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Discrimination / Harassment

Track reasons why you hired or rejected every applicant

02/12/2009

You can never know beforehand which applicant might sue you. That’s one good reason to track every hiring decision and document why you hired some candidates and not others.

Don’t sweat new supervisor’s one-time demeaning act

02/12/2009

New supervisors don’t always manage their subordinates as well as more experienced managers. They’re going to make some mistakes along the way. And not every early mistake will mean a winning lawsuit for the subordinate. As the following case shows, it takes more than one stupid move to create a hostile environment.

Refusal to say ‘Happy holidays’ leads to EEOC complaint

02/12/2009

A Florida employee who was fired for saying “Merry Christmas” when answering the phone instead of the approved “Happy holidays” has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against her former employer.

Sodexo Laundry Services settles pregnancy discrimination lawsuit

02/12/2009

Sodexo Laundry Services and the EEOC have settled a lawsuit over pregnancy discrimination for $80,000. The EEOC alleged that a Haitian linen room attendant who asked for an alternative assignment when she developed pregnancy complications was instead fired.

Warn hiring bosses of age discrimination trap

02/12/2009

Employees who can show direct evidence of age discrimination will get their day in court. That direct evidence often comes after someone who played a part in making an employment decision (e.g., helped select a candidate for hire or promotion) makes a careless statement after the fact.

Double-check for signs of retaliation whenever workers complain of discrimination

02/12/2009

Here’s how routine discrimination claims turn ugly fast: A supervisor or manager gets it in her head that she’s going to punish an employee for complaining. While it’s hard for employees to win most discrimination cases, it’s relatively easy for them to win retaliation claims.

OK to have stricter standards for probationary employees

02/12/2009

You can learn a lot about an employee during the first few weeks. Missing work then probably means attendance will be a problem later. Having stricter rules during the initial probationary period will help you weed out problem employees.

Hastings offers settlement to cop accused of wrongdoing

02/12/2009

A female police officer who was placed on administrative leave after being accused of writing false traffic-warning citations has received a payout from her employer, the Hastings Police Department.

Stillwater schools settle age discrimination lawsuit

02/12/2009

The Stillwater School District has agreed to pay a part-time teacher and athletics coach $137,000 to settle age discrimination claims in a lawsuit filed by the EEOC.

Put best foot forward when responding to EEOC administrative claims

02/12/2009

The EEOC and state and local agencies have been filing more and more administrative charges in recent years. As the recession deepens and more people lose their jobs, that trend is likely to continue. Because administrative charges can be precursors to discrimination lawsuits, it’s critical for you to handle them properly.