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Discrimination / Harassment

Seniority is a valid reason to retain one race over another

03/01/2007

When you need to downsize your organization, you may worry if a disproportionate number of the employees that are terminated are members of a protected class. But, as a new ruling shows, you can justify your decision by having clear documentation that shows you had a seniority rule in place and followed it …

Employees’ ‘Injuries’ from Sexual Harassment May Make Them Eligible for Workers’ Comp Benefits

03/01/2007

Just when you thought you knew every reason to keep your workplace harassment-free, here’s yet another one: workers’ compensation …

Found liable for discrimination? You’ll owe back pay, even if fired worker starts a new business

03/01/2007

When employees lose their jobs because of alleged discrimination, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) can award them lost wages based on the difference between their past earnings and what they currently make as self-employed individuals, …

Target learns cost of ignoring an abusive manager: $775,000

03/01/2007

Retail giant Target recently shelled out $775,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit over the treatment of 13 black workers at its Springfield store …

KKK videos and swastikas cause AK Steel Corp. to lose bias suit

03/01/2007

AK Steel Corp. will pay $600,000 to seven black employees and an employee’s estate to settle a hostile environment case at its Butler facility …

Forcing retirement at age 65 lands AFCO in legal hot water

03/01/2007

Chambersburg-based Alex C. Fergusson Inc. (AFCO) must pay $50,000 to a salesman after forcing him into retirement at age 65 …

TV station employee returns stolen documents … in shreds!

03/01/2007

You may remember reading about the Pittsburgh TV station employee who allegedly swiped e-mail and documents left on employees’ desks as evidence for a discrimination lawsuit …

Commission targets Penn State after rash of discrimination suits

03/01/2007

For the fourth time in the past year and a half, a Penn State professor has filed a federal discrimination case …

You can insist on bilingual ability if the job requires it

03/01/2007

Many employers have run afoul of federal discrimination law by requiring all employees to speak only English at all times. The EEOC has said employers can only set such “English-only” rules if they can show a clear business need …

Applicant can sue only if there’s a true job opening

03/01/2007

Do you worry you may be courting a discrimination lawsuit when you turn away an applicant or toss an unsolicited résumé in the trash? Rest assured that turning away applicants when you don’t have an opening isn’t likely to get you in trouble …