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Discrimination / Harassment

Changing hiring criteria in midstream: Legal, if done right

07/24/2008
Sometimes, employers receive a far greater number of qualified applicants for an open position than they expected. If that happens, you can narrow the applicants down by a new set of more specific requirements. Applicants who sue because they met the first set of requirements but not the second probably won’t win a discrimination lawsuit …

Job bias against women who’ve had abortions is illegal

07/24/2008

By now you know that employers can’t fire or otherwise punish employees because they’re pregnant. But what about employees who choose to have an abortion? Make sure your supervisors know it’s illegal to discriminate against them, too.

Decision-Making paper trail: The best kryptonite to lawsuits

07/24/2008
Employers that take the time to create good paper trails seldom lose discrimination lawsuits. Those who can show the rationale behind a decision find that few employees can come up with anything to counter that rationale …

Pittsburgh McDonald’s faces suit alleging rogue manager

07/24/2008
A former McDonald’s employee is suing the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company for permitting sexual harassment at a Pittsburgh restaurant. Vonda Jackson alleges that an assistant store manager touched her inappropriately …

Never, never on a Sunday

07/24/2008

Timothy Walker was hired in 1995 at the Lafayette, Ind., plant of Alcoa Inc., based in Pittsburgh. Walker also served as a pastor at an area church. In May 1998, when he was appointed head pastor, Walker asked to be excused from work on Sundays …

Workplace bullying by managers: Unpleasant, but is it illegal?

07/24/2008
According a recent Zogby International survey, 37% of U.S. workers report that they’ve been bullied at work. Not surprisingly, they say, the overwhelming majority (72%) of bullies are bosses. Workplace bullying is harassment that’s not necessarily based on an employee’s protected characteristic, such as gender or race. But, unlike harassment based on a protected class, bullying may not be illegal …

Pregnancy discrimination law covers women who’ve had abortions

07/24/2008

By now you know that employers can’t fire or otherwise punish employees because they’re pregnant. But what about employees who choose to have an abortion? Make sure your supervisors know it’s illegal to discriminate against them, too.

Time for a snap inspection: Make sure bulletin boards don’t show signs of bias

07/22/2008
If you want to make sure all managers and supervisors are playing by the nondiscrimination and no harassment rules, get out of the office and onto the shop floor. Someone from HR must visit each and every work location regularly—but unannounced …

Lilly settles retaliation suit

07/22/2008
Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. has agreed to pay $64,400 to a former employee who claimed the company withheld severance pay to pressure her to withdraw a discrimination complaint …

Alcoa must defend its religious accommodation policies

07/22/2008
Timothy Walker began working at Alcoa’s Lafayette plant in 1995. He was also a pastor at his church. In May 1998, Walker was appointed head pastor, and he asked Alcoa if he could be excused from working Sunday shifts at the plant …