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Discrimination / Harassment

Be sure to document any deviation from evaluation rules

11/01/2013

Following your own rules for discipline, promotion and evaluation is the best defense against a discrimination lawsuit. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make exceptions to your rules when the situation calls for it. Just make sure that you document why you made the exception at the time you did.

Texas AG lawyer blows whistle on hostile work environment

10/31/2013
An attorney in Texas Attorney Gen­­eral Greg Abbott’s office has filed a whistle-blower complaint claiming he has been forced to work in a hostile environment. Among his allegations: rampant discrimination, misuse of taxpayer dollars and falsification of hourly time sheets.

Car dealership faces ­disability bias charges

10/31/2013
A former general manager at Benny Boyd Chevrolet-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep in Lubbock claims he was denied partnership in the company when he developed multiple sclerosis.

5 steps you must take to prevent and address sexual harassment

10/31/2013
In 2012, the EEOC received 7,571 complaints from workers alleging they were sexual harassment victims (17.8% of whom were men) and recovered $43 million for har­­assed workers. Don’t let your organization add to those statistics. Take these steps to prevent and address sexual harassment.

Feel free to change schedules if it will save money or improve operations

10/31/2013
Do you need to change someone’s job duties to economize? Don’t fear that doing so will trigger a lawsuit—as long as you can show the changes were necessary and not just an excuse for discrimination.

Vague or nonexistent harassment policy? In same-sex cases, prepare to pay

10/31/2013
Judges don’t have much patience with employers that don’t understand their obligations to prevent or stop sexual harassment, including same-sex harassment.

Kroger to pay $450,000 for disability bias in Plano

10/31/2013
A federal jury has awarded $450,000 to a mentally disabled former Kroger grocery store employee in Plano whose manager constantly insulted him. The EEOC filed a disability discrimination lawsuit on the employee’s behalf in 2012.

When bias claims fly, beware lenient courts

10/31/2013
Here’s an important factor to consider when terminating an employee who has recently complained about alleged discrimination of some sort: If she can show at least a tenuous connection between her complaint (like its timing) and her discharge, she will probably be able to proceed with her lawsuit.

Lawsuit after translator at chicken farm gets the ax

10/30/2013

The EEOC has taken up the case of a man who worked as a translator for Haitian workers at a Lumber Bridge chicken farm. The man allegedly complained that Haitian workers at Mountaire Farms were treated more harshly than other employees. He claims that he made one complaint too many and was fired for it.

Settlement helps asthmatic nursing assistant breathe easier

10/30/2013
Camden Place Health and Rehab in Greensboro has settled a disability discrimination claim with a former employee for $51,000. The certified nursing assistant had been fired after she refused to supervise patients during their outdoor smoking breaks.