Harassment
Very Interesting! EEOC Releases Official FY2018 Charge Statistics
Most charges were down, but sex harassment, LGBT charges were up. Last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released its charge-filing statistics for fiscal year 2018, which ran from October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018. According to Law360, EEOC charges in FY 2018 were at their lowest level since 2006. Yes, 2006. When George…
Read MoreThe Rumor Mill Is Now Your Problem? Yes, According to the Fourth Circuit
In a decision that could have wide-ranging implications for all employers, the Fourth Circuit Court, located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the District of Maryland, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of South Carolina, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District…
Read MoreGardner v. CLC of Pascagoula, LLC -What Constitutes “Severe and Pervasive” Conduct With Respect to “Third-Party Harassment”?
Employers may be liable to their employees for harassment by non-employees under Title VII. Courts have found liability for this so-called “third-party harassment” in some of the following fact-specific contexts: waitresses harassed by their dining customers; casino dealers suffering harassment from gamblers at the table; and vendors being harassed by clients they visit onsite for…
Read MoreTips For Planning Holiday Parties
Holiday parties are a great way to show appreciation to employees for dedication and hard work. But they can also expose employers to liability for harm caused by employees who become intoxicated during the festivities. For example, parties can be fertile ground for unwanted sexual overtures that result in harassment complaints. Additionally, they can lead…
Read MoreEducate Managers About Third-Party Harassment
Many managers aren’t aware that their companies could be liable for harassment if a customer or vendor harasses an employee. And worse, some managers try to squelch any third-party harassment claims from employees to avoid losing business. Unfortunately, you could find dozens, maybe hundreds, of cases where managers get a complaint from an employee about customer or third-party potential harassment, and the…
Read MoreWorkplace Bullies Can Threaten the Heart
If you’re bullied by a bad boss or co-worker, your heart may pay the price, new research shows. Victims of on-the-job bullying or violence faced a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, the researchers found. The new study of more than 79,000 European workers couldn’t prove cause and effect. But if there is a…
Read MoreEEOC Is Committed to Ending Workplace Harassment
Curbing workplace sexual harassment is an ongoing priority for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), according to agency leaders. The EEOC received more sexual-harassment charges in fiscal year 2018 than 2017 and filed more sexual-harassment lawsuits on behalf of aggrieved workers. The agency has put a huge emphasis on anti-harassment efforts and is focusing on…
Read MoreHarassment Claim Advances Despite Failure to Report Misconduct
An employee’s sexual harassment claim against her former employer could proceed to trial, even though she did not report the alleged conduct to management during her tenure, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided. Other employees did report incidents of harassment by the alleged harasser, however. The plaintiff began her employment with Susquehanna County,…
Read MoreOnce Is Enough: Eleventh Circuit Allows Racial Harassment Claim Against Health Care Provider to Proceed—and Takeaways For Employers
Synopsis: In a recent decision, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: Middle District of Alabama. Northern District of Alabama. … Southern District of Georgia, held that the use of the N-Word in the workplace one time is sufficient to trigger a hostile work environment. Additionally, the…
Read MoreCan You Be Held Personally Liable In An Employment Lawsuit? The Answer Lies Down A Rabbit Hole
In “Alice in Wonderland,” the Queen of Hearts once proclaimed, “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” This appears to be the rallying cry of many plaintiffs across the country when they file administrative charges and lawsuits. They continue to name individual supervisors and human resources directors as individual defendants…
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