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Discrimination / Harassment

You won! Just don’t count on losers paying your legal costs

04/19/2010

In addition to paying damages such as lost wages, employers that lose discrimination cases often have to pay the winning side’s litigation costs. But the same isn’t always true when an employer wins the lawsuit. Courts are reluctant to make employees pay when they lose, fearing that doing so may dissuade other employees from taking a chance at litigation.

Workers hired through temp service? Normal anti-discrimination rules still apply

04/19/2010
Warn supervisors and managers: They should treat temporary workers who come to you via an employment service or agency just like they do other employees. All the normal rules on workplace discrimination still apply. That means temps who experience harassment or discrimination may be able to sue both the temp agency and your company for that discrimination.

Train front office to act fast when legal papers arrive

04/15/2010

As an HR professional, you know you can’t ignore legal documents. But what if a new secretary doesn’t know she should forward legal papers to HR, or the papers end up in the in-box of an absent manager? Missing deadlines in those legal documents can mean losing the lawsuit before it really begins.

Minimize chance of retaliation suit by insulating new boss from past bias claims

04/15/2010

It often makes sense to offer a fresh start to an employee who claims discrimination. By settling her case and moving her to another position, she gets a chance to begin again, and the employer gets a chance to avoid a potentially expensive lawsuit. To make the move effective, make sure that any new supervisors don’t know about the bias complaint.

Follow these best practices for tracking initial discrimination complaints

04/15/2010

Smart employers carefully track complaints to show that they respond quickly to alleged discrimination and treat it seriously. Done properly, a tracking system gives you ammunition if you ever need it in court. Here are some best practices for handling complaints:

Facing RIF, employees must show initiative

04/15/2010
Workers who lose their jobs in a reduction in force may look at those who were retained and conclude there had to be a discriminatory reason for their misfortune. But before they can successfully sue, employees must show some degree of initiative before they can claim discrimination. An employee who never applies for an open position or who doesn’t actively ask about available jobs isn’t going to win a lawsuit.

Doc’s note can sometimes work in your favor

04/15/2010

At some point in your HR career, you’ll run into a trainwreck of an employee with problems that just seem to escalate. It may start with a small injury and a workers’ comp claim. That can turn into a dispute over alleged harassment and retaliation. Eventually, she may even claim she has developed deep psychological scars … If she says she can’t work and has a doctor who supports her, you may be able to use the medical assessment to your benefit.

How should we handle inquiries about age that we need to conduct background checks?

04/15/2010
Q. We require all applicants to complete a pre-employment screening form that asks for their date of birth. The firm that conducts our background checks needs that information to perform the screening. Does this practice run afoul of laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of age?

EEOC sues ambulance service for sexual harassment

04/15/2010

The EEOC has filed suit against a Chicago ambulance service, alleging that a supervisor often made off-color remarks to female employees and, on at least one occasion, demanded sexual favors in return for a raise. Several women who worked for Jay Medcar Transportation complained of the behavior, but the EEOC alleges the company never investigated any of the charges.

Warn bosses: No criticism for filing bias complaint

04/15/2010

Now’s a good time to remind supervisors and managers that they must keep a cool head if an employee threatens to take a complaint to the EEOC or the Illinois Department of Human Rights. Angrily accusing the employee of insubordination or disloyalty will probably be viewed as retaliation for engaging in protected activity.