If you’re the victim of discrimination, you may want any number of things to right the wrong that happened to you. However, it’s not up to you to decide what you can get. The types of damages available for a particular cause of action are spelled out in the statute authorizing that cause of action. […]
What Are Liquidated Damages? Read More »
April 27, 2016 America has a complicated relationship with motherhood. Our country constantly talks about how important moms are, but at the same time it rarely follows it up with actual help. In fact, we tend to penalize mothers in the workplace. And now there’s evidence that the so-called “motherhood penalty” can even hurt women
How the Motherhood Penalty Hurts Everyone Read More »
Ideally, an employer has policies in place to discourage sexual harassment. If a claim is reported, the company should investigate and take appropriate steps if it determines that harassment took place. In Smith v. Rock-Tenn Services, Inc., a recent case decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the court laid out
How Must an Employer Respond to a Sexual Harassment Complaint? Read More »
A former Walmart pharmacist was awarded $31.2 million dollars by a jury in federal court in New Hampshire after a trial concerning her whistleblower and discrimination claims. Maureen McPadden claimed that constant employee turnover in her pharmacy and hiring of inexperienced workers put the public at risk. After her internal complaint about the issue and
Can a Whistleblower Claim Involve Public Safety? Read More »
It’s best to report harassment (whether it’s based on your sex, race, religion, disability, or another reason) to management or human resources if you want to protect your legal rights. The courts generally want to give employers an opportunity to correct the situation and discourage employees from going straight to court without notifying employers of
Do I Have to Report Harassment to My Employer? Read More »
Corporate mergers are famous for creating shareholder “value” by cutting costs. Many times, those costs are the pay and benefits of employees who find themselves laid off—and possibly discriminated against in the process. The University of Tennessee merged its men’s and women’s athletic departments in 2012. Of the 15 people laid off, 12 were women.
How Do I Show That My Layoff Broke the Law? Read More »
Regardless of whether a denial of a request for light-duty work violates federal or state law may depend on how the employer handles light-duty work in general. If there are rules that favor such work for non-pregnant employees but make it more difficult for pregnant employees to obtain, you may have a valid claim of
Are Pregnant Employees Entitled to Light-Duty Work? Read More »
If a person works in a professional field, it doesn’t mean that he or she acts professionally. Doctors, accountants, and lawyers can all sexually harass others. A harasser is one who wants to exploit his or her position of power for personal gratification, no matter what his or her job title may be. Attorneys
Does Sexual Harassment Happen in Professional Firms? Read More »
Many types of discrimination are illegal under federal law, such as discrimination based on race, age, disability, and pregnancy. However, many states also have their own antidiscrimination laws. One such state is Maryland. The Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA) prohibits, among other things, discrimination based on pregnancy. Sara Siddiqui v. Chesapeake NetCraftsmen Sara Siddiqui
Chesapeake NetCraftsmen Sued After Firing Woman Due to Pregnancy Read More »
April 1, 2016 It’s easy to ridicule North Carolina’s new anti-LGBT law, but it’s actually very disturbing. The idea that Tar Heel politicians felt such an urgent need to start policing bathrooms that they held an emergency session inspires mockery, not fear. But the law, passed with little review late last month, has a sinister
The Huffington Post: North Carolina’s New Anti-LGBT Law is Senseless — And Sinister Read More »
