Discrimination / Harassment

Holiday party triggers sexual hijinks? Beware harassment afterward

12/15/2023

Workplace romances or plain old carnal excess can have an adverse effect on the morale of other employees. For example, what happens when co-workers report out-of-control holiday hijinks to management? And what if the co-workers caught in flagrante delicto exact revenge on the tattletales? It just might amount to illegal retaliation.

When high-level harassment erupts, act fast to prevent even worse legal trouble

12/08/2023

Here’s a cautionary tale that offers an inevitable lesson: When a supervisor’s harassment spills out into the greater workplace, the claims will grow exponentially.

Avoid repeating Apple’s surprising $25 million discrimination mistake

11/27/2023

The EEOC handled 5,500 complaints about national-origin discrimination in fiscal year 2022, the lowest number on record. Take that as a sign that employers have largely succeeded in stamping out bias based on where an applicant or employee comes from. But the federal government is still vigorously litigating national-origin claims it does uncover, going after employers that treat applicants or employees unfavorably because they are from a particular country or part of the world.

Psst, have you heard…? The answer should probably be ‘no’

11/27/2023

What is it about confidentiality that rubs some employers the wrong way? Earlier this year, we were treated to the story of an employer-provided “priest” brought in to hear employees’ “confessions.” Now we have the case of an employer using its employee assistance program to violate an employee’s privacy.

Holiday scheduling: How to keep the peace

11/22/2023

Federal law says you must make a reasonable effort to accommodate employees’ “sincere” religious beliefs, including trying to give them time off for religious observances. The best way to minimize scheduling disputes, especially around religious holidays, and avoid legal trouble is through a few smart preventative measures.

Be more alert than ever for anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim bias

11/15/2023

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has brought the Israeli-Palestinian conflict front and center into our lives and, as a result, also into our workplaces. You can’t stop employees from talking about current events, especially when those events are so horrific and so impactful on so many of us. The key for employers is to make sure those discussions remain calm and respectful.

It’s up to HR: Act fast to fix supervisor gaffes

11/10/2023

Supervisors say the darndest things. It’s up to HR to clear things up before some dumb comment lands your organization in deep legal trouble. Don’t delay! If you know the boss was in the wrong, correct the record ASAP and make things right—the sooner, the better. Add a heartfelt apology on behalf of the company, too.

Be on high alert for harassment: You could be liable for clients’ racial hostility

11/03/2023

You no doubt know employers are responsible for protecting employees from co-worker and supervisor racial hostility and harassment. But what about hostility aimed at employees by customers and clients? The EEOC takes the position that employers must rein in hostility, no matter where it originates.

You can’t dodge Title VII by misclassifying employees as independent contractors

10/25/2023

One benefit of engaging independent contractors to perform work is that contractors don’t count as employees for purposes of complying with laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. But, just calling someone an independent contractor doesn’t necessarily mean she is one. She might really be an employee.

National-origin discrimination: What you need to know