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Discrimination / Harassment

Using insensitive nicknames can spell bias

10/01/2005
Issue: Some supervisors, particularly males, try to bond with employees by giving them nicknames.
Risk: When nicknames are insensitive to a protected class (race, ethnicity, etc.), they could trigger hostile-environment …

Know the 5 ‘musts’ for age-discrimination waivers

10/01/2005
Issue: Very precise wording is needed when employees waive their rights to sue for age discrimination.
Risk: Employers often treat age-bias waivers like any other waiver, a critical mistake that …

Watch those nicknames: Turning El-Hakem into ‘Hank’ spells bias

09/01/2005
You know that ethnic slurs and name-calling have no place in the workplace. But a new court ruling proves that any kind of ethnic intolerance can be punished.
If supervisors …

Put limits on supervisors’ ‘power-differentiated’ relationships

09/01/2005
A new court ruling gives you more reason to consider a “no-dating” rule among your employees or a “no-dating subordinates” rule for your supervisors. At the very least, require supervisors to …

Don’t shrug off complaints of female-on-male harassment

09/01/2005
If a male employee complains about sexually harassing comments by a female co-worker, how would your supervisors respond?
Too often, bosses (and some HR professionals) laugh off such “reverse” harassment …

EEOC revises definition of ‘timely’ discrimination charge

09/01/2005
To file a legal workplace discrimination claim with the EEOC, employees must show that the alleged discrimination occurred within a certain time frame or filing “threshold.” Now, the EEOC has revised …

Analyze employee handouts for legally explosive content

09/01/2005
Issue: Ready-to-use employee training materials flood the Internet.
Risk: Your supervisors create liability risks by distributing videos, books or handouts without first vetting them for offensive content.
Action: Review …

You can cut wages for ‘Maxed Out’ employees

09/01/2005

Q. We have some employees who are earning the maximum salary for their job classifications. Can we cut their pay if we feel they’re overpaid? —D.N., Colorado

Check bankruptcy records when employees sue

08/01/2005
If your organization is hit with an employee lawsuit, consider having your attorney check for a bankruptcy filing by the employee who sues you. If the lawsuit isn’t listed as an asset with …

Prevent retaliation: Urge managers to keep cool in face of a lawsuit

08/01/2005
When an employee makes noise about discrimination, it’s natural to become defensive. It hurts to be accused of
breaking the law, especially if it isn’t true. But don’t let a …