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Discrimination / Harassment

Coach wins $4M verdict after being fired for reporting hazing

07/17/2015
When the high school football coach at St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School in Vallejo, California learned that some of his players were hazing underclassmen, he reported it to his superiors. The high school investigated and expelled five students. It also fired the coach who reported the hazing. He sued the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento for retaliation.

Public employee fails to raise bias claim in civil service hearing? He loses right to sue

07/17/2015
Some public employees in civil service positions may challenge their discharge through the civil service system. But doing so does have its dangers.

Judgment Day for ministry on pregnancy bias

07/15/2015
A federal judge has ordered the Houston-based United Bible Fellowship Ministries to pay a former employee nearly $75,000 in back pay and damages because of the nonprofit’s policy prohibiting pregnant employees from working and barring the hiring of pregnant women.

Questionable conduct? End it and move on

07/15/2015
Not every action that may be interpreted as harassment actually is. That doesn’t mean employers should ignore a one-time incident or behavior brought to HR’s attention. You can and should end any behavior that may be perceived as offensive or harassing. Once you have, you can move on, as this recent Texas Supreme Court decision shows.

EEOC updates pregnancy-bias guidance for employers

07/14/2015
In the wake of U.S. Supreme Court’s important Young v. UPS ruling in March, the EEOC has updated its employer guidelines on light-duty assignments and disparate treatment of pregnant workers. Download them now.

OSHA publishes guidance on restroom access for the transgendered

07/13/2015
OSHA’s role is expansive and includes regulating everything from heat breaks to bathroom access. It issued “A Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers” on June 1.

CBS reporter sues bosses for sexual harassment

07/13/2015
Former CBS News entertainment reporter Ken Lombardi claims two male bosses groped him and made unwanted advances, and a female boss refused to investigate his charges. According to lawsuit documents, Lombardi claims that Duane Tollison, then a senior producer, drunkenly groped him and kissed him on the neck at a holiday party.

NYC to send out employment testers to spot hiring bias

07/13/2015
Under recently signed legislation, New York City will begin a year-long employment tester program in which paired job applicants with similar experience and qualifications will express interest in the same job. One will belong to a protected class and one will not.

Practical jokes unrelated to protected status can’t be grounds for lawsuit

07/13/2015

Some employees will never get along. Managing them can be hard, especially if one chooses to make life difficult for the other with practical jokes and rude behavior. But unless the jokes and behavior somehow relates to a protected characteristic, it isn’t grounds for a lawsuit.

Settled with the EEOC? That’s the end of it

07/10/2015
Here’s some good news—and more incentive to settle discrimination cases before the EEOC: If the agreement is signed, sealed and delivered, the employee can’t later sue in federal court to have the agreement invalidated—even if she has seemingly good reasons to argue she didn’t consent to or otherwise wasn’t capable of settling the case.