poor hiring practices at Raleigh-Durham International Air­­port, where the company provides security services.