Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Whenever an employer investigates employee misconduct, there’s a chance it will find—and may have to disclose—negative facts. This is true when a hospital investigates the medical conduct of a doctor, or an employer investigates an employee for potential harassment. In both instances, and in the absence of malice, those investigations are protected by the litigation […]
Every day, we go to work expecting to be able to do our jobs without harassment or unneeded stress. Unfortunately, not everyone is granted that opportunity. In fact, there were over 26,000 reports of workplace harassment in 2018 alone. Obviously, a problem exists.
My wife and I are currently binge-watching Little Fires Everywhere, a Hulu miniseries based on a book of the same name. Set in Shaker Heights, Ohio, during the late 1990s, Fires stars Reese Witherspoon as Elena Richardson (a white, married, upper-middle-class newspaper reporter with four children) and Kerry Washington as Mia Warren (a black, single mother who works as an artist and supplements her income through other part-time jobs).
When your organization receives its first discrimination charge from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or your applicable state’s Department of Labor and Human Rights, you may wonder, “What does this mean?” or “What do we do now?”
In a recent episode of “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Kimmy settles into a new job in management / human resources at a small tech startup company, Giztoob. Her boss orders her to fire an employee because he’s always late. Kimmy agrees that this particular employee “does a bad job” and needs to be fired, but […]
2017 saw an unprecedented number of people come forward with stories of hostile work environments dating back 20 years or more. The impact of those stories has undoubtedly left countless people (and possibly their employers) worrying that their improper conduct from years ago may be the next story to break.
The avalanche of complaints emboldened by the #metoo movement shows no sign of relenting, and many caught in its crosshairs have been unceremoniously fired or forced to resign based on allegations of harassment. Of course, when such allegations arise in the employment context, employers have a duty to investigate and to take action when there […]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit—which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee—has held that liability cannot be imputed to an employer for a manager’s alleged sexual harassment when the manager lacked decision-making authority over the employee.
by Theodore Fong The risks to employers in sexual harassment cases can be big. Potential liability can arise from any decision. Employers may then find themselves having to make tough decisions on tight timelines. The key to ensuring an appropriate response is to be prepared. Preparation will permit an employer to take a proactive approach, […]
Sexual harassment — the subject has exploded in recent weeks as people from all walks have spoken up about a menacing workplace problem. Even though antiharassment efforts are a priority in human resources circles, recent revelations about the actions of some high-profile executives are likely to cause employers to ask the question, “Are we doing […]