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Discrimination / Harassment

Equal enforcement keeps juries from wondering about bias

06/06/2008
Employees who lose their jobs after committing some infraction often look for reasons to sue. Don’t give them an excuse to drag you into court! The best way to immunize your organization from lawsuits: Equitably and fairly enforce your work rules …

How not to manage a hostile work environment

06/06/2008
When employees complain about being harassed while at work, employers often wonder how to stop the offending behavior. One thing is certain—simply ordering employees to stop doing what they allegedly are doing isn’t enough …

Even workers unharmed by discrimination still could sue

06/06/2008
The floodgates of association discrimination lawsuits are slowly opening. Although the following case ultimately was dismissed because the employee couldn’t show he was harmed or that the company engaged in discriminatory hiring practices, it serves as a powerful reminder that lawsuits can come from just about any employee …

Lack of potty parity may spark sex discrimination claim

06/06/2008
Employers in male-dominated industries, take note: Make sure new female hires who work in a largely male environment have access to restroom facilities that meet women’s needs. Don’t expect women to adopt male restroom habits …

Settling a case? Make sure it spells out specifics if worker will stay employed

06/06/2008
Sometimes, the best thing to do is to settle an employee’s discrimination complaint. That’s especially true if you believe the employee may have a case and deserves a second chance. However, you don’t want the settlement to come back to bite you …

Lakota schools mired in race controversy

06/06/2008
Two employees of the Lakota School District north of Cincinnati resigned after an investigation confirmed they made racially insensitive remarks about black central office officials …

The AG debacle and the e-Mail connection

06/06/2008
Facing threats of impeachment for turning the Office of Attorney General into a “raunchy frat pad,” Marc Dann initially held onto his post. After firing two staffers for sexual harassment, and accepting the resignation of a third for failing to properly supervise them, Dann hoped to put the scandal behind him …

6th Circuit rules: Association discrimination now illegal in Ohio

06/06/2008
Employers, beware! Retaliation against a third party who is associated with an employee who engaged in protected activity now can be the basis of a lawsuit in Ohio …

Interview questions: What not to ask

06/06/2008
Q. Are there specific questions that an employer is prohibited from asking during a job interview? …

I was harassed and I quit! Now can I sue—Or get unemployment?

06/06/2008
Q. I found my working conditions to be intolerable because of the behavior of my male co-workers that I considered to be sexual harassing. I just did not have the energy to complain about the behavior and face the consequences, so I quit without telling my employer about the harassment. I am having trouble finding a new job, and now I am thinking I made a mistake. Will I be able to sue my employer for sexual harassment? Can I obtain unemployment insurance?