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Discrimination / Harassment

N.C. law protects workers who refuse boss’s sexual advances

05/27/2009

North Carolina’s Equal Employment Practices Act (EEPA) provides that “it is the public policy of this State” to protect employees from discrimination. Until now, it was unclear how far the law went in giving employees the right to directly sue their employers.

Britthaven nursing home settles pregnancy discrimination claim

05/27/2009

The Kinston-based Britthaven nursing home and assisted-living chain has settled a pregnancy discrimination claim with the EEOC for $300,000. The agreement settles a lawsuit brought by Katherine Hance and other pregnant employees who claimed they were treated differently from other employees …

How can we prevent co-worker harassment from escalating into violence?

05/27/2009

Q. A co-worker is harassing one of our employees, and we are concerned it may get violent. What can we do about this?

Fired for using ‘N-word’, news anchor sues

05/27/2009

WTXF TV news anchor Tom Burlington has sued his former employer claiming discrimination after he was fired for using the “N-word” in an editorial meeting called at the Philadelphia station to discuss a news story about a mock funeral to bury the “N-word.”

Federal employment bias claims may be subject to grievance arbitration

05/27/2009

On April 1, the U.S. Supreme Court held that arbitration provisions in collective-bargaining agreements that clearly and unmistakably require arbitration of Age Discrimination in Employment (ADEA) claims are enforceable.

Can we do anything about an employee who files false harassment claims?

05/27/2009

Q. An employee of ours has filed several sexual harassment complaints. But when we have investigated, they have turned out to be false. Can we do something about her?

Can being ‘overly friendly’ equal harassment?

05/26/2009

Title VII protects employees from discrimination based on sex, and sexual harassment is sex discrimination. Essentially, the law protects employees from harassment because of sex—and that can include same-sex harassment. But at what point do friendships among co-workers run the risk of slipping into dangerous territory?

Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor brings balanced employment law perspective

05/26/2009

Experts say Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, will bring a pragmatic perspective on employment law to the High Court if she is confirmed. Here’s a rundown of employment law decisions she has rendered from her current seat on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Supreme Court rules on maternity leave, pregnancy discrimination

05/19/2009

The Supreme Court on May 18 ruled that women whose retirement benefits are worth less because they weren’t credited for time spent on maternity leave before enactment of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act can’t sue to recover lost funds. Learn more about a case with important implications for benefits programs.

Look for firing trends that could signal bias

05/15/2009

In a case that illustrates why you should review all your employment decisions for potential hidden bias, a California appeals court has ruled that employees can use other employees to testify that they, too, were discriminated against in the same way.