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Discrimination / Harassment

Prompt action by management is key to winning hostile-Environment lawsuits

07/01/2007

The Ohio Fair Employment Practices Act makes it illegal to subject employees to a racially hostile work environment. But not every hostile act does a lawsuit make. Much depends on management’s response to such hostility …

Immortal words of Imus end state employee’s career

07/01/2007

A 60-year-old administrator in the state treasurer’s office was urged into retirement after she called a fellow worker a “nappy-headed ho” one week after radio personality Don Imus made the phrase famous …

Hypersensitive employee doesn’t get special protection

07/01/2007

Most organizations realize they have to take reasonable steps to stamp out sexual harassment. Their efforts have probably done a lot to wipe out the most blatant examples,  but what about more subtle harassment? …

When filing lawsuits, employees not entitled to ‘Two bites at the apple’

07/01/2007

A recent federal appellate court ruling should give some comfort to employers in Texas and other states in the 5th Circuit …

Court: Basing pay on past salary may spark Equal Pay Act lawsuits

06/20/2007

A surprising new court ruling says that if your organization uses a common pay practice—setting new hires’ salaries based on their past pay—you could be violating the Equal Pay Act …

You Can Issue ‘Gag Order’ While Investigating Complaint

06/19/2007

Nothing disrupts a workplace like unbridled rumors, especially when it’s about a sexual harassment complaint. Such chatter can make it hard to carry out a fair and impartial investigation. For that reason, you can—and should—be proactive about curbing idle speculation while your organization investigates …

Echoes of Virginia Tech: ‘Copycat comments’ lead to firings around U.S.

06/13/2007

“If I get one more write-up, if you think they had a problem in Virginia, it’ll be worse here.” That comment by  a Suffolk County (NY) Community College employee led to his arrest. At SeaWorld in Florida, a “joke” about the Virginia Tech shootings earned an employee the same fate. Here’s how to handle such comments in your organization. Plus, learn the 8 warning signs of violent worker behavior. 

Supreme Court affirms that FLSA doesn’t apply to all employees

06/12/2007

A Supreme Court case narrowly focused on FLSA protections for home health care workers may signal a broader trend worth watching. Is a conservative high court now more inclined to defer to federal agency interpretations of the law even when those interpretations limit employee rights? A new EEOC age discrimination case that could reach the Supreme Court might tell the tale.

Supreme Court to hear key age-discrimination case next term

06/05/2007

The ink on the U.S. Supreme Court’s latest employment-law decision was barely dry before the court voted to hear yet another important employment-discrimination case—this one concerning age discrimination.

Federal employment law spotlight: FLSA, OSHA, wage discrimination

06/05/2007

Two new resources on federal compliance and a legislative attempt to address last week’s Supreme Court decision on pay discrimination head this week’s news from Washington.