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Discrimination / Harassment

Some Sundays off doesn’t require giving every Sunday off

07/01/2008
No doubt you know that you have to make reasonable accommodations for employees’ religious practices. But how much accommodation must you offer, and must you apply it all the time across the board? If someone says they must attend religious services every Sunday, can you discourage him from taking a job because you can’t guarantee he’ll be off every week? …

Be prepared to justify bonuses based on work performance

07/01/2008
It seems inevitable. Anytime you award variable bonuses to some employees, there’s apt to be some grumbling from those who got less or nothing at all. But if you make sure to base bonus calculations on reasonable and legitimate business reasons, that grumbling won’t turn into a lawsuit you lose …

You aren’t required to launch a perfect investigation

07/01/2008
Employers know they have to investigate sexual harassment complaints. It’s the only way to avoid liability in some sexual harassment cases. But your investigation doesn’t have to be perfect—just prompt and reasonable …

Beware! Courts giving more leeway to employees who act as their own attorneys

07/01/2008
The employment law cases hardest to handle are often those in which an applicant or employee doesn’t have an attorney. Those employees often file complaints and lawsuits containing what seem like out-of-the-blue allegations. Now federal judges seem to be exacerbating the problem by giving unrepresented litigants every benefit of the doubt …

Former official sues NASCAR for $225 million

07/01/2008
Mauricia Grant, a former NASCAR technical inspector, has filed a $225 million lawsuit against the stock car racing sanctioning body for racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination, saying “life in the garage” was appalling …

Settlement in race case despite employee’s ‘Scandalous’ record

07/01/2008
Boda Plumbing of Monroe has agreed to pay $18,500 to Anthrone Cunningham to settle an EEOC racial discrimination lawsuit. Before settling, Boda Plumbing asked the court to consider that Cunningham has “an extensive criminal record …

State law’s effect on AIDS in the workplace

07/01/2008
Q. Does North Carolina have any laws concerning AIDS in the workplace? …

Discrimination and pay issues when employee has jury duty

07/01/2008
Q. One of our employees has been called for jury duty. What are our obligations? …

Demanding coffee may be gauche, but it’s not harassment

07/01/2008
In a case that illustrates just how sensitive some employees are to perceived sexual stereotypes, a woman hired to work as a receptionist tried to claim that refusing to serve her male bosses coffee was tantamount to engaging in protected activity. Then she alleged retaliation …

Pittsburgh company to pay $100,000 for race discrimination

07/01/2008
Champion Window of Pittsburgh has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a race discrimination lawsuit brought by the EEOC on behalf of former employee Martell Waite …