Tag: Sexual Harassment

Does This Recent EEOC Lawsuit Make You Rethink Your Sexual Harassment Training?

In the suit, Fry Electronics worker America Rios complained to her boss, Ka Lam,  that her manager was sexting her and inviting her to his house to drink. After Lam reported the harassment to Fry’s legal department, he was fired, allegedly for “declining performance.” Unfortunately, Lam’s work had been consistently commended. This, of course, is […]

Could Sexual Harassment Training Have Prevented This Controversial Ruling in the First Place?

In 2007, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued on behalf of a class of female tractor-trailer drivers against a large interstate trucking firm. But judges in two federal courts have now virtually thrown the case out. What happened. CRST Van Expedited is the trucking firm, and one of its female trainees complained to EEOC […]

Need More Effective Training to Prevent Sexual Harassment?

In today’s Advisor, we’ll propose several scenarios that will help with your anti-harassment training. Jack and Jill Jack, a manager, asks Jill, one of his supervisors, out on a date. She says “No,” he never asks her again, and their business relationship continues as it was. Any problem? [Not immediately, but what if Jill suffers […]

Case Demonstrates Importance of Training on Same-Sex Harassment

What happened In April 1990, “Kerry” was hired as a parole officer by the New York State Division of Parole. In February 2005, “Shannon,” a female area supervisor, was transferred to oversee the Queens, New York, office where Kerry worked. Kerry alleged that on three occasions between mid-April and mid-September 2005, Shannon sexually harassed her […]

Company Owner’s Sexting Costs Him and His Business

By Hadiya Roderique Modern technology provides many new avenues for human rights violations. As recently learned by the owner of British Columbia-based Metro Aluminum Products, sending sexually-related text messages or photos electronically by mobile phones, also known as sexting, can get you into trouble. Sexting is getting widespread attention in the media. It’s no longer […]

Relying on Luck to Avoid Employee Legal Claims Is Dangerous and Expensive

Here’s a case that will probably make employers feel great about their own compliance efforts. You know who you are: You train your new hires on all company policies, you have sparkling and oft-reviewed nondiscrimination, nonharassment, and nonretaliation policies, you conduct supervisory training early and often, and your folks know how to recognize potentially harassing […]

How Much Does Brett Favre Case Reveal?

by Dennis J. Merley The “will he or won’t he” retirement saga of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has been a source of speculation and a modest degree of amusement in the sports world. His more recent “did he or didn’t he” events, however, raise serious issues that HR professionals and employment lawyers know all […]

The Wedding, Part II

Well, it’s a little difficult to write about the perils of working in Scranton with Michael Scott as your boss when the entire office is attending a wedding, but here goes. After watching last night’s repeat episode of Jim’s and Pam’s wedding, I can’t say that getting married to a coworker is always a bad […]

Novartis Enters Settlement Agreement for Remaining Members of Gender Bias Suit

Following a massive $250 million punitive damages verdict from a Manhattan jury, Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis has agreed to settle the remaining claims in a recent gender bias suit. Pending final approval by the district judge, the settlement would be more than $152 million and would cover the remainder of the 5,600 claims filed in […]