Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In yesterday’s Advisor, we looked at definitions of many common terms in the confusing world of gender discrimination. Today, some tips for avoiding the lawsuits that come in all these varieties. There’s bad news on the gender discrimination front for employers: When cases do go before a jury, judgments have skyrocketed. For example, in 1991 […]
Sex discrimination used to seem simple (or so it appeared) but it has morphed into a miasma of complexity—transexuality, gender identity, gay, straight, transgender. What do these terms mean? How are they used? Here’s what you need to know: Before you begin talking sexual harassment to supervisors, employees, or lawyers, you need to get your […]
Let’s face it. We’re living in a society that’s fascinated, if not obsessed, with the private lives of other people. As much as you may want to deny it, you know you’ve looked at the National Enquirer more than once — even if it was just while you were waiting in the grocery store checkout […]
by Margaret DiBianca Politics isn’t a career for the thin-skinned. “Getting the goods” on one’s opponent often seems like a strategic tactic. Candidates who engage in that “strategy” look for harmful information, and then, when the time is right, maybe at a rally or mid-debate, the goods are slung like mud in the general direction […]
Yesterday’s Advisor talked about one of the dumbest, yet most prevalent, management actions—retaliation. Today, let’s talk about how to prevent it. Let’s admit it—nothing feels as good as planning retaliation. And nothing can make you feel as bad if you actually go through with it. So what can you do to stop managers from acting […]
Yesterday’s Advisor gave tips for preventing harassment. But there’s always the lingering question, What’s harassment and what isn’t? In many cases of harassment, the question is where the line lies between permitted and forbidden actions. In fact, the law maintains that harassment is really defined by the victim—it doesn’t matter what the harasser’s intentions are—it’s […]
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, romance is in the air—and maybe even in the workplace. But while workplace romance may be a nice diversion for those involved, it can create some big risks for employers. This can include the threat of sexual harassment lawsuits when a relationship sours, lowered productivity, and even diminished morale […]
Multimillion dollar harassment settlements and judgments just keep on coming. Recent headlines run the gamut from “Unwanted Touching at McDonalds” to “Harassment at Madison Square Garden.” How can HR help? Is harassment happening at your workplace? Has it continued over time? If so, experts offer two explanations as to why: Either management is unaware (unlikely} […]
The more employees travel for business, the more exposure employers have — often with costly consequences. Businesses must be prepared for problems that might arise when male and female employees travel together, whether domestically or internationally. Contrary to popular belief, what happens in Vegas doesn’t really stay in Vegas — it gets told in court. […]
(Updated October 2008) A federal appeals court affirmed the dismissal of a disability discrimination claim based on perfume sensitivity. It found that the employer reasonably accommodated the employee by taking various measures, including prohibiting perfume in the workplace. HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 topics, including the Americans with […]