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Discrimination / Harassment

Track training opportunities, participation to show you don’t discriminate

03/01/2008

Employees who belong to a protected class often sue for discrimination if they feel they have been denied training and education opportunities. That’s why you should carefully track what training courses or experiences you offer, the minimum qualifications for each opportunity and who ends up taking advantage of each one …

Veteran finds hostile environment at Lockheed Martin

03/01/2008

Lockheed Martin will pay $2.5 million to an electrician for harassment he suffered at the hands of co-workers, including threats of lynching and use of the “n” word …

Dealership heads to court in male/Male harassment case

03/01/2008

 The male Internet manager at Belle Glade Chevrolet-Cadillac-Buick-Pontiac-Oldsmobile Inc. and Plattner Auto Group is suing the company over sexual harassment by a male co-worker who eventually became his supervisor …

Court finds Hillsborough County did not discriminate

03/01/2008

 A counselor for the Hillsborough County Children’s Services Department (CSD) lost her disability discrimination case against the county in U.S. District Court for the Middle District in Tampa …

Listen for code words when evaluating discrimination complaints

03/01/2008
The law protects employees from retaliation for complaining about alleged job discrimination. That doesn’t mean, however, that employees have to state specifically that their concerns involve sex, race or some other protected characteristic. Something as simple as complaining about “the glass ceiling” may be enough to at least raise the specter of sex discrimination …

School bus driver loses sexual harassment case

03/01/2008
Barbara Tipps, a school bus driver for Laidlaw Transit Services in Springfield, was part of a group of employees who enjoyed a casual, friendly relationship at work. Tipps often engaged in light sexual banter and even physical cavorting …

One-Size-Fits-All harassment reporting policies don’t really fit all

03/01/2008
If you downloaded your company handbook from the Internet or took it with you from your last job—beware! Take a look at your anti-harassment policy’s reporting procedures. A new court ruling shows why you should take your policy out, dust it off and look it over closely … at least before a jury does …

Documentation key to showing prompt, fair investigation

03/01/2008
Discrimination lawsuits can take years to resolve, and memories fade over time. That’s one reason to take careful notes during your initial investigation. Be sure to record exactly what the alleged victim says happened. You don’t want to be blindsided later …

Directors and volunteers don’t count as employees

03/01/2008
The ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) covers employers with 20 or more employees. Pretty clear, right? But whom you count is crucial, especially if your head count is right on the cusp of the ADA or ADEA threshold …

Employees don’t have to use ineffective grievance process

03/01/2008
Employers in a union environment may think that all employees have to follow the collective bargaining agreement to resolve discrimination claims. But if that process is tainted or woefully inadequate, employees can sue under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act instead …