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Discrimination / Harassment

Breast-feeding: Develop wise policy for staff, customers

07/01/2000
With half of new mothers returning to work within three months of giving birth, breast-feeding has become a hot workplace issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics …

Ban all age bias; states OK youth-bias claims

06/01/2000
Kimberly Zanni, a 31-year-old-account executive, was fired and replaced by an older, less qualified woman. One supervisor had told Zanni that she sounded …

Giving better-than-deserved reviews may be legal, but it’s unwise

06/01/2000
Six months after Richard Cullom began work as a staffing specialist at a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, his supervisor found his work …

Make sure you have valid reasons for unequal pay

06/01/2000
Valid reasons can include seniority, merit, quality of work, speed of production or, in this case, experience level. Comtech Manufacturing said it paid a male production supervisor 50 cents more an …

You may have to pay for worker’s sexual harassment defense

05/01/2000
Russell Jacobus, the CFO of a six-person investment banking firm, had a friendly relationship with secretary Rosie Vera-Aviles that included sexual banter. At her request …

Boost your immigration IQ

05/01/2000
There are six million illegal immigrants in the United States and tough federal sanctions against businesses that hire them. But your business can benefit from federal immigration law by taking advantage …

Be careful when altering pregnant worker’s pay

05/01/2000

Q. If a pregnant employee is salaried and is missing two days of work a week, can we legally make her an hourly employee? When the employee was hired, her contract should have been hourly. Is it legal to change the basis of her pay now? —C.H., Michigan

Don’t ask reference things you wouldn’t ask candidate

05/01/2000

Q. I know that it’s illegal to ask applicants certain questions, like whether they are married. Are there any questions I can’t ask a previous employer or reference? —F.T., Maine

Older replacement won’t erase age bias claim

04/01/2000
After a financially strapped hospital turned over its collection and registration duties to an outside vendor, four female workers over age 40 lost …

Firing can’t masquerade as a one-person rif

04/01/2000
Elizabeth Bellaver, a manager at a manufacturing plant, consistently earned excellent job evaluations. But her supervisor noted problems with her …