Workplace Fairness

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Articles on workplace-related issues from newspapers and Internet news sources around the country.

February 2, 2012

L.A. Fire Department Settles EEOC Harassment & Retaliation Case for Nearly $500,000

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Firefighter Tormented by Sexual and Religious Harassment & Disciplined in Retaliation for Participating in Another Firefighter's Discrimination Proceeding

Indiana enacts 'right to work' law

Source: Michael Muskow, LA Times

Gov. Mitch Daniels signs legislation making Indiana the 23rd state with a 'right to work' law, which allows workers to avoid paying union dues. Opponents say they will try to repeal it.

Former Intern Sues Hearst Over Unpaid Work and Hopes to Create a Class Action

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

A former unpaid intern for the fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar filed a lawsuit on Wednesday.

February 1, 2012

How to Work with Someone You Hate

Source: Amy Gallo, Harvard Business Review

Working with someone you hate can be distracting and draining.

Should Businesses Worry About Appearance-Based Discrimination in the Workplace?

Source: Evangeline Gonzales, Forbes

Conventional wisdom and research posits that, in addition to popularity and access to their choice of a mate, attractive people tend to get higher evaluations and salaries than their peers and more favorable judgments in trials.

Generational stereotypes entering the workplace

Source: Lisa Thorton, The Charlotte Observer

Glen Swyers owns an iPad and a smartphone. He's known for decades how to work a computer.

Citigroup unit to pay $500,000 in age bias case

Source: Suzanne Barlyn, Reuters

A unit of Citigroup must pay $500,000 to a former branch manager who alleged the company fired him because of his age.

December 23, 2011

DOL Wins Argument that Federal Law Doesn't Displace Stricter State and Local Safety Requirements

Source: Patricia Smith

In 2008 a construction crane collapsed on the East side of Manhattan, killing seven people and injuring more than twenty.

Millennials to business: Social responsibility isn't optional

Source: Michelle Nunn, Washington Post

Michelle Nunn is CEO of Points of Light Institute, a nonprofit nonpartisan volunteer organization with more than 20 years of history. She is also the co-founder of the HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of the Points of Light Institute.

Payroll tax bill: Impasse angers workers who could lose $20 a week or more

Source: Tammy Webber , Christian Science Monitor

Payroll tax bill would allow $50,000 a year earner to continue saving $1,000 in taxes annually. Americans are frustrated at the lack of compromise over a payroll tax bill.

December 22, 2011

Unions Win More Freedom to Organize in Workplace

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

New federal rules unveiled Wednesday will make it tougher for employers to stall union-organizing drives inside the workplace, one of the biggest changes in decades to how workers join unions.

Court sets high bar for employers in discrimination case

Source: West Law, Thompson Reuters

A unanimous state appeals court ruled Tuesday that employers seeking to defeat discrimination actions brought under New York City's human-rights law must explain and prove beyond dispute the non-discriminatory motives for their actions.

Labor Board Adopts Rules to Speed Unionization Votes

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The National Labor Relations Board announced on Wednesday that it had adopted new rules that would speed up unionization elections.

December 21, 2011

Workplace Law: Judgment entered in sex discrimination case

Source: Joshua Sudbury , The Tennessean

In recent years, legal scholars and others have speculated as to whether a transgender individual had the right to sue for discrimination based on "sex."

Board adopts amendments to election case procedures

Source: Office of Public Affairs , NLRB

The National Labor Relations Board has adopted a final rule amending its election case procedures to reduce unnecessary litigation and delays. The rule will be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, December 22, and is due to take effect on April 30, 2012.

What Millennials want from the workplace

Source: Sang Tan, Washington Post

When it comes to life on the job, Millennials, who are slated to become half of the workforce in a matter of years, have markedly different goals from their parents. These include a demand for greater social responsibility on the part of their employers.

December 20, 2011

Working Through the Holidays, Sort Of

Source: Mellisa Korn, Wall Street Journal

A new report from office-space company Regus PLC says 64% of U.S. employees will be working the week between Christmas and New Year's, with 56% actually coming into the office.

The Coming War for the Social Workplace

Source: Quentin Hardy , New York Times

The hard-nosed competition for billions in corporate software spending is heading for an improbable showdown: Will the boss "like" that product prototyping cost projection?

The New NLRB Controversy

Source: Robert VerBruggen, National Review

While the Boeing and quickie-election crises have been addressed for the time being, the political fights over the National Labor Relations Board continue -- a predictable consequence of the law that created the board.

December 19, 2011

Jim Robinson Ford-Lincoln-Mercury to Pay $56,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Lawsuit

Source: Pam Fessler, EEOC

Car Dealership Fired Salesperson Because of Leg Condition, Federal Agency Charged.

Prepping for Your Annual Review

Source: Eilene Zimmerman , New York Times

It's time for your yearly performance review. You aren't expecting any big surprises, but you still feel a little nervous. How should you prepare for this meeting?

A holiday wish list for the workplace

Source: Rex Huppke, Chicago Tribune

Let's end this work year and start the new one with honesty, better feedback, a little attitude adjustment -- and doughnuts.

December 16, 2011

Wage Protection for Home Care Workers

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The Obama administration proposed regulations on Thursday to give the nation's nearly two million home care workers minimum wage and overtime protections.

Disability-Benefits System Faces Review

Source: Damian Paletta, Wall Street Journal

The Social Security Administration has commissioned an independent review of the federal disability system amid concerns it awards benefits to those who don't deserve them and denies benefits to those who do.

Former N.B.A. Employee Says Sexual Harassment Concerns Were Ignored

Source: Howard Beck, New York Times

A former N.B.A. security official says that he repeatedly warned his superiors that women in the office were being sexually harassed or discriminated against.

December 14, 2011

When Are Partners Really Employees?

Source: Joe Palazzolo, Wall Street Journal

At big firms with scads of partners, a pecking order develops.

Three Types of People to Hire Today

Source: G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón, Business Week

Add these individuals to your team, and watch your innovation quotient surge.

Senate to take up payroll tax plan opposed by Obama

Source: Ted Barrett, Kate Bolduan and Tom Cohen, CNN

Following House passage of a Republican plan that would extend the payroll tax cut and speed the process for government approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, attention shifted Wednesday to the Senate, where the measure was deemed unlikely to pass because of strong Democratic opposition.

December 13, 2011

Would You Rat Out Your Boss? Majority of Americans Say Yes - For a Price

Source: Sam Gustin, TIME

More than three-quarters of Americans would blow the whistle on wrongdoing at their workplace, according to a newly released survey -- but only if they could do so anonymously.

Lawyer Accused of Seeking Secretary with 'Benefits' Gets One-Year Suspension

Source: Debra Cassens Weiss, ABA Journal

An Illinois lawyer accused of telling an applicant for a secretarial position that the job included "sexual interaction" has been suspended for one year.

Woman who underwent sex change wins workplace discrimination claim

Source: Bill Mears, CNN

Transgender groups are applauding a court ruling in favor of a Georgia woman who sued after claiming she was fired from her state position because of a sex change.

December 12, 2011

No Vacation or Bonus? Workers Say OK

Source: Mellisa Korn, Wall Street Journal

Workers will go to great lengths to hold onto their jobs, according to a new survey.

Dealing with depression difficult in workplace

Source: Diane Stafford, Kansas City Star

The way Ryan Lefebvre remembers it, fellow baseball broadcaster Fred White looked at him and asked, "Are you OK?

Dr. Pepper to pay over discrimination claims in LA

Source: AP, SF Gate

A federal jury has ordered Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. to pay $18.3 million to six people who sued a Los Angeles bottling subsidiary alleging age discrimination.

December 2, 2011

Job Seekers: Get HR on Your Side

Source: Amy Gallo, Harvard Business Review

Employers are dealing with more job applicants than ever. With thousands of submissions for a single vacancy, companies must be more diligent when sorting the wheat from the chaff.

For Angry Employees, Legal Cover for Rants

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

Workers fired or disciplined for bad-mouthing employers on social-networking sites are fighting back using a decades-old labor law--a new front in the murky battle over what workers can do and say online.

Does Boeing settlement mean NLRB's actions were for naught?

Source: Alana Semuels, LA Times

Out of all of the Obama administration's appointees, those on the National Labor Relations Board have been among the most productive -- and controversial.

November 30, 2011

20 workplace truisms for up-and-comers

Source: Steve Tobak , CBS

Once in a great while, experience teaches us a lesson that can only be described as an axiom or a truism.

Help Wanted: In Unexpected Twist, Some Skilled Jobs Go Begging

Source: Ben Cassleman, Wall Street Journal

Ferrie Bailey's job should be easy: hiring workers amid the worst stretch of unemployment since the Depression.

US Labor Dept. alleges discrimination by Cargill

Source: Jeanie Nuss, Bloomberg

One of the nation's largest meatpackers systematically discriminated against more than 4,000 qualified applicants who sought entry-level jobs at a turkey processing plant in Arkansas, the U.S. Labor Department said Tuesday.

November 29, 2011

Senate Democrats Propose Extending Payroll Tax Cut

Source: Jennifer Steinhaur , New York Times

Senate Democrats introduced legislation Monday to extend and expand an expiring payroll tax cut, setting the stage for a showdown with Republicans who are almost certain to reject the Democrats' proposal for paying for the cut

Should Legislation Protect the Obese?

Source: New York Times

A recent Gallup survey of absenteeism among unhealthy American workers found that about 86 percent of full-time workers are above normal weight or have at least one chronic condition.

Dodge's Chicken To Pay $190,000 To Former Employee Fired After Suffering From Seizures

Source: Press Release, EEOC

D&H Company, Dodge Brothers, Inc., and Giant Oil Company of Arkansas, Inc., doing business as Savings Station Dodge Stores and Dodge's Chicken Store, will pay $190,000 to settle a disability lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

November 28, 2011

Sleeping Giant at Walmart Wakes -- Its Vast Workforce

Source: Jack Neff, AdAge

Measures to Motivate, Mobilize Staff Are Opening up Opportunities for Consumer Brands.

Sexually harassed interns often feel they have nowhere to turn

Source: Vikki Ortiz Healy, Chicago Tribune

It is not uncommon for the sexual harassment of interns to go unreported, experts say

Look beyond age for effective bosses

Source: Andrea Kay Gannett, USA Today

Some older workers with younger bosses think the latter are "fools with 2-second attention spans who don't know how to hold a face-to-face conversation."

November 23, 2011

Metallic Products Corp. Pays $60,000 To Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Company Fired Employee on His 70th Birthday Under Illegal Mandatory Retirement Policy, Federal Agency Charged.

Gen Y Women In The Workplace: What Employers Need To Unlearn And Relearn

Source: Debora Frett, Huffington Post

The key to recruiting, supporting and retaining Gen Y workers may require unlearning what we "know" about this cohort and relearning the importance of flexibility, equality and inclusivity for business success.

Des Moines to bar gender-identity bias

Source: AP, TH Online

The Des Moines City Council has voted to bar discrimination based on gender identity, becoming the ninth Iowa city to do so.

November 22, 2011

Jackson Park Hospital To Pay $80,000 To Settle EEOC Lawsuit For Race And Sex Discrimination And Retaliation

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Agency Charged Black Female Employees Were Segregated in Job Assignments.

Cutting Hours Instead of Jobs

Source: Justin Lahart, Wall Street Journal

Rhode Island, Other States Offer Partial Unemployment for Shortened Workweeks.

Next congressional battle: Payroll taxes

Source: Charles Riley, CNN

With the super committee's failure, lawmakers are now facing a year-end legislative challenge that could have an outsized impact on the economy.

November 21, 2011

Why Training Employees Is Always a High-Wire Act

Source: Rick Wartzman, Bloomberg

Designing the right employee-training programs is as complex as it is crucial

NLRB to Consider Speedier Union Votes

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

National Labor Relations Board Chairman Mark Pearce has scheduled a Nov. 30 vote on a scaled-back version of a controversial proposal that would speed up union-organizing elections.

Redefining the Union Boss

Source: Kathleen Sharp, New York Times

NOT long ago, truckers pulled off highways across America and tuned in to someone whose CB handle was "Troublemaker."

November 16, 2011

Two decades after Anita Hill: how workplaces are handling sexual harassment

Source: Husna Haq, Christian Science Monitor

Sexual misconduct allegations against GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain have put a spotlight on secret settlements, which many businesses are turning to in sexual harassment cases.

Workplace harassment drawing wide concern

Source: Scott Clement, Washington Post

Nearly two-thirds of Americans say sexual harassment is a problem in this country.

November 15, 2011

Collaboration's Hidden Tax on Women's Careers

Source: Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath, and Mary Davis Holt , Harvard Business Review

A few years ago we hosted a seminar for 150 businesswomen.

Transgender bill on the move, chairman sees house vote this week

Source: Kyle Cheney, Boston Herald

A legislative committee has begun polling its members on a long-stalled bill to include transgender residents in the state's non-discrimination laws, setting up a vote in the House this week, according to a top deputy to Speaker Robert DeLeo.

Proskauer Rose Asks Judge to Dismiss Discrimination Suit

Source: Chris Dolmetsch, Bloomberg

Proskauer Rose LLP asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Elly Rosenthal, its former chief financial officer, in which she alleged the law firm wrongly fired her after she took leave for treatment of breast cancer.

November 14, 2011

Victim of workplace sexual harassment? You may not be alone

Source: Christopher Sign , ABC

For more than a decade, Rebecca Currie has guided victims of workplace sexual harassment, but she says very few actually file a complaint.

Unpaid Interns: Real World Work Or Just Free Labor?

Source: NPR

Over 1 million Americans a year work as interns. About half of them are unpaid.

Framing Discrimination Law: Wal-Mart v. Dukes and Title VII

Source: Sandra Sperino, Jurist

JURIST Guest Columnist Sandra Sperino of the University of Cincinnati College of Law says that the frameworks courts currently use to examine employment discrimination cases are too narrow in scope to deal with the type of discrimination alleged in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc

November 11, 2011

More boomers working past retirement

Source: Jennifer Kerr, USA Today

Ohio Ballot Win for Unions May Not Mean End of Labor Fights

Source: Mark Niquette and Holly Rosenkrantz, Bloomberg

Ohio voters' Nov. 8 repeal of a law limiting collective bargaining for public employees may not stop efforts across the U.S. to curb union power as states face fiscal struggles.

How to Recognize Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Source: Heather Huhman, US News & World Report

As the victim of sexual harassment in two different previous workplaces, I think it's important that everyone understands what constitutes sexual harassment and what steps they should take to alleviate the situation.

November 10, 2011

Health Law Survives Test in Court of Appeals

Source: John Schwartz, New York Times

A federal appeals court in Washington upheld the Obama administration's health care law on Tuesday in a decision written by a prominent conservative jurist.

Ohio Vote on Labor Is Parsed for Omens

Source: Steven Greenhouse & Sabrina Tavernese, New York Times

The landslide vote to repeal an Ohio law that limits collective bargaining has sounded a strong note of caution for Republican governors and lawmakers across the country.

California Supreme Court ponders work break rules

Source: Maura Dolan, LA Times

Jurists appear to be leaning toward flexibility for non-unionized hourly workers on whether to take breaks.

November 9, 2011

Reported incidents down, but sexual harassment in workplace remains prevalent

Source: Katherine Yung & Patricia Montemurri, Detroit Free Press

A lot has changed in the American workplace since the "Mad Men" era, when sexual harassment was rampant.

Wal-Mart Plans Ambitious Expansion Into Medical Care

Source: Julie Appleby & Sarah Varney, NPR

Wal-Mart wants to be your doctor.

Ohio Turns Back a Law Limiting Unions' Rights

Source: http://tinyurl.com/cw5llra, New York Times

A year after Republicans swept legislatures across the country, voters in Ohio delivered their verdict Tuesday on a centerpiece of the conservative legislative agenda, striking down a law that restricted public workers' rights to bargain collectively.

November 8, 2011

Comfort Suites To Pay $132,500 For Disability Discrimination Against Clerk With Autism

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Hotel Fired Clerk After Denying Him a State-Paid Job Coach, Charged EEOC.

Senate Acts on 2 Pieces of Proposal on Hiring

Source: Mark Landler & Jennifer Steinhaur, New York Times

The Senate on Monday cleared the way for a measure that would repeal a tax withholding program on government contractors and provide tax incentives for companies that hire veterans.

Maverik Agrees To Pay $115,000 To Settle EEOC Lawsuit For Disability Discrimination

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Employee Unlawfully Fired Because of HIV Status, Federal Agency Charged.

November 7, 2011

Sexual Harassment's Legal Morass

Source: Curt Levey, Wall Street Journal

Even an employer who avoids trial and prevails on summary judgment will ring up a defense bill of $100,000.

Stop Avoiding Office Politics

Source: Linda H Hill & Ken Lineback , Harvard Business Review

"I won't do it," he said. "I don't care who they are; I won't buddy up to people I don't like and respect just because I want something from them."

Probation for a 48-Year-Old Employee?

Source: Liz Ryan, Business Week

Kevin's crime was speaking out too aggressively and his manager wanted to take him down. In stepped a human resources pro.

November 4, 2011

Racist picture center of discrimination lawsuit

Source: Christine Dobbin, ABC

Santa Claus, a Klu Klux Klan hood and a burning cross -- those three things are at the center of a discrimination lawsuit three workers have filed against their former employer.

Showing Disruption of Work Is Key to Success of Harassment Cases

Source: Brent Kendall & Ashby Jones, Wall Street Journal

People may have many different behaviors in mind when they talk about sexual harassment, but in the legal arena, making a case often hinges on whether the conduct is pervasive or serious enough to disrupt an employee's work, lawyers say.

Maternity leave: 4 tricks for going back to work

Source: Amy Levin-Epstein, CBS

The return from maternity leave is a key juncture in a woman's career.

November 3, 2011

Wal-Mart Discriminated Against Women Workers in Texas, Suit Says

Source: Margaret Cronin Fisk and Karen Gullo, Bloomberg

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. discriminated against female workers in Texas, shortchanging them on pay and promotion opportunities, lawyers for the women said in a complaint.

How Technology Is Eliminating Higher-Skill Jobs

Source: Chris Arnold, NPR

The U.S. economy hit an important milestone last week: gross domestic product, the sum of all goods and services produced in the country, returned to pre-recession levels.

What Herman Cain's fundraising bonanza says to women about sexual harassment

Source: Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Washington Post

As the story of the sexual harassment allegations against GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain broke, Cain had his best 24-hour fundraising stretch.

November 2, 2011

Volunteering Rises on the Résumé

Source: John Leland, New York Times

Volunteer experience has long been a secondary consideration in people's career portfolios.

Reorganizing? Think Again

Source: Ron Ashkenas, Harvard Business Review

But what they won't tell you is the one sport that all managers play the most: The Game of Reorganization.

Health of U.S. Workforce Continues to Decline, Driving Up Employer Costs, According to Annual Index from Thomson Reuters

Source: Press Release, Reuters

The unhealthy behaviors of the U.S. workforce now cost employers an average of $623 per employee annually, according to the Thomson Reuters Workforce Wellness Index.

November 1, 2011

California's Retirement-Age Increase Puts State in Rare Company

Source: Christopher Palmeri, SF Gate

Governor Jerry Brown's proposal to raise the age when most public workers can retire with full benefits to 67, from 55, would put California in the company of just three other states.

California employers embrace E-Verify

Source: Matt O'Brien, Mercury News

Illegal immigrants will have a harder time securing a job -- some jobs, at least -- as more Bay Area employers screen new hires through an immigration records check.

Workplace incivility is no laughing matter

Source: Sarah Sutschek, Northwest Herald

Karla Dobbeck's clients tell her they have an employee with a bad attitude, a harassment issue, or a bully on hand.

October 28, 2011

Liberating Data for Mainstream America

Source: Deputy Secretary, Seth Harris, Department of Labor

In July the Labor Department launched its first-ever contests to spur the software developer community to create "apps," or smartphone and computer applications, that would be useful for the public.

What Happened to the Gen Y Work-Life Revolution?

Source: Samantha Parent Walravens, Huffington Post

The work-life conflict of my generation -- Generation X, or those born between 1965 and 1980 -- has been defined by the unrealistic expectations that women, primarily, have placed on themselves to "have it all".

Female Wal-Mart Employees File New Bias Case

Source: Andrew Martin, New York Times

Four months after the Supreme Court tossed out their national class-action lawsuit, lawyers representing women who claimed that Wal-Mart Stores had discriminated against them filed a new lawsuit on Thursday that narrowed their claims to the California stores of the retail chain.

October 27, 2011

Deep Backlog Is Detailed at New York City's Bias Watchdog

Source: David Chen, New York Times

New York City's watchdog on discrimination issues has fallen so far behind on its workload that it should consider private financing to compensate for chronic budget cuts, according to an audit from the city comptroller, John C. Liu.

Enough With the Corporate Pity Party, It's Time to Create Jobs

Source: Kimberly Freeman Brown, Huffington Post

The country is in crisis. Unemployment is still hovering at 9 percent, income inequality has soared to record levels, and 46 million -- one in six -- Americans are living in poverty.

Employers May Not Rush To Drop Health Coverage After All

Source: Julie Rovner, NPR

Despite claims to the contrary, a insightful economic analysis suggests that it wouldn't be in most employers' business interests to stop providing health insurance when the main coverage provisions of the federal health overhaul kick in.

October 26, 2011

Reality TV approach to job search can derail prospects

Source: Anita Bruzzese , USA Today

Sometimes it can be frustrating as a job seeker when you're trying to get the attention of an employer.

5 Steps To Taking Charge of Your Career

Source: Suzane Lucas , bNet

This isn't a question, just a thanks to helping me with my career. I've been at the same organization since I was 24 and I am about to turn 32.

AT&T settles EEOC nationwide age bias lawsuit

Source: Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

AT&T Inc has settled a nationwide lawsuit by a U.S. agency accusing it of age discrimination for refusing to rehire tens of thousands of workers who had retired from the largest U.S. telephone company.

October 25, 2011

US Labor Department publishes final regulation to improve access to quality investment advice

Source: News Release, Department of Labor

Regulation implements prohibited transaction exemption under 2006 Pension Protection Act.

Religion in the workplace is an issue on the rise

Source: Hugh Willet , Knoxville Biz

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Justice statistics indicate that complaints of religious harassment in the workplace are on the rise.

Musician suing for age bias who complained about elderly judge reassigned same 88-year-old judge

Source: Scott Shifrel , New York Daily News

Violinist Martin Stoner, 60, is suing for age-discrimination because he was barred from the Young Concert Artists competition.

October 24, 2011

IRS Boosts Maximum 401(k) Contribution

Source: AP, NPR

The Internal Revenue Service is raising the maximum contribution that workers can make to their 401(k) pension plans without paying upfront taxes. The limit will rise by $500 to $17,000 next year.

Hertz fires 26 Muslims in Sea-Tac prayer dispute

Source: AP, Atlanta Journal Constitution

More than two dozen Somali Muslim drivers for Hertz at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are being fired after refusing to clock out for daily breaks during which they normally pray.

No more hiding: Alzheimer's vs. the workplace

Source: Diane Stafford, Kansas City Star

Confronting an employee who exhibits symptoms of dementia requires careful navigation of Americans with Disabilities, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination and human rights acts.

October 20, 2011

Starting salaries for white-collar workers expected to get a boost

Source: Allison Linn, Life Inc.

If you're lucky enough to land a white-collar job next year, you also may get a slightly better salary offer than folks who were hired this year.

Occupy Wall Street reacts to Goldman Sachs pay

Source: CNN

Goldman Sachs has set aside $10 billion for staff pay so far this year, or roughly $292,000 per employee. That's down $78,000 from last year.

Labor Advocates Won't Let Up Against Jobless Discrimination

Source: Jordan Howard, Huffington Post

For the past several months one labor advocacy group has continuously hammered companies that list job postings discriminating against the jobless

October 18, 2011

As open enrollment starts, employers push health

Source: Carrie Teegardin, Atlanta Journal Constitution

Employers make push for wellness as costs go up, packages go out.

Is Religion Above the Law?

Source: Stanley Fish

The religion clause case recently argued before the Supreme Court -- Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC -- centers on the "ministerial exception.

Income Disparity And The 'Price Of Civilization'

Source: NPR Staff, NPR

The Occupy Wall Street movement has been criticized for lacking focus -- but its main slogan seems to be resonating.

October 17, 2011

Thomasville City Schools Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Federal Agency Obtains $25,000 for School Teacher Who Was Denied Promotion to Assistant Principal Due to Her Age.

Ohio Wages Fierce Fight on Collective Bargaining

Source: Steven Greenhouse, USA Today

The push to repeal the law, enacted by the Republican-led legislature in March, will be one of the biggest battles in the country this Election Day, with the law's supporters and opponents expected to spend in total more than $20 million in the fight.

Anita Hill still looking to make a difference

Source: Cassandra Spratling, USA Today

When Sandra Kent began working on bringing Anita Hill to Detroit, she was shocked that her 17-year-old granddaughter didn't know who Hill was.

October 13, 2011

Challenging Perceived Wisdom ... are our workplace preconceptions valid?

Source: Samantha Thorton, JC Associates

Our new study of workplace reality is the largest and most far-reaching in terms of both scale and scope.

Obama vows to break jobs plan into separate bills after Senate setback

Source: Alan Silverleib, CNN Politics

Shortly after his $447 billion jobs plan stalled Tuesday in the Senate, President Barack Obama vowed to break the broad initiative down into numerous, separate bills -- potentially setting up even more showdowns between Democrats and Republicans on how to boost the economy and where to get the money to do so.

Solving the Health Care Cost Crisis

Source: Michael Porter & Robert Kaplan , Harvard Business Review

Michael Porter and Robert S. Kaplan, Harvard Business School professors and authors of the HBR article How to Solve the Cost Crisis in Health Care, explain why providers must start with proper measurement.

October 12, 2011

Minimum wage to rise in eight states

Source: Tami Luhby, CNN Money

Minimum-wage workers in eight states could see their paychecks grow by hundreds of dollars next year, thanks to automatic annual increases in the rates.

Jobs Bill Defeated Despite Presidential Push

Source: Ari Shapiro, NPR

Ever since President Obama proposed his $447 billion jobs bill in a joint address to Congress last month, he has been campaigning for it nonstop. He has whipped up crowds all across America who chant, "Pass this bill!"

Workplace Confusion: Open Enrollment Benefits Season Begins

Source: Ashlea Ebeling , Forbes

If you've got a job with benefits, chances are you got an email recently from the human resources department reminding you that open enrollment is around the corner.

October 11, 2011

Should Companies Use Credit Checks to Screen Job Applicants?

Source: Adam Cohen, Time

It is a harsh catch-22, particularly in today's moribund economy: many companies routinely rule out job applicants who fail a credit check.

New Research Busts Myths About the Gender Gap

Source: Christine Silva and Nancy Carter, Harvard Business Review

The glass ceiling, a phrase popularized in a 1986 Wall Street Journal article, has been invoked for years as the barrier keeping women from reaching the executive ranks in numbers paralleling men.

Minimum wage to rise in eight states

Source: Tami Luhby, CNN Money

Minimum-wage workers in eight states could see their paychecks grow by hundreds of dollars next year, thanks to automatic annual increases in the rates

October 10, 2011

New site lets consumers monitor health insurance rate hikes

Source: Kelly Kennedy , USA Today

Beginning Thursday, consumers across the country can click their state on a federal Web page to see if a health insurer has raised its rates, as well as the company's reason for doing so.

Recent Flurry of NLRB Complaints Puts Focus on Evolving Social Media Disciplinary Issues

Source: Patricia Nemeth & Erin Behler , Law.com

The National Labor Relations Board's involvement with social media disciplinary issues first made headlines in October 2010.

Supreme Court Justices Find Government Line in Church-State Case 'Amazing'

Source: Warren Richey , ABC

In an important test of the boundaries of the separation of church and state, the US Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in a case examining whether a parochial school teacher may be barred from filing a discrimination lawsuit against her employer when the suit might entangle government in matters of religious faith.

October 7, 2011

As new immigration law in Alabama takes effect, construction and farm workers flee

Source: AP, Washington Post

Alabama's strict new immigration law may be backfiring. Intended to force illegal workers out of jobs, it is also driving away many construction workers, roofers and field hands in the country legally who do backbreaking jobs that Americans generally won't.

Judge upholds firing of Ohio teacher in Bible case

Source: Doug Whiteman, Associated Press

A judge has upheld the firing of a central Ohio public school science teacher who was accused of preaching religious beliefs in class and of keeping a Bible on his desk.

Employers Exhibit Bias Against Gay Job Seekers

Source: Elizabeth Auritt, Harvard Crimson

Men applying to jobs in the Midwest and the South who give evidence of being gay on their resumes are less likely to be called back for an interview than men perceived as displaying heterosexual qualities, according to a study published by a Harvard researcher this week.

October 6, 2011

Supreme Court hears religious-workplace firing dispute

Source: Joan Biskupic, USA Today

The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday with a case fundamental to the separation of church and state, testing when people who work for religious organizations can sue for job discrimination.

Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act: Transgender New Yorkers Still Waiting For Equality

Source: Matt Sledge, Huffington Post

Nine years ago gay and lesbian activists made a decision.

How to disagree with your boss -- without losing your job

Source: New York Daily News

You're at your weekly staff meeting, and you've just presented your brilliant idea on how to boost productivity and save money.

October 5, 2011

Federal judge finds union in contempt for failing to provide subpoenaed documents

Source: NLRB

A federal judge in Hawaii has granted the NLRB's motion for civil contempt sanctions against the Sheet Metal Workers International Association, Local 293, for failing to turn over documents sought by subpoena for more than a year.

The legacy of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings

Source: Ruth Marcus , Washington Post

Even now, with the healing distance of two decades, the subject of Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas retains its power to provoke and divide.

Protesters Drawing Labor Support

Source: Andrew Grossman & Alison Fox , Wall Street Journal

The anti-Wall Street protesters camped out in a Lower Manhattan park are beginning to attract backing from some of New York's most powerful labor unions.

October 4, 2011

Princeton Club of New York faces racial discrimination suit

Source: James Chang, Daily Princetonian

A former Princeton Club of New York payroll manager, 51-year-old Jo-Ann Garcia, filed a $10-million lawsuit against her former employer in early August, contending that she was dismissed from her job due to her age and race.

Town of Clarence and Western New York Fire Companies Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Fire Companies Had Barred Older Firefighters From Receiving Service Credits in Retirement Benefit Plan, Agency Charged.

How Employers Raid Pension Plans

Source: Ellen Schultz, Wall Street Journal

When it comes to threats to your retirement, there's one you may have overlooked: your employer. In recent years, companies have been freezing pensions, slashing retiree health benefits and eliminating 401(k) contributions.

October 3, 2011

Administrative Law Judge rules Chicago car dealership had overly broad employee policy, but discharged employee's activity not protected

Source: Office of Public Affairs , NLRB

A National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge ruled on Wednesday that Knauz BMW, a Chicago area car dealership, did not wrongfully terminate an employee for his Facebook postings.

The Industries That Are Looking for Workers

Source: Wall Street Journal

The job market is tough for many.

Historical Sexual Harassment Cases

Source: The Daily Beast

Anita Hill brought sexual harassment front and center in 1991 when she testified that Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas had used explicit language when they worked together

September 30, 2011

Expert: If your boss is a psychopath leave

Source: UPI

One in 25 bosses may be a psychopath, and a U.S. researcher suggests if an employee suspects his or her boss fits the description, it's best to find a new boss.

Outsize Severance Continues for Executives, Even After Failed Tenures

Source: Eric Dash, New York Times

The golden goodbye has not gone away.

When Legal Sense Trumps Practical Sense

Source: Michael P. Maslanka , Law.com

In the "Alice in Wonderland" world of employment law, one of the hard parts of an in-house lawyer's job is telling an internal client that something that makes zero practical sense makes complete legal sense.

September 29, 2011

'Retirement Heist': How Firms Trimmed Pensions

Source: NPR Staff, NPR

As companies have been moving away from traditional pension plans, they have been shifting employees to new retirement plans, such as 401(k)s, that transfer the cost -- and the risk -- to workers.

Calif co. settles sex harassment case for $463K

Source: AP, Sacramento Bee

An Orange County pool cleaning supply company will pay nearly $463,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a federal agency that found at least eight female employees had been sexually harassed.

Walmart Adds Transgender Provisions To Employee Non-Discrimination Policy

Source: Huffington Post

Walmart has passed provisions in its employee non-discrimination policy to protect transgender employees reports the Windy City Times.

September 28, 2011

Health Insurers Push Premiums Sharply Higher

Source: Reed Abelson & Nina Bernstein , New York Times

Major health insurance companies have been charging sharply higher premiums this year, outstripping any growth in workers' wages and creating more uncertainty for the Obama administration and employers who are struggling to drive down an unrelenting rise in medical costs.

Full Employment, for Lawyers

Source: Editorial, National Review

The Obama administration has the worst employment record in modern history, but it is pressing forward boldly to create a raft of new jobs -- for trial lawyers.

Online rants -- what's protected?

Source: Cindy Krischer Goodman , Miami Herald

Some bosses assume that they can fire workers who complain on Facebook about the company or its managers, but it's not a slam dunk.

September 27, 2011

Obama Proposes Protecting Unemployed Against Hiring Bias

Source: Robert Pear , New York Times

President Obama has not been particularly successful in fostering the creation of jobs.

Labor: Using class action waivers in employment arbitration agreements

Source: Steve Moore, Inside Counsel

In some states, such as California, unsuspecting employers can find themselves facing millions of dollars in liability for technical violations of an obscure state labor code provision that is inconsistent with the laws of every other state in which the company may operate.

Union says documents bolster NLRB case vs Boeing

Source: Reuters

The union representing Boeing Co (BA.N) workers in Washington state on Friday said internal company documents show Boeing intended to punish union members for past strikes when it located an airplane production line in non-union South Carolina.

September 26, 2011

Labor Department Postpones Guest Workers' Wage Increase

Source: Julie Preston , New York Times

The Labor Department late Thursday announced a 60-day delay in wage increases for foreign guest workers under the federal H-2B program.

Firings, discipline over Facebook posts lead to surge in legal disputes

Source: AP, Washington Post

In the age of instant tweets and impulsive Facebook posts, some companies are still trying to figure out how they can limit what their employees say about work online without running afoul of the law.

Mandatory E-Verify bill looks headed for House passage

Source: Gary Martin , Houston Chronicle

A Republican immigration bill that would require employers to check the immigration status of new workers has drawn protests from Latino and immigrant rights groups, but it seems certain to win passage in the House of Representatives.

September 23, 2011

Aware of Wrongdoing? Blowing the Whistle Can Net You Big Bucks

Source: Selena Maranjian, Daily Finance

If you get proof that a company's breaking the law, you have more than a moral imperative to step forward and expose that malfeasance.

Are "Years of Experience" Requirements Fair to Younger Workers?

Source: Suzane Lucas , bNet

I'm about six years into my IT career and like any business person I am always keeping my eye on the market.

IRS Gives Employers a Break on Payrolls

Source: Laura Sanders & Melanie Trottman , Wall Street Journal

Businesses that have been improperly labeling their employees as independent contractors got a surprise break Wednesday: A new Internal Revenue Service program will allow those businesses to reclassify workers and make only a small payment to cover past payroll taxes.

September 22, 2011

Most unusual resume mistakes

Source: Toni Bowers, Tech Republic

Takeaway: A recent CareerBuilder survey reveals some of the more outrageous statements hiring managers have seen on resumes.

EEOC files rare discrimination suit against Bass Pro Shops

Source: Scott Nishirama, Star Telegram

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Bass Pro Shops on Wednesday, alleging that stores illegally discriminated against black and Hispanic workers and job applicants, retaliated against employees who raised questions and destroyed records.

5 Ways to Deal with a Co-Worker Who Steals Your Ideas

Source: Auriela Flores, Fox News

There's nothing like coming up with a brilliant idea - one of your flashes of genius - and then having someone else take the credit.

September 21, 2011

The Twelve Attributes of a Truly Great Place to Work

Source: Tony Schwartz, Harvard Business Review

More than 100 studies have now found that the most engaged employees -- those who report they're fully invested in their jobs and committed to their employers -- are significantly more productive, drive higher customer satisfaction and outperform those who are less engaged.

Employers shift disability insurance costs to workers and trim benefits

Source: Michelle Andrews, Washington Post

Disability insurance is one of those under-the-radar benefits you may take for granted, especially if your employer picks up the tab for the coverage, as many firms do.

Obama Challenged To End Religious Discrimination In Federally Funded Jobs

Source: Josef Kuhn, Huffington Post

Dozens of religious and civil rights organizations challenged President Obama to fulfill a campaign promise to end religious discrimination in federally funded jobs.

September 20, 2011

NLRB Pushes Unions' Destructive Agenda

Source: Bob Confer, The New American

Although rarely looked at as such by the typical person, labor is an economic transaction.

Will restricting criminal background checks actually increase minority unemployment?

Source: Caroline May, Daily Caller

Actions with the best intentions do not always result in the expected outcomes.

Bias claim can lead to employee retaliation charge

Source: Judy Greenwald , Business Insurance

Retaliation charges, which are the most common type of employment claim against companies, create thorny issues for employers that must be carefully managed.

September 19, 2011

Why Some Men Earn Less Than They Did 40 Years Ago

Source: John Ydstie, NPR

Last Tuesday, the government's annual poverty and income report revealed that the earnings of male workers in the middle of the income ladder are lower today than they were almost 40 years ago.

Labor Dept. expands enforcement of wage violations

Source: Sam Hananel, Boston.com

The Labor Department is signing agreements to share information with nine states and the Internal Revenue Service as it gets more aggressive in its program to crack down on businesses that cheat workers out of their hard-earned wages.

EEOC takes stand on discrimination against obesity

Source: Andrea Tortora, Columbus Business First

With one third of U.S. adults considered to be obese, weight discrimination is becoming a big deal for employers.

September 16, 2011

Deal for Pa. mom who lost job after donating organ

Source: AP, Forbes

A Philadelphia woman who lost her job after taking time off to donate a kidney to her son has been offered a deal that could allow her to work for the business again.

Bank of America's Failure to Accommodate Blind Employee Draws EEOC Disability Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Federal Agency Says Banking Giant Could Have Kept Data Entry Worker On the Job at Chicago Facility Instead of Firing Him

EEOC sues Walgreen for disability discrimination in diabetic worker firing

Source: Judy Greenwald , Business Insurance

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity is suing Walgreen Co., alleging disability discrimination for firing a worker with diabetes who ate a snack sold at the store because she was suffering from low blood sugar.

September 15, 2011

NLRB rulings favor card check, allow 'piecemeal' organizing

Source: Kent Hoover, BizJournals

Business groups accused the National Labor Relations Board of continuing to favor unions with two new decisions that will make it easier to organize workplaces.

Employee Rights Notice Posting

Source: NLRB

As of November 14, 2011, most private sector employers are required to post a notice advising employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The 11-by-17-inch notice should be posted in a conspicuous place, where other notifications of workplace rights and employer rules and policies are posted.

The Myth of Performance Metrics

Source: Dick Grote, Harvard Business Review

There's a bogus belief that gets in the way of managers when they evaluate performance.

September 13, 2011

Employers tell workers to get healthy or pay up

Source: Tom Wileman, The Tennessean

Dorinda Turnbull said she felt violated when an employer-based health plan offered savings if she and her husband would undergo blood work and agree to follow-up monitoring for any medical conditions.

Health insurance denial rates routinely 20%, data show

Source: Phil Galewitz, USA Today

Amanda Hite says she felt "really healthy" when she applied recently for health insurance. But Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield denied her, because she had seen a chiropractor a few months earlier for a sore back and later had visited an emergency room because of back pain.

House bill would block case against Boeing

Source: Sam Hananel, Associated Press

House Republicans, angry over the government's labor dispute with Boeing Co., are taking up a bill that would prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from ordering any company to close plants or relocate workers, even if a company flouts labor laws.

September 12, 2011

EEOC: Work rule doesn't have a prayer

Source: Elizabeth Newman, McKnight's

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing a Florida nursing and rehabilitation facility for firing a certified nursing assistant who did not want to work on her religion's Sabbath day

Obama proposes sweeping changes to unemployment benefits

Source: Tami Luhby, CNN Money

The nation's unemployment benefits system would undergo extensive changes under the jobs proposal President Obama outlined Thursday.

Old-fashioned career advice from the 1940s still works today

Source: Andrea Kay Gannett, USA Today

I was lucky to grow up with parents who attended The Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking and Human Relations.

September 9, 2011

Make sure you're not the problem with your boss

Source: Linda H Hill & Ken Lineback , CNN Money

If you believe your boss is terrible, there are a few questions you should answer before you do anything drastic like quitting -- or worse.

Labor Board: Fired-For-Facebooking Employees Must Be Rehired

Source: techcrunch.com, Washington Post

It's no secret that an employer can, and probably should, do a little check-up on your internet presence before hiring you, and possibly afterwards.

Making Partner, Sponsorship and Gender Bias

Source: Victoria Pynchon , Forbes

I'm talking to a senior partner in an AmLaw 100 firm and he's telling me the firm's women are saying you can't make all seven white guys who are up for partnership shareholders and deny shareholder status to the three women who are also "up."

September 8, 2011

A hiring tax credit isn't likely to create jobs

Source: Tami Luhby, CNN

Note to President Obama: Don't expect a hiring tax credit to spur much hiring.

Obama jobs plan to include $300 billion in tax credits, spending

Source: Nicholas Peters, LA Times

The president will propose job training for the unemployed, school renovation projects and a program to prevent teacher layoffs, a source says.

Auto Parts Distributorship to Pay $175,000 to Settle EEOC Sex Harassment Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Auto Parts Company Did Nothing to Stop Regional Director's Misconduct, Federal Agency Charged

September 7, 2011

Job, retirement, financial stress takes toll on baby boomers

Source: Anita Bruzzese, USA Today

Baby boomers use face serums, teeth whiteners, exercise programs and even plastic surgery to look younger for work, but it could be that the greatest change isn't happening on the outside -- but what they're going through on the inside.

Are new rules on health care and banks killing jobs?

Source: Jennifer Liberto, CNN Money

To many Republicans and business leaders, there's little doubt: The health care law and sweeping new Wall Street regulation -- two of President Obama's signature legislative victories -- are causing uncertainty and killing jobs.

Congressman: Dismantle the NLRB, give its duties to the Justice Dept

Source: Matthew Boyle, Daily Caller

To permanently eliminate the National Labor Relations Board, South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy recommends transferring its responsibilities to the Department of Justice.

September 6, 2011

Have you heard...ways to control office gossip

Source: MSNBC

It's been said that "you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family." And unless you're in HR, chances are you aren't able to choose with whom you share an office space either.

How Productive Are You Really?

Source: Chrissy Scivicque, Forbes

As a career coach, I spend a lot of time working with people on their productivity.

Boeing case puts spotlight on little-known NLRB official

Source: Michael Fletcher , Seattle TImes

During nearly four decades at the National Labor Relations Board, Lafe Solomon was a mostly anonymous cog in the federal bureaucracy.

September 1, 2011

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis rips Rick Perry's Texas

Source: Tim Mak , Politico

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis on Wednesday slammed labor policy in Texas -- which has been overseen by Gov. Rick Perry for the past decade - by saying "there is a lot of need" to better the plight of workers in the state.

Nine Do's and Don'ts for Dealing with the Disgruntled

Source: Rosabeth Kanter, Harvard Business Review

In a volatile world, anxiety and uncertainty make people a little testy.

Labor's Criticism Of Obama Grows Louder

Source: Ari Shapiro, NPR

Organized labor is traditionally one of the strongest sources of money and organizing power for Democrats, but lately union leaders have strongly criticized President Obama.

August 30, 2011

Some Workers' Facebook Beefs Are Protected by Federal Law, NLRB Concludes

Source: Debra Cassens Weiss, ABA Journal

Some workers who beef about the workplace on Facebook and Twitter may be protected from firing or discipline because they are engaging in "protected concerted activity," according to a report by the National Labor Relations Board.

House Republicans to target environment, labor rules

Source: Jim Abrams

The House Republican agenda this fall will focus on repealing environmental and labor regulations that GOP lawmakers say are driving up the cost of doing business and discouraging employers from hiring new workers.

Court rules against Wal-Mart in sexual harassment, retaliation case

Source: Judy Greenwald , Business Insurance

A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. unit must defend a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in a case in which its alleged negligence of the initial harassment complaints claim may have led to the retaliation claim, a federal appeals court has ruled.

August 29, 2011

The Economy Needs Women as Badly as Women Need Workplace Parity

Source: Victoria Pynchon , Forbes

The new international women's movement is not so much about rights and power as it is about necessity.

Obama's Labor Problem: Union Scales Back Support for Democratic Party

Source: Amy Bingham, ABC News

As if dismal economic growth, high unemployment and impending natural disasters weren't enough to dampen President Obama's vacation, the nation's largest labor union has announced that it will scale back support of the Democratic Party for the 2012 elections.

NLRB Rule Requiring Posters In Workplace Infuriates Business Groups

Source: Dave Jamieson, Huffington Post

The federal labor board announced Thursday that it has finalized a rule requiring employers to post notices in the workplace informing workers of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

August 26, 2011

Two White Male Cops, Sue San Francisco Citing 'Racial Bias'

Source: Matt Smith, Huffington Post

A white male cop, reportedly reassigned in 2005 when his unit's refrigerator was found stocked with booze, claims he was passed over for a promotion in 2007 because of racial bias.

Employers Must Tell Workers of Rights to Unionize, NLRB Says

Source: Stephanie Armour , Bloomberg

U.S. employers must post notices informing workers about their legal rights to form a union and bargain on contracts, the National Labor Relations Board said in a rule that may help efforts to organize employees.

Why the Labor Movement Moved Left

Source: Steven Malanga, Wall Street Journal

Unions weren't so uniformly behind tax increases when most of their members worked for companies in the private economy.

August 24, 2011

Why Your HR Manager May Hate You

Source: Suzzane Lucas , bNet

So, hate is a strong word, and of course your HR manager doesn't hate you

Are coworkers dumping their work on your back?

Source: Stephanie Veale , Democray & Chronicle

Dear...I am a young professional with no children, and at my job, it often seems that people with children are able to leave work early, come in late, work from home and have a generally different set of standards for time at work.

Allstar Fitness to Pay $150,000 in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Settlement

Source: Club Industry Staff , Club Industry

Allstar Fitness, Seattle, has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

August 23, 2011

Employees bid goodbye to corporate America

Source: Elizabeth Alterman , USA Today

With the U.S. unemployment rate at 9.1 percent as of July 31 and a fragile economic recovery underway, many workers feel they are left with no choice but to take their careers into their own hands.

Workplace Conflict: How to Diffuse Battles with Co-Workers

Source: Meredith Livinson , Network Wolrd

No one likes to address workplace conflicts--not the employees who get embroiled in them and especially not the employees' managers, who pretend they don't exist. After all, conflict is messy, often political, and requires confrontation--an activity most people aim to avoid.

3M will pay $3 million to settle age-bias suit

Source: Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune

About 290 former employees will share in the settlement, which resolves an EEOC action.

August 16, 2011

401(k) Nation: Road To Retirement Gets Rockier

Source: Scott Neuman , NPR

Broker and financial adviser Jim Lacamp has been in the business long enough to remember when Americans had little stake and even less interest in the stock market.

Are Older Workers Job Hopping More?

Source: Alicia Munnell , Wall Street Journal

The labor force participation of older workers has reversed its long-run decline. A larger share of this group wants to work longer.

New Haven Faces A Reverse-Reverse-Discrimination Suit

Source: Patrick Lee, Wall Street Journal

Twenty firefighters - all white except for one Hispanic - won more than $2 million in settlements from the city of New Haven, Conn., last month, in what many thought was the end of (reverse) discrimination drama involving the city's fire department.

August 15, 2011

US Department of Labor's OSHA releases mobile app to help protect workers from heat-related illnesses

Source: News Release, Department of Labor

As part of continuing educational efforts by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration about the dangers of extreme heat, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced the release of a free application for mobile devices that will enable workers and supervisors to monitor the heat index at their work sites in order to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Labor Department targets unpaid worker's comp penalties

Source: Randy Krehbial , Tulsa World

Among the surprises for the new regime at the state Department of Labor was the discovery that nearly 600 employers owed $1.6 million in delinquent penalties for failure to comply with Oklahoma's workers compensation law.

Former Booz Allen partner says gender bias was root of her firing

Source: Marjorie Censer, Washington Post

A former Booz Allen Hamilton partner, who once was the company's highest-ranking female employee, is suing the McLean-based contractor, alleging that the company fired her because of her sex and that it intentionally excludes women from high-level leadership positions.

August 12, 2011

Law Grads Sue Over Tuition

Source: Patrick G. Lee, Wall Street Journal

Plaintiffs Claim Alma Maters Misled Students on Job Prospects; Millions Sought.

Explosive B'klyn sex harass suit alleges torment and abuse at realty office

Source: William Gorta, New York Post

A Brooklyn woman was subjected to all kinds of sexual harassment and physical abuse from at least seven staff members in the real estate office where she worked, according to an explosive new lawsuit.

7th Circuit Says it's Still Racial Bias Even if Not All in Protected Class are Targeted

Source: Sheri Qualters, Law.com

Discrimination against some Hispanic employees violates federal anti-discrimination laws even if the company doesn't discriminate against others, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit has ruled.

August 11, 2011

Board Orders a Repeat of a California Union Election

Source: New York Times

The National Labor Relations Board said Wednesday that it was ordering a rerun of an election by 43,000 Kaiser Permanente employees in California to decide which union should represent them.

US Labor Department considers development of data tool to combat pay discrimination

Source: News Release, Department of Labor

Public invited to comment during early stage of development.

Princeton Club sued by long-time employee who charges Ivy League club with racial discrimination

Source: Karah Cesar & Jose Martinez , New York Daily News

The Princeton Club is getting smacked with a failing grade from a former employee who says the exclusive Ivy League enclave prefers white, English-speaking employees.

August 10, 2011

Social Media's Seven Deadly Sins

Source: Jonathan Segal , Bloomberg Business Week

Promiscuous friending, accidental implicating, and other social media mistakes that can render you unemployed or a defendant.

In a Down Economy, Heightened Scrutiny of Hiring Practices

Source: Catherine Dunn , Law.com

If the post-downgrade drop in the Dow moved with sharp suddenness, the August 5 report of July's employment numbers unfurled with a solemn steadiness--showing a slight increase, yes, though really more of the same, with unemployment just above 9 percent and underemployment at 16.1 percent.

Facebook Firings: Employers Need To Mind Labor Law, Report Finds

Source: Dave Jamieson, Huffington Post

American workers have been taking to Facebook and Twitter to passionately vent their workplace gripes, often in the most personal and vulgar ways possible.

August 8, 2011

Exiting Employees Are More Disgruntled Than Ever

Source: Joe Light, Wall Street Journal

More than three-quarters of departing employees say they wouldn't recommend their employer to others.

Crack the Hidden Job Market

Source: John Lees , Bloomberg Business Week

Employers fill at least one third of jobs via word of mouth. How can you network your way into the loop?

Woman sues boss for 'Mini-skirt Monday' dress code, claims she was sexually harassed for years

Source: Meena Hartenstein , New York Daily News

While many offices have dress codes, one Utah County woman claims her former employer crossed the line by trying to force her to follow a sexist schedule of attire including "Mini-skirt Monday."

August 5, 2011

Jewish Community Center Of Greater Washington Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Hearing-Impaired Assistant Teacher to Receive $100,000

Twitter-Bombing the Boss Looms as U.S. Worker Right Dreaded by Companies

Source: Stephanie Armour , Bloomberg

A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) worker said he was disciplined for using Facebook to rail against a boss's "tyranny." A crime reporter in Tuscon, Arizona, was fired for using Twitter to taunt that the city had too few homicides.

Labor's Decline and Wage Inequality

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The decline in organized labor's power and membership has played a larger role in fostering increased wage inequality in the United States than is generally thought, according to a study published in the American Sociological Review this month.

August 4, 2011

City paid $42K to settle harassment suit

Source: Jennifer Delgado, Trib Local

A former Des Plaines paralegal who claimed a local alderman grabbed and kissed her while he was dressed as Santa Claus received a $42,500 settlement in 2005, according to documents released Wednesday.

NYC kindergarten teacher, 80, sues over firing

Source: Lillie Leon, CBS

A kindergarten teacher with a squeaky clean record for more than 30 years says she was fired simply because she's old.

Alleging Racial Bias, Former Ropes & Gray Associate Sues Firm

Source: John Hazard, Am Law Daily

A former Ropes & Gray associate has filed a racial discrimination and retaliation suit against the firm, 13 of its partners, and the firm's former chief people officer in Boston federal court, sibling publication The National Law Journal reports.

August 3, 2011

Rock-Tenn To Pay $160,000 To Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Manufacturer Failed to Stop Co-Worker's Harassment of Women, Federal Agency Charges

Facebook Firings: Feds, Managers Navigate 'New Territory' In Employment

Source: Dave Jamieson, Huffington Post

The federal agency tasked with enforcing labor law has been fielding complaints from workers across the country who have been fired or disciplined for their work-related indiscretions on Facebook.

Millions of Workers Are in the Dark About Their Pensions

Source: Kelly Greene , Smart Money

People with pensions are planning for retirement in the dark.

August 2, 2011

10 Signs Your Boss Just Isn't That Into You

Source: Alison Green, US News & World Report

One of the biggest determinants of your quality of life at work is the relationship you have with your boss.

Worker who sued after 40 years on job can press age-bias claims

Source: Thompson Reuters , Linda Coady

A woman who claims she was constructively discharged after working for New York Life Insurance Co. for 40 years can pursue her age discrimination lawsuit against the company, a California federal judge has ruled.

Boeing tries to limit "sunshine" in NLRB case

Source: David Slade, The State

Boeing Co. sought a sweeping court order Thursday to limit public access to documents and other materials the company considers confidential, as a lawsuit brought by the National Labor Relations Board inches forward.

August 1, 2011

Who Cares About LGBT Workers?

Source: Darren Hutchinson , Huffington Post

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would prohibit employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Workplace Discrimination Charges at Record High

Source: Venessa Wong, Bloomberg

Last year employment discrimination charges reached a record high, and early indications suggest 2011 could be a new record-setter.

Why We Need to Protect Ex-Con Job Seekers from Discrimination

Source: Adam Cohen, Time

Should employers have the right to discriminate against job applicants who have been convicted of crimes?

July 29, 2011

Boeing Seeks to Seal Documents in Labor Case

Source: Susanna Ray, Bloomberg

Boeing Co. (BA) argued yesterday that some information related to a 787 Dreamliner factory should be sealed from the public as the planemaker tries to overturn a National Labor Relations Board complaint alleging anti-union retaliation.

Facing Call for Concessions, Verizon Workers Vote to Authorize Strike

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

Verizon Communications is seeking major concessions from 45,000 unionized workers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, as it copes with a long-term drop in revenue and profits in its old-fashioned telephone business and intense competition in television and Internet services.

Bank Of The West To Pay $48,000 To Settle EEOC Sex Bias Hiring Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Banking Giant Failed to Hire Oklahoma City Woman Because of Gender, Federal Agency Charged

July 28, 2011

Raymond Jefferson leaves Labor Department after ethics finding

Source: Steve Vogel, Washington Post

A high-ranking Labor Department official appointed by President Obama to oversee a job-training program for veterans has resigned after an inspector general's investigation found that he had violated federal procurement rules and ethics principles.

Employers to hike pay, but only for a select few

Source: CNN, Jessica Dickler

Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, companies are betting on their best workers -- and are willing to pay more to prove it, according to a report Wednesday.

NLRB Rebuffs Issa Demand for Boeing Documents. Subpoenas Next?

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

The National Labor Relations Board defied a documents request from the House Oversight committee investigating its labor complaint against Boeing Co., putting the agency at risk of being subpoenaed by committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

July 27, 2011

$100k settlement reached in school sexual harassment case

Source: Natalie Neysa Alund, Knox News

The Campbell County Board of Education has reached a $100,000 settlement with a former teacher who filed a federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against a former school board chairman.

Lawyer Accused of Harassing Employee, Asking Her to Wear Swimsuit to the Office

Source: Martha Neil, ABA Journal

Already defending legal ethics charges because of his alleged sexual harassment of six women, including four employees, a Chicago class action lawyer is now facing additional accusations concerning his treatment of a female associate.

Boeing asks NLRB to conduct some hearings in private

Source: Dominic Gates, Seattle Times

Boeing is asking an National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative judge for a protective order that will seal documents and restrict access by the public and press to parts of the ongoing NLRB hearing in Seattle.

July 26, 2011

Legal Secretary's Discrimination Suit Against Jones Day Is Dismissed

Source: Martha Neil , ABA Journal

A discrimination suit filed against Jones Day by a former secretary at the law firm's office in Los Angeles has been dismissed.

Study Shows Racial Wealth Gap Grows Wider

Source: Pam Fessler, NPR

But the Great Recession has made it much worse -- the divide is almost twice what it used to be.

21 endangered workplace benefits

Source: Emily Brandon , Chicago Tribune

Employers are cutting many benefits and perks, from the traditional pension plan to the company picnic

July 25, 2011

Goldman Sachs fights bias lawsuit, cites Wal-Mart

Source: Moira Herbst, Reuters

Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) said a recent landmark decision throwing out a class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart (WMT.N) means it should not face a wide-ranging case accusing it of systematic bias against women.

EEOC reconsiders policy on criminal background checks

Source: Washington Post, Lisa Rein

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is reexamining its requirement that employers do criminal background checks on job applicants, scheduling a hearing Tuesday on whether arrest and conviction records are a hiring barrier for minorities

Virtual Workplace: Next Frontier Of Employer Liability

Source: Beverly Garofalo and Takunbo Akinbajo, Conneticut Law Tribune

Dating back to the invention of the computer, technological advancements have continually altered how employees complete their work.

July 22, 2011

Attacks on NLRB imperil due process

Source: Fred Feinstein , Politico

Since issuing a complaint against The Boeing Co., the National Labor Relations Board's acting general counsel -- and the board itself -- has been the target of intense political attacks.

House Committee Passes Bill to Rein In NLRB

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

Republicans on the House workforce committee passed a bill Thursday that would bar the government from dictating where companies can do business - taking direct aim at the National Labor Relations Board's complaint that Boeing Co. illegally shifted work from union plants in Washington state to a new nonunion facility in South Carolina

Plaintiffs in Wal-Mart Bias Case Return to Court

Source: Reuters, Insurance Journal

Plaintiffs in a huge sex bias class-action case against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court will begin to unveil plans Friday for how they will try to resuscitate their lawsuits.

July 21, 2011

Why Hasn't Employment of the Elderly Fallen?

Source: Casey Mulligan, New York Times

While employment rates have fallen sharply among the general population, they have not done so among the elderly.

Corporate America's chokehold on wages

Source: Harold Meyerson, Washington Post

If you're wondering why American consumers are still flat on their backs, rendering the economy similarly supine, the answer is both fundamental and simple.

Labor Deal Roils Conn. Employees

Source: Shelly Banjo, Wall Street Journal

A decision by Connecticut's public unions to ease their voting rules and forge a deal with Gov. Dannel Malloy is stirring up rank-and-file members, whose reactions are running the gamut from lunch-hour grumbling and angry web postings to threats to disband or sue.

July 20, 2011

Trust your employer? You're in the minority

Source: Allison Linn, Life Inc.

In these times of economic uncertainty, it's nice to trust that your employer will be able to lead you through the really tough challenges facing so many companies today.

How To Handle a Workplace Bully

Source: Laurie Tarkan, bNet

Targets of workplace bullying often think, "if only I do this, he'll stop bullying," "If only I do that."

NLRB Under Fire for Proposed Changes to Union Election Process

Source: Amy Bingham, ABC News

Members of the business community faced off against the National Labor Relations Board again today to voice their opposition to the board's proposed election changes.

July 19, 2011

Cavalier Telephone Pays 1MM To Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Company Engaged in Unlawful Age Discrimination, Including Refusing to Hire Older Workers, Federal Agency Charge.

Proposed NLRB rules are sensible and should be adopted

Source: Julius G. Getman , LA Times

Despite attacks by anti-union activists and employers, the National Labor Relations Board's proposed rules to streamline representation elections should be adopted.

Former Mercer Island official settles harassment suit for 1MM

Source: Keith Ervin , Seattle Times

Former Mercer Island Deputy City Manager Londi Lindell will receive $1 million in a settlement of her federal lawsuit in which she claimed she was a victim of sexual harassment and was fired in an act of retaliation.

July 18, 2011

$3.2M sex harassment verdict against ex-judge

Source: AP , Your Houston News

A federal jury in Houston has awarded $3.2 million to three female co-workers in their sexual harassment lawsuit against a former judge.

The Industries That Are -- and Aren't -- Hiring

Source: Cristina Lourosa-Ricardo, Wall Street Journal

There are many reasons U.S. companies give for their lack of robust hiring -- from weak consumer spending to uncertainty over the direction of government policies on debt and spending.

Businesses find loopholes in Healthy San Fran Law

Source: Joshua Sabatini , SF Examiner

More than 80 percent of the money that companies set aside in special funds created by The City's landmark Healthy San Francisco health care program apparently goes back into the bosses' pockets without benefiting workers.

July 15, 2011

N.Y. labor row hints unions are setting sights on Target

Source: Anne D'Innocenzio, Boston.com

Until recently, Target Corp., the Minneapolis-based retailer, largely had avoided the labor disputes and public relations challenges that have plagued Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer.

Hilda Solis: Dealing with Our Changing Workforce

Source: Ronald Brownstein , National Journal

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis sat down with National Journal Editorial Director Ronald Brownstein on July 12 to discuss the workforce's evolving demography at a National Journal Live event on "The Workforce Mosaic." Edited excerpts of their conversation follow.

Massachusetts legislators hear pitch for law targeting workplace bullying

Source: State House News Service, Mass Live

With a law on the books targeting bullying in schools, it is time to look at another common arena for bullying: the workplace, according to supporters of another bullying proposal.

July 14, 2011

Green jobs pay better as clean-tech sector booms

Source: Scott Martin , USA Today

The green jobs movement is putting more greenbacks in workers' pockets

Diagnose and Eliminate Workplace Bullying

Source: Baron Hanson , Harvard Business Review

As a turnaround strategist, I see a lot of companies in dire straits, where tempers flare easily and interpersonal problems have been allowed to flourish unchecked.

EEOC says Fred Meyer failed to protect employees from harassing customer

Source: Laura Gunderson , The Oregonian

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of three female employees of Fred Meyer Stores Inc.

July 13, 2011

Congress may force release of NLRB Boeing records

Source: Meg Kinnard, Chicago Tribune

The chairman of a congressional committee investigating the ongoing labor dispute over a South Carolina Boeing plant is prepared to use subpoenas to force labor officials to hand over documents from their investigation, according to a letter sent Tuesday to the National Labor Relations Board's chief attorney.

Where Have America's Jobs Gone?

Source: Justin Lahart & James Hagerty, Wall Street Journal

Hiring at McDonald's; Wireless Networks' Job-Killing Effect; One Machine Doing The Work of Three

Labor: Courts keep sanctioning EEOC in class litigation

Source: Steve Moore, Inside Counsel

The EEOC recently has been quick to pull the trigger and convert most single-claimant charges into class litigation cases.

July 12, 2011

U.S. workforce: permanently downsized?

Source: Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun

Who's to say U.S. corporations aren't all too comfortable with high unemployment and plenty of cash?

4 Ways to Regain Control of Your Identity in the Workplace

Source: Glenn Llopis, Forbes

There is a severe identity crisis in the workplace that is reducing productivity, minimizing trust and setting people back in their careers.

The Concentrated Pain of Job Loss

Source: New York Times, David Leonhardt

I wanted to add one other explanation -- to those Catherine Rampell cited, in her much-discussed Sunday article -- for why unemployment has not become a larger political issue.

July 11, 2011

As Income Gap Balloons, Is It Holding Back Growth?

Source: NPR, NPR Staff

Members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors tend to speak cautiously: Their words can move markets.

Seeking Investment Flexibility In a 401(k)

Source: New York Times, Ron Lieber

In a perfect world, we could buy whatever investments we wanted for our 401(k) or similar workplace retirement account.

Wal-Mart sex-bias ruling implications debated

Source: Kristin Samuelson, Chicago Tribune

A Chicago lawyer and professor debate the implications of the ruling that Wal-Mart employees are not a class in seeking damages against the retailer regarding sex-discrimination charges

July 8, 2011

Learning how to be a union activist

Source: Alana Semuels, LA Times

Amid efforts to limit the power of unions nationwide, labor activists try to galvanize members and recruit new blood by holding one-day Troublemakers School sessions that are part pep rally, part instruction.

Connecticut Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Bill Signed By Governor Dan Malloy

Source: AP, Huffington Post

Making Connecticut the 15th state in the country to protect transgender people from discrimination.

401(k) Law Suppresses Saving for Retirement

Source: Ann Tergesen , Wall Street Journal

A 2006 law designed to boost employees' retirement-savings is having the opposite effect for some people.

July 7, 2011

New workplace dynamics: Older employees find themselves under rule of younger bosses

Source: Carolyn Kepcher, New York Daily News

There's nothing quite like that nervous feeling when you are about to meet the new boss.

Conn. becomes 1st state requiring paid sick time

Source: AP, Associated Press

Connecticut has become the first state to require businesses to offer employees paid sick time.

Retaliation Remains Most Frequent Allegation Among Federal-Sector Discrimination Complaints

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Federal employees and applicants filed 17,583 complaints of employment discrimination during fiscal year 2010, a 3.75 percent increase over the previous year, according to the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) Annual Report on the Federal Work Force Part I: EEO Complaints Processing for Fiscal Year 2010.

July 6, 2011

Is the workplace home of the free and entitled?

Source: Daneen Skube, Chicago Tribune

If the demands of younger employees are dragging you down, you may have to teach them such basic concepts as following the rules and delaying gratification.

Target, EEOC settle disability discrimination suit

Source: AP, Mercury News

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has settled a lawsuit with Target Corp. over the rights of a disabled cart attendant in Orange County.

Maine's LL Bean rehires 4 after discount error

Source: AP, Associated Press

The Maine outdoor retailer L.L. Bean says four workers fired for buying a leather tote bag after its price had been inadvertently reduced on the company's website are getting their jobs back.

July 5, 2011

California overtime-pay laws protect nonresidents too, court rules

Source: Maura Dolan, LA Times

Employees of California companies who are in the state on business trips must be paid in accordance with California overtime laws, the state Supreme Court says.

Genesco/Journeys Settles EEOC Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

A large national shoe retailer, Genesco, Inc., doing business as Journeys, has agreed to settle a sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for $20,000.

Workplace Atmosphere Keeps Many In The Closet

Source: Jennifer Ludden, NPR

A recent study finds that about half of gay and lesbian white-collar workers are not "out" when they're in the office.

July 1, 2011

Employee morale ebbs along with workforce

Source: Gail MarksJavis, Chicago Tribune

They are the walking wounded -- the people who still have jobs but are growing weary after all the cuts and pressures at work as companies continue trying to do more with less.

Unemployment rule changes start Friday

Source: Bowdeya Twey, NW Times

Mandatory drug screening for employment seekers is one of the several rule changes for people collecting employment insurance benefits from the state of Indiana.

President Obama tips his hand on Boeing and the NLRB

Source: John Healey, LA Times

Business groups and their allies in Washington have been trying for weeks to get President Obama to denounce the complaint that the National Labor Relations Board brought against Boeing, to no avail.

June 29, 2011

Brown vetoes card-check legislation for farmworkers

Source: Maris Lagos, SF Gate

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have made it far easier for farmworkers to join labor unions, 36 years after making history in his first term by signing a law giving the low-wage employees the right to organize.

Fewer families get health coverage from workplace

Source: Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune

A University of Minnesota study finds that more Minnesotans are winding up uninsured or in taxpayer-funded programs.

EEOC Settles Sexual Harassment Suit With Dollar General for $50,000

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Dolgencorp, LLC, doing business as Dollar General, will pay $50,000 to three former female employees and provide other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

June 28, 2011

Immigration Holds Key to Labor Shortage

Source: Andre Sterk & Robin Van Daalen , Wall Street Journal

European employers are likely to face an increasingly tough time finding qualified workers, even as production facilities continue to move to lower-cost countries, says Randstad Holding NV's Chief Executive Ben Noteboom

Groups Say Changes to Labor Law Won't Do Enough for Veterans

Source: Heather Timmons, New York Times

Even before President Obama said last week that he would speed the pullout of American troops from Afghanistan, the Department of Labor was trying to strengthen a Vietnam-era law designed to make sure returning soldiers get jobs.

The Plane Truth: Unions Don't Equal Quality

Source: Marty Robins, Huffington Post

There's been a lot of overheated rhetoric around the pending National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)/Boeing matter, in which the NLRB is considering whether Boeing's attempt to move plane production to South Carolina from Washington State, because of the more employer-friendly labor laws in the former, violates federal labor law.

June 27, 2011

What Toyota Is Still Doing Right

Source: Brad Power, Bloomberg Business Week

Guaranteeing quality via worker empowerment is more than just a platitude at Toyota.

Unions Fend Off Right-to-Work Bill in New Hampshire

Source: Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal

Amid a year of relentless challenges to their power around the country, unions notched a victory this week when New Hampshire Republicans failed to muster enough votes to override the governor's veto of a right-to-work bill.

NLRB and Boeing: A Long Summer Ahead

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

The National Labor Relations Board dodged a bullet last week in the formal hearing about its labor-law violation complaint against Boeing Co., an initial step in a hearing that is expected to last through the summer.

June 24, 2011

Costco Women's Suit May be Imperiled by Supreme Court's Wal-Mart Decision

Source: Margaret Cronin Fisk and Karen Gullo , Bloomberg Business Week

Costco Wholesale Corp. may be able to block women accusing it of gender bias from suing as a group.

Lawmakers urged to pass transgender discrimination bill

Source: Colleen Quinn, Boston.com

Transgender residents pushed lawmakers yesterday to pass a bill to include them in the state's antidiscrimination laws, continuing a fight they have waged for five years.

Finally, Nurses Are Set to Vote on Unionizing

Source: James Warren , New York Times

It's easier to be elected president than to win a union representation election these days.

June 23, 2011

An ICE Storm of Immigration Audits is Coming

Source: Dana Olsen , Law.com

For the second time this year, auditors at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement branch of the Department of Homeland Security are cracking down on employers to ensure compliance with workplace eligibility laws.

Disparate Treatment in Hiring Remains Major Problem, Experts Tell EEOC

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Employers Still Barring Large Groups of People from Jobs Based on Race, Sex, Age, Other Prohibited Bases.

Wal-Mart Gets a Free Pass for Bias From the Supreme Court

Source: Rinku Sen, Huffington Post

The Supreme Court issued its decision in the Dukes v. Wal-Mart sex discrimination case this week, a frustrating ruling that doesn't challenge the existence of bias, but that exempts the company from accountability.

June 22, 2011

NLRB rules would streamline unionizing

Source: Steven Greenhouse, Star Tribune

Unions applauded, and U.S. Chamber decried, labor board's proposed changes.

Court limits gov't employees' speech rights

Source: AP, Bloomberg Business Week

The Supreme Court has limited the First Amendment right of government employees, saying a police chief cannot sue over employer retaliation that came after he spoke out on a pay matter.

Workplace Discrimination: Transparency Key in Fight for Equality

Source: Ben Forer, ABC News

In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in the Walmart case, women across the country are reexamining the weapons they have in the fight against discrimination in the workplace.

June 21, 2011

LensCrafters Settles Female-On-Male Sexual Harassment Case

Source: Davie Jamieson , Huffington Post

LensCrafters, the largest optical chain in the country, has settled a lawsuit accusing the company of allowing a male employee to be sexually harassed by a female co-worker

US Labor Department announces proposed rule concerning reporting on use of labor relations consultants

Source: News Release, Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a proposed rule to revise the interpretation of "advice" as it pertains to the employer and labor relations consultant persuader reporting requirements of Section 203 of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. The proposal adopts the plain meaning of the term "advice" as "an oral or written recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct."

Decision in Wal-Mart case a blow to class actions

Source: AP, Mark Sherman

Mounting a large-scale bias claim against a huge company will be more difficult in light of a Supreme Court decision that found no convincing proof of discrimination on which to allow a class action against retail giant Wal-Mart on behalf of as many as 1.6 million women.

June 20, 2011

Should I Quit My Job?

Source: Elizabeth Garone, Wall Street Journal

I'm not very happy in my current job, and it doesn't seem like there is much opportunity for movement or advancement at the company where I work. What should consider when evaluating if this is the right time to make a move?

Workers Reject Union at Target Store

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The nation's main union for retail workers lost a unionization vote on Friday at a Target store in Valley Stream, N.Y., in what was an effort to make it the first of Target's 1,750 stores in the United States to be unionized.

Best Buy settles class-action bias lawsuit

Source: Martinne Geller and Dhanya Skariachan, Reuters

Best Buy Co agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the largest U.S. electronics retailer of job discrimination.

June 18, 2011

Former SEIU President Stern Splits With Labor, Backs Tax Holiday

Source: Stephanie Armour , Bloomberg

Andy Stern, former president of the second-largest labor union, said he backs easing tax rules to encourage companies with overseas profits to return the cash to the U.S., a position that puts him at odds with organized labor.

Former SEIU President Stern Splits With Labor, Backs Tax Holiday

Source: Stephanie Armour , Bloomberg

Andy Stern, former president of the second-largest labor union, said he backs easing tax rules to encourage companies with overseas profits to return the cash to the U.S., a position that puts him at odds with organized labor.

Teachers Union Confronts Some Crucial Decisions

Source: Rebecca Vevea, New York Times

The newly seated Chicago Board of Education may have won the first battle with Chicago teachers this week when it rescinded a 4 percent pay raise, but it may also have ended a relatively peaceful era in labor relations and created a more pugnacious adversary.

UMass gets $364,000 penalty in bias case

Source: State House News Service, Boston.com

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has been fined $10,000 and ordered to pay one of its English professors $154,000 in lost wages and $200,000 in damages for emotional distress as part of a decision issued by the state's antidiscrimination agency.

June 17, 2011

Employers Spruce Up Benefits to Keep Older Workers, BofA Says

Source: Margaret Collins, Bloomberg

Employers are sprucing up benefits such as flexible work schedules and retirement planning to retain older workers, according to Bank of America Corp. (BAC)

Separate Bills Focus on Two Pieces of Immigration Puzzle

Source: Julia Preston, New York Times

For many lawmakers in Congress, the immigration issue has become too hot to touch, especially with presidential campaigns starting up and voters, burdened with persistent unemployment, in a volatile mood.

Sonic Drive-In Settles EEOC Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Suit For 2M

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Manager Harassed Numerous Female Workers, Including Teens, and Retaliated Against Victims Who Complained.

June 15, 2011

Wis. Supreme Court upholds controversial union law

Source: CNBC

Wisconsin's polarizing union rights law will take effect thanks to a sharply divided ruling by the state Supreme Court that determined a judge overstepped her authority when she voided the governor's plan to strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights.

Suit challenges Tenn.'s anti-discrimination limits

Source: Kristin Hall , Business Week

Tennessee cities and counties that want to make it tougher to discriminate against gays and lesbians face a stumbling block under a new state law.

Wal-Mart Workers Try the Nonunion Route

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

Workers at a Wal-Mart in Lancaster, Calif., have been organizing to push for better pay and conditions from the retailer.

June 14, 2011

Labor Agency Challenges Boeing Factory Location

Source: Wendy Kaufman, NPR

The National Labor Relations Board has accused Boeing of retaliating against its union workers by setting up a new non-union factory in South Carolina. The NLRB says in doing so, Boeing broke federal labor law.

Here's how to avoid sabotaging your 401(k) plan

Source: Sandra Block, USA Today

Your front porch sags, your kitchen is the size of a broom closet, and you can't run the vacuum and the dishwasher at the same time without blowing a fuse.

To Create More Jobs, Go Where the Jobs Are

Source: Scott Shane, Wall Street Journal

The Obama administration is trying to spur job growth by helping tech start-ups get off the ground. But job-growth statistics suggest the plan may rest on some faulty assumptions.

June 13, 2011

Former Employee Breaks Silence About Landmark Sexual Harassment Case

Source: Betsey Bruce , Fox2Now

Tuesday a federal jury in East St. Louis found Alford's former employer, Aaron's, a lease to own store, and her former boss, Richard Moore liable for sexual harassment. The jury awarded Alford a near record $95 million. Caps on federal cases of this sort mean the most she will receive is $40 million.

Strike could be near for Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons workers, union warns

Source: Sharon Bernstein and P.J. Huffstutter, LA Times

President of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770 says the two sides are primarily battling over health coverage. The supermarkets' employees have already approved a walkout.

16 AGs weigh in on NLRB's suit against Boeing

Source: AP, Washington Post

Attorneys general from more than a dozen states on Thursday weighed in on a lawsuit filed by the National Labor Relations Board.

June 10, 2011

Obama prods employers to invest in displaced workers

Source: Christi Parsons, LA Times

President Obama touts a plan to tailor job-training programs to meet the needs of manufacturing firms.

Jury awards 95M in Fairview Heights sex harassment suit

Source: Robert Patrick, St. Louis Today

The Aaron's Inc. chain of more than 1,800 stores made a profit of 118M last year, and a jury here says it owes the vast majority to a former employee of the Fairview Heights branch in a sexual harassment case against her boss.

Dems defend NLRB against GOP pushback on Boeing suit

Source: Kevin Bogardus, The Hill

Democrats and liberal groups are fighting back against criticism of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as they grow worried that the attacks could diminish the labor board's authority.

June 9, 2011

Hearing held on transgender rights bill

Source: Brian MacQuarrie, Boston.com

Depending on the arguments heard yesterday at the State House, a bill to ban transgender discrimination is either the next leap for civil rights in Massachusetts or a way for predators to gain access to bathrooms and locker rooms used by the opposite sex.

Report documents dramatic shift in immigrant workforce's skill level

Source: Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post

Highly skilled temporary and permanent immigrants in the United States now outnumber lower-skilled ones, marking a dramatic shift in the foreign-born workforce that could have profound political and economic implications in the national debate over immigration.

White House to announce more on initiative to link skilled workers, manufacturers

Source: Barbara Barrett, Miami Herald

The White House will announce today plans to build on an initiative that officials say will link American manufacturing companies to the kind of skilled workers they'll need in the near future.

June 8, 2011

Wis. justices hear arguments in union law case

Source: Todd Richman, Business Week

Conservative justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court questioned a Madison judge's authority to block the state's polarizing union rights law as they listened Monday to arguments on whether they should rule in a lawsuit challenging the plan.

Bill Aims to Protect Hotel Workers From Sexual Abuse

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

Two Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to require hotel and motel owners in New York State to provide sexual harassment training to their employees and to provide a clear system for reporting episodes of sexual abuse.

Lawyer Bets Big on Wal-Mart Discrimination Ruling

Source: Nathan Koppel, Wall Street Journal

Soon, the Supreme Court should issue its ruling in Wal-Mart v. Dukes, the high-profile case concerning whether a million-plus women can band together to bring a discrimination class action against the retailer.

June 7, 2011

Conn. Poised To Be First State To Mandate Sick Pay

Source: Jennifer Ludden, NPR

As many Americans watch their job benefits shrink amid tight budgets, Connecticut is about to defy the trend: It's set to become the first state to mandate paid sick days for some low-wage workers

National View: Court ruling threatens rights of women in workplace

Source: Susan Antilla, Southern Coast Today

Fifteen years after female brokers sued Smith Barney & Co. in a lawsuit famously known as the Boom-Boom Room case, financial firms have set up harassment training, torn racy photograp

Columbia Women's Shelter to Pay $103K to Settle Lawsuit

Source: James Jobes, KOMU

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said Monday that a Columbia shelter for women has agreed to pay $103,000 to settle a lawsuit for unlawful retaliation.

June 6, 2011

Labor Board Broadens Delta Probe

Source: Mike Esterl, Wall Street Journal

The National Mediation Board is widening its probe into union allegations that Delta Air Lines Inc. interfered in a failed organizing drive last year, further heightening scrutiny of the big U.S. carrier and the federal agency that oversees it.

EEOC Obtains $600,000 Verdict Against AutoZone For Failure To Accommodate Disabled Employee

Source: Press Release, EEOC

A federal court jury in Peoria has returned a verdict of $600,000 against AutoZone, Inc. for failing to provide a reasonable accommodation to a disabled sales manager, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today.

Temporary Staffing Firm and Client Company To Pay $42,500 to Settle EEOC National Origin Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

A group of South Carolina temporary staffing firms and one of its clients, a subcontractor, have agreed to pay $42,500 and provide other relief to settle a national origin discrimination lawsuit brought by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Dots To Pay Nearly A Quarter Million To Settle EEOC Race Discrimination Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Merrillville, Ind., Store Denied Jobs to White Applicants on a Systemic Basis, Federal Agency Charged

EEOC proposes records rule on Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Source: Judy Greenwald , Business Insurance

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued a proposed rule under which employers would be required to maintain all relevant employment and personnel records until any charge filed under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is resolved.

NYPD sergeant files sexual harassment complaint against his male boss

Source: John Marzulli , New York Times

An NYPD sergeant has filed a complaint that claims he's being sexually harassed by his male boss, the Daily News has learned.

June 3, 2011

Career Journal: Email Etiquette at Work

Source: Nikita Garia, Wall Street Journal

Since emails are not as formal as letters, experts say that many employees don't pay attention to the tone and composition of work-related email. But that can hurt professional credibility.

Updating a Résumé for 2011

Source: Elizabeth Garone, Wall Street Journal

While the résumé as you know it from 10 years ago is still alive and kicking, there have been a number of modifications to it.

EEOC proposes records rule on Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Source: Judy Greenwald, Business Insurance

WASHINGTON--The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued a proposed rule under which employers would be required to maintain all relevant employment and personnel records until any charge filed under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is resolved.

June 1, 2011

In Shift, Justice Department is Hiring Lawyers With Civil Rights Backgrounds

Source: Charlie Savage, New York Times

Under the Obama administration, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has reversed a pattern of systematically hiring conservative lawyers with little experience in civil rights, the practice that caused a scandal over politicization during the Bush administration.

Post-Feminist Equality: Do Women Have Real Choice in the Modern Workplace?

Source: Alice G. Walton, Forbes

I am a young career woman. And I want to have kids in the near future while pursuing a career.

Longs Drugs Settles EEOC Race, Gender Discrimination and Retaliation Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

African-American Female Buyer Held to Unequal Standard, Federal Agency Charges.

May 30, 2011

Wal-Mart Is Being Pressed to Disclose How Global Suppliers Treat Workers

Source: Stephanie Clifford, New York Times

Wal-Mart is facing new pressure to monitor and disclose how its international suppliers treat their workers.

Pressured to quit, older workers start fighting back in courtroom

Source: Nelson D. Schwartz (New York Times), Detroit News

Last year, the EEOC filed suit against Kelley, Drye & Warren in New York, arguing that it acted illegally when it forced a partner to give up his equity stake when he turned 70, and cut his bonus. The agency termed the suit "a wakeup call for law firms," and specifically cited the firm's mandatory retirement age.

May 27, 2011

Law Firm Is Sanctioned Over Client's Concealment in Bias Suit

Source: Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal

The law firm of Thompson Wigdor & Gilly has been sanctioned $15,000 for allowing a client in an employment discrimination suit to conceal that she had obtained a new job for substantially more money.

What If You Had Unlimited Vacation?

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNet

There are companies that are trying this approach. The Wall Street Journal reported on companies that had "name your own vacation" policies.

May 26, 2011

Conn. Senate OKs paid sick leave legislation

Source: Stephen Singer (AP), Bloomberg Business Week

The Connecticut Senate narrowly passed legislation Wednesday requiring businesses to offer employees paid sick time, moving the state closer to becoming the first in the nation to impose the mandate.

Judge Voids Wisconsin Law Curbing Unions

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The law, which Governor Walker proposed and vigorously pushed, and which generated huge protests in Madison, the state capital, bars public-sector unions, except those representing police officers and firefighters, from bargaining over health benefits and pensions. It allows bargaining over wages, but does not permit raises higher than the inflation rate unless they are approved in a public referendum.

May 25, 2011

Comparing Wages Across the U.S.

Source: Sara Murray, Wall Street Journal

For employees in most occupations, it pays to work on the coast.

Act Teleconferencing to Pay $40,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Law Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

ACT Teleconferencing Services, a Colorado-based provider of audio, web, and video conferencing services to companies in the United States and abroad, will pay $40,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Three-Quarters of Employers Plan to Hire New Graduates

Source: Sara Murray, Wall Street Journal

Three out of four companies plan to hire recent college graduates, a new survey shows, in the latest sign of an improving job market for the Class of 2011.

May 24, 2011

New Hampshire On Cusp Of Approving Right-To-Work

Source: Josh Rogers, NPR

A vote in New Hampshire will decide whether the Granite State becomes the 23rd state to forbid union contracts that charge nonmembers a share of collective bargaining costs.

Employers see benefits of workplace flexibility

Source: Ruth Mantell, MarketWatch

Workplace flexibility -- telecommuting, flexible hours and other employee accommodations -- is an idea growing on employers who are trying to grow their companies out of the recession.

May 23, 2011

US appeals court reverses decision on skycap tips

Source: AP, Forbes

A federal appeals court has reversed a ruling that awarded more than $333,000 to nine skycaps at Boston's Logan International Airport who claimed they were cheated out of tips when American Airlines started charging curbside baggage fees.

More employers are offering on-the-job health care

Source: Michelle Andrews, Washington Post

Day in and day out, workers troop into the office, spending the better part of their waking hours there. What better place to have medical staff on hand, not only to treat sore throats and cut fingers but also to help employees stay healthy by offering on-site preventive tests and screenings, and coaching to encourage healthful habits?

Lawmakers reach likely deal on workers' comp

Source: Andrew Garber, Seattle Times

State lawmakers apparently cleared a major hurdle Sunday, reaching an agreement to overhaul the state workers' compensation system.

Dealing with your workplace Debbie Downer

Source: Tom Fox, Washington Post

It can be hard to inspire a team when you're faced with dissension from another team member.

May 19, 2011

Okla. Legislature approves workers' comp overhaul

Source: AP, Bloomberg Business Week

A plan to overhaul Oklahoma's workers' compensation laws has been given final approval in the state Legislature.

Online College To Pay $260,000 To Settle EEOC Lawsuit Charging Sex Harassment By Supervisors

Source: Press Release, EEOC

High-Tech Institute, Inc., doing business as Anthem College Online, will pay $260,000 as part of a settlement of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

New York bill would ban unemployment discrimination

Source: Jessica Dye (Reuters)

New York Democrats introduced legislation Thursday that would make it illegal for employers to disqualify out-of-work job-seekers solely because they are unemployed.

The Most Awkward Meeting

Source: Katherine Rosman, Wall Street Journal

New Elevators Sort Employees, Foiling Manners And Face Time

The Workplace Whodunit: Navigating a Culture of Blame

Source: Francesca Donner, Wall Street Journal

Ben Dattner, an organizational psychologist and founder of Dattner Consulting, believes that credit and blame lie at the psychological core of the workplace.

May 18, 2011

How to find a job in 2011

Source: Jessica Dickler, CNN Money

Good news: The job market is improving and employers are starting to hire again. But the rules of landing a job have changed.

NLRB Faults Company for Firing Workers Over Facebook Posts

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

The National Labor Relations Board said Wednesday a nonprofit in organization in Buffalo, N.Y. was wrong to fire five workers for Facebook postings that criticized working conditions, and disclosed that it has more than two dozen cases involving worker complaints aired on the social media site.

Senate Bill Would Limit Savers Using 401(k)s as Rainy-Day Funds

Source: Margaret Collins, Bloomberg

Workers will be limited in tapping their 401(k) retirement plans for loans under legislation two senators introduced today that's designed to counter the erosion of retirement assets.

The secret life of a resume

Source: Tami Luhby, CNN Money

Just where does your resume go after you hit the submit button on a job application?

Tech distractions for workers add up

Source: Tim Mullaney, USA Today

Distractions caused by social media, e-mail and badly designed office technology may cost a 1,000-worker company more than $10 million a year, a survey says.

May 17, 2011

Legislature OKs six state worker contracts

Source: Marisa Lagos, San Francisco Chronicle

Overall, the six contracts - covering workers in prisons, scientists, engineers and others - would, among other things, do away with imposed furloughs, increase state employees' pension contributions and temporarily cut pay for a year before giving top earners a raise in 2013.

Starbucks sued for firing barista with dwarfism

Source: Amy Rolph, Seattle P-I

The federal government is suing Seattle-based Starbucks for firing a barista with dwarfism in 2009.

Companies tie more of workers' pay to performance

Source: Ruth Mantell, MarketWatch

Labor costs generally are a large portion of a company's spending. Continued emphasis on pay gains that vary based on employees' performance reflects companies' efforts to control costs and focus on spending for results, according to human resources consultancy Aon Hewitt.

The Great Recession's lost generation

Source: Chris Isidore, CNN Money

The brutal job market brought on by the recession has been hard on everyone, but especially devastating on the youngest members of the labor force.

May 16, 2011

Dillard's to Pay $50,000 to Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Dillard's, Inc., a major department store chain, will pay $50,000 and furnish other relief to settle an age discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC had charged in its lawsuit that Dillard's discriminated against a manager when it discharged her because of her age, 61.

America's CEOs: Jobs outlook better, but ...

Source: Paul R. La Monica, CNN Money

Business leaders believe the economy is getting better and many even said they are hiring more workers as a result.

But chief executive officers remain nervous about many things, most notably higher gas prices and debt problems in the United States and Europe. That's according to a CNNMoney survey of 24 CEOs conducted over the past few weeks.

May 15, 2011

Nursing Homes Seek Exemptions From Health Law

Source: Robert Pear, New York Times

It is an oddity of American health care: Many nursing homes and home care agencies do not provide health insurance to their workers, or they pay wages so low that employees cannot afford the coverage that is offered.

May 14, 2011

Cardiologists Accuse Hospital of Discrimination

Source: Emily Ramshaw, New York Times

But whether racial animus led Citizens Medical, a 344-bed county-owned hospital, to close its cardiology unit to non-staff doctors -- effectively revoking the privileges of Drs. Harish Chandna, Ajay Gaalla and Dakshesh Kumar Parikh to practice there -- is the subject of fierce debate and a discrimination lawsuit filed by the three doctors in Federal District Court in the Southern District of Texas.

May 12, 2011

Extreme Multitasking: Surviving the Superjob

Source: Anne Kadet, Wall Street Journal

A majority of Americans have taken on extra duties at work, often without more pay. How the up-and-down economy has redefined multitasking.

Hyundai Ideal Electric Company to Pay $188,000 to Settle EEOC Sex Bias and Retaliation Suit

Source: EEOC

Hyundai Ideal Electric Company (HIEC), located in Mansfield, Ohio, will pay $188,000 to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Bill prohibiting 'captive audience' meetings moves to Conn. Senate after 11-hour House debate

Source: Associated Press

A bill that would forbid employers from requiring their workers to attend certain mandatory meetings is heading to the Connecticut Senate, where it likely faces a lengthy debate.

Your mother was right: Manners matter as etiquette goes to work

Source: Carolyn Kepcher, New York Daily News

Your mother was right: Manners matter. However, the concept of etiquette extends beyond which fork to use at dinner - especially when it comes to proper behavior in the workplace.

May 11, 2011

EEOC targets gender gap in wages

Source: Luci Scott, Arizona Republic

Andrea Baran, supervisory attorney in the agency's district office, spoke Tuesday at a seminar, Phoenix Fair Pay Day, attended by dozens of employers and employees at the EEOC offices, 3300 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix.

NH gov vetoes anti-union bill

Source: Norma Love (AP), Boston Globe

New Hampshire's Democratic Gov. John Lynch kept his promise and vetoed a bill Wednesday that bars unions from collecting a share of bargaining and administrative costs from non-members.

Want to live longer? Supportive co-workers may help

Source: Reuters

Having supportive colleagues not only makes the workday easier, it may also help people live longer, according to a new study.

Mass. health workers seek job retraining funds

Source: Associated Press, Boston Globe

Unionized health care workers in Massachusetts say money for job retraining should be part of any effort to reform the health care payment system.

Typhoon discriminated against Thai chefs, Oregon workplace investigators conclude

Source: Brent Hunsberger, Oregonian

State workplace regulators say the Typhoon restaurant chain discriminated against its Thai workers, asserting the Tigard-based company leveraged their visas to pay them less, work them longer and subject them to less favorable contract terms and working conditions than their non-Thai peers.

May 10, 2011

Yankee Stadium concession workers sue over tips

Source: Erin Geiger Smith, Reuters

Three current and former waiters who served fans in premium seats at Yankee Stadium have filed a lawsuit against their employer over the withholding of tips automatically charged on food and drink orders.

General Motors to add or keep 4,000 jobs, invest $2B, at 17 plants in the US

Source: Tom Krisher (AP), Washington Post

GM said Tuesday that it will add or keep 4,000 jobs in the U.S. by hiring new employees or calling back furloughed workers over the next year and a half.

Quit your job? Make a graceful exit

Source: Dawn Klingensmith, Philly.com

When you resign, you will have final words with someone, be it an HR rep in an exit interview or your boss in a less formal context. To whomever you bid your final farewell, do it calmly and with class.

May 9, 2011

3,055 file for unemployment from Alabama storms

Source: Phillip Rawls (AP), Forbes

More than 3,000 Alabama workers have filed for unemployment compensation benefits because the tornadoes April 27 knocked them out of work, and that could cause a slight increase of about one-tenth of a percentage point in the state's unemployment rate.

Kansas Senate approves compromise pension bill

Source: John Hanna (AP), Forbes

The Kansas Senate approved a proposal on Monday for attacking the long-term funding problems facing the state pension system without starting a 401(k)-style plan for new teachers and government workers.

NLRB pursues secret-ballot lawsuit in AZ

Source: Ashley Fletcher Frampton, Charleston Regional Business Journal

As promised earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board on Friday filed a lawsuit challenging an Arizona constitutional amendment on secret-ballot votes for union elections.

May 6, 2011

Workplace 'Rights' That You Don't Have

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

I get tons of emails where the writer tells a story and then ends with, "is that even legal?" Most of the time it is legal.

Help Wanted on Factory Floor

Source: James R. Hagerty, Wall Street Journal

U.S. manufacturing companies, long known for layoffs and shipping jobs overseas, now find themselves in a very different position: scrambling for scarce talent at home.

Citizens Republic Settles Detroit-Bias Claims

Source: Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal

Federal law-enforcement officials reached a $3.6 million settlement with Citizens Republic Bancorp over allegations that branches of its banks discriminated against Detroit's black residents by improperly favoring white residents in southeastern Michigan.

April 27, 2011

StoneRidge Health and Rehab Center to Pay $22,000 to Settle EEOC Retaliation Lawsuit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

StoneRidge Health and Rehab Center, LLC, a long-term care facility located outside of Little Rock, will pay $22,000 to settle a lawsuit for retaliation brought by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Mo. governor condemns discrimination law changes

Source: Wes Duplantier , Bloomberg Business Week

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon spoke out Monday against legislation that would make it harder for employees to prove they were fired because of discrimination.

Bellevue settles age-bias case

Source: John Ferak, Omaha World Herald

The City of Bellevue has agreed to pay $100,000 to a former longtime code enforcement worker who accused the city of age discrimination in a federal lawsuit.

April 26, 2011

NJ worker fired over Quran burning gets job back

Source: AP, Kansas City Star

The New Jersey Transit employee fired for publicly burning pages of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is getting his job back

Los Angeles officials want workers to trade furloughs for pay cuts

Source: David Zahniser, LA Times

City employees who have lost money because of unwanted days off are interested, but a number who are exempt from unpaid leave are urging opposition.

Labor Board Plans to Sue 2 States Over Union Rules

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The National Labor Relations Board has told state officials that it will soon file federal lawsuits against Arizona and South Dakota in seeking to invalidate those states' constitutional amendments that prohibit private sector employees from choosing to unionize through a procedure known as card check.

April 25, 2011

Ralph Jones Sheet Metal Settles EEOC Racial Harassment Suit for $160,000

Source: EEOC

White Supervisor Routinely Insulted and Demeaned African-Americans, Federal Agency Charges

Best Companies to Work For: Happy Campers

Source: CNN Money

Taking care of top talent is taking precedence as the economy picks back up. Here's how Zappos, DreamWorks Animation, and Teach for America do it

A Minimum-Wage Job?

Source: Dennis Nishi, Wall Street Journal

After sending out 100 résumés and getting no responses, Joel Lueck, 52, took a part-time job at a Harris Teeter grocery store making $8 an hour.

April 22, 2011

Privacy is potentially a costly workplace issue

Source: Jennifer LeClaire, Boston Business Journal

Protecting Americans' personal, private information is vital to making the Information Age everything it should be.

NH Senate says no to union costs for non-members

Source: Kathy McCormack, Bloomberg Business Week

The New Hampshire Senate on Wednesday voted to end the practice of requiring non-union members to pay a share of collective bargaining costs, a bill Gov. John Lynch has said he plans to veto.

EEOC Underestimates Impact of ADA Amendments Act

Source: Jill Jusko, Industry Week

More people likely affected at greater cost to employers.

April 21, 2011

Working With Five Generations In The Workplace

Source: Rawn Shah, Forbes

From a recent conversation with Jeanne Meister, we are facing a new future in terms of demographics at work: we will soon have five generations in the workplace at once.

77 Cents on the Dollar Isn't Fair

Source: Editorial, New York Times

In a disappointing defeat for women, Senate Republicans worked overtime in December to ensure that a measure addressing gender-based wage discrimination never reached the Senate floor where it likely would have passed by a sizable majority.

Cases Target Illegal Labor

Source: Miriam Jordan & Julie Jargon , Wall Street Journal

The federal government deepened its crackdown on employers of illegal immigrants, charging the owners of one restaurant chain with hiding the employment of hundreds of undocumented immigrants and launching a criminal probe into the practices of another chain.

April 20, 2011

Florida Gives Superhero Capes to Jobless

Source: Conor Dougherty, Wall Street Journal

States have come up with a lot of ideas for reducing the nation's high unemployment rate, but Florida labor officials have come up with an unique approach to reduce the state's 11.1% unemployment rate (the nation is at 8.8%).

L.A. County to pay $900,000 to settle deputy's harassment suit

Source: Robert Faturechi, Los Angeles Times

Deputy Robert Lyznick had alleged that his supervisor sexually harassed him and threatened him with violence.

Bill barring transgender bias in workplace awaits gov's OK

Source: Chris Mikesell , Honolulu Star Advertiser

A proposal to solidify civil rights protections for transgendered employees is headed for the governor's desk after the state House agreed to a Senate draft of the bill earlier this week.

April 19, 2011

Workplace Bias Against Breastfeeding Moms Persists

Source: PsychCentral

Breastfeeding tends to improve baby and maternal health, and most health agencies recommend that when biologically possible, women should breastfeed infants exclusively for the first six months.

The Top 5 Reasons Why Your Boss Is Ineffective and How You Can Help

Source: Glenn Llopis, Forbes

Don't you often wonder why there is so much dysfunctionality in your workplace?

State launches probe into campaign to provide superhero capes to jobless

Source: Jim Stratton, Orlando Sentinel

State labor officials asked their inspector general Monday to investigate why a Central Florida agency wants to spend public money to furnish the unemployed with capes.

April 18, 2011

Rebuilding trust in the workplace

Source: Dennis Reina and Michelle Reina, Burlington Free Press

The importance of trust in the workplace is universally understood.

Georgia governor to sign law targeting illegal immigration

Source: Gustavo Valdes, CNN

Gov. Nathan Deal of Georgia plans to sign into law what may be one of the nation's toughest anti-illegal immigration measures, his spokesman, Brian Robinson, said Friday.

Wall Street Women of Golden Seeds Give Cash to Female CEOs

Source: Alexis Leondis, Bloomberg Business Week

Sarah Endline asked Golden Seeds, a group of mostly women angel investors, to help contribute $1.5 million to expand her candy company.

April 15, 2011

Returning To Work: The Satisfaction Of Having A Job

Source: Tamara Keith, New York Times

The Labor Department reported on Wednesday that first-time claims for unemployment benefits jumped by 27,000 last week.

Mayor Bloomberg gets snippy in deposition for E.E.O.C. discrimination case of pregnant women

Source: Adam Lisberg, New York Daily News

Hizzoner couldn't resist making snide and snippy asides while being questioned in a sex-discrimination case against the company he founded, newly released court documents show.

Walmart workers get $440k

Source: Robert Rodriguez , Fresno Bee

Walmart has agreed to pay $440,000 to a group of Hispanic employees in Fresno who say they were subjected to ethnic slurs and derogatory remarks by a co-worker.

April 14, 2011

Work-Life Balance for Everyone

Source: Kimberly Weisul, bNet

A new study from the Center for WorkLife Law looks at the impact of so-called just-in-time scheduling on absenteeism and turnover among hourly employees, and makes some creative suggestions for getting more flexibility to those who need it to be productive employees

Merkley introduces bill to protect gays from workplace discrimination

Source: Charles Pope, Oregon Law

Reviving a campaign of more than three decades, Sen. Jeff Merkley will offer legislation today outlawing workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

April 13, 2011

Fire officer's racial-bias suit dismissed

Source: Kathy Lynn Grey , Dispatch Politics

A Columbus Fire Division battalion chief who was the first woman in that position has lost the discrimination lawsuit she filed against the city in federal court.

Teamsters rally to fight Pa. right-to-work bill

Source: Tracie Mauriello, Philly.com

Teamsters rally today drew almost 400 laborers to the Capitol, where union leaders promised to bring thousands next time if lawmakers push through anti-worker legislation.

Texas company sued for abuse of Iowa workers

Source: Michael J. Crumb, Bloomberg Business Week

A Texas company is accused of severely abusing and discriminating against 31 mentally disabled men who worked at an Iowa turkey processor, in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

April 12, 2011

Montana governor signs work comp compromise

Source: AP, Bloomberg Business Week

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer has signed the compromise plan he worked out with Republican leaders to reduce worker's compensation insurance rates universally regarded as among the most expensive in the country

S.C. Democrats call anti-union legislation a 'political ploy'

Source: Gina Smith, Miami Herald

Gov. Nikki Haley and the Republican-controlled Legislature are working with increasing fervor to ensure that South Carolina -- long an anti-union state -- is a place where businesses can set up and grow without fear of organized labor.

Women, Northeasterners Would Like More Pay

Most Americans think they are paid fairly, but some groups are more likely to think this than others.

Analysis: Discrimination case may not go all Wal-Mart's way

Source: Moira Herbst, Reuters

Oral arguments had barely finished in the Wal-Mart sex-discrimination case at the U.S. Supreme Court when many commentators declared total victory for the retail behemoth

April 11, 2011

Farmworker Sexual Harassment Suit Settled for $27K

Source: AP, Mercury News

A California farm company is paying $27,500 to settle a federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed on behalf of a teenage vegetable packer.

State ordered to pay $467K in age-bias claims

Source: Paul Walsh, Star Tribune

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has been ordered to pay $467,000 to resolve age-discrimination claims filed on behalf of 29 people who were denied employer contributions for retiree health and dental insurance.

The Hidden Job Crisis for American Men

Source: Bloomberg Business Week

Men are disappearing from the workplace in ways that don't always register on the official unemployment rate.

Ex-Employees File Title VII Suits Against Dallas Firm

Source: Miriam Rozen , Texas Lawyer

Two former employees of Dallas' Simon, Eddins & Greenstone have sued the firm in federal court, alleging they were discriminated against based on their sex, subjected to a hostile work environment and unlawfully discharged in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

April 8, 2011

Limits Sought to Employers' Use of Credit Reports

Source: Byron Acohido, USA Today

Battle lines are being drawn in state capitals over whether workers should be judged by their creditworthiness.

Walmart and Women: Why the Discrimination Suit Matters

Source: Amy Levin-Epstein, CBS

Walmart's treatment of female employees is under fire, both in the courts and in the media. The corporate behemoth has about a billion reasons to closely examine its corporate policies and their store-level implementation.

FACT CHECK: Are federal workers overpaid?

Source: AP, AP

Republican leaders in Congress think so, and they are calling for an overhaul of the entire federal pay system to help slash government spending.

Adam Brothers Farming Settles EEOC Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Suit

Source: EEOC, EEOC

Adam Brothers Farming, Inc., a farm in Santa Maria, Calif., that harvests and cans vegetables, will pay $27,500 and furnish other relief to settle a federal sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of a teen Latina female, the agency announced today.

April 7, 2011

Who Now Qualifies as a Disabled Employee?

Source: Stephanie Rabiner, Reuters

So what is a disability, anyway? Well, the feds have changed the definition and it may mean changes for business owners.

Township to pay $140K to employee who claimed gender discrimination

Source: Lindsey Hiltey, Middletown Journal

Financial settlement reached with Denise Bruce, who filed a civil rights lawsuit claiming
 gender discrimination.

Baby boomers turn 65 with retirement prospects uncertain

Source: Alan Fram, USA Today

Baby boomers are starting to retire, but many are agonizing about their finances and believe they'll need to work longer than they had planned, a new poll finds.

April 6, 2011

McDonald's will hold hiring day April 19 to fill 50,000 jobs

Source: AP, USA Today

McDonald's (MCD) plans to hold its first national hiring day April 19 to fill 50,000 jobs at its restaurants na

Women's pay gap often starts with no negotiation on salary

Source: Anita Bruzzese, USA Today

If you're a mid-career woman wanting to make the same amount of money as -- or more than -- a male counterpart, you may have only one avenue open to you: Quit your job

Transgender non-discrimination bill passes Judiciary -- without any amendments

Source: Daniela Altimari , Courant

The legislature's Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill that would add gender identity and expression to the state's non-discrimination statutes

April 5, 2011

Maine's Labor Mural Prompts Lawsuit, Recall Effort

Source: Michelle Morris , NPR

The removal by Maine Gov. Paul LePage of a huge mural depicting the state's labor history has prompted a lawsuit seeking the painting's return and a citizen's effort to recall the Republican.

Iranian-born worker can sue Raytheon for bias over security clearance firing

Source: Judy Greenwald , Business Insurance

A federal appeals court has allowed a discrimination lawsuit filed by an Iranian-born engineer who was terminated by his firm after he failed to obtain Homeland Security clearance even though two fellow non-Iranian workers were permitted to continue working despite their clearances being rescinded

Lawmakers To Ban Transsexual Workplace Discrimination

Source: Daryl Huff, KITV - ABC News

Rights For Transgenders Brings Heated Opposition From Religious Groups.

April 4, 2011

Class-Action Lawsuits: Not The Answer for Workplace Gender Discrimination

Source: Barbara B. Brown , Harvard Business Review

Class action litigation can illuminate trends in the workplace, and the gender class actions of the Walmart v Dukes and others of recent vintage are no exception.

Do We Need a Brown v. Board of Education for Women?

Source: Francine Mcknenna , Forbes

The most thought provoking comment on the viability of the Wal-Mart class action heard by the Supreme Court last week was Daniel Fisher's observation that "the allegations against Wal-Mart could be made against the entire country."

New batch of gender bias suits reflective of a glass ceiling that keeps women from the ranks of management

Source: Joyce Gannon, Post Gazette

In a lawsuit filed last month that seeks [] in lost salary and benefits, six current and former female employees of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals in Wayne, N.J., say they worked in an atmosphere where executives were openly hostile to women -- especially working mothers, pregnant women and those who took maternity leave

April 1, 2011

Ex-Marc Jacobs COO accuses company president Robert Duffy of fostering x-rated workplace

Source: New York Daily News

A new sex discrimination lawsuit - by a former chief operating officer - accuses the president of Marc Jacobs International of lording over raunchy workplace hijinks, including mandatory employee pole dances.

Outsourcers Are Criticized on Visa Use

Source: Julia Preston , New York Times

Major outsourcing companies from India have been the biggest recipients of visas in recent years under a program intended to allow American companies to bring highly skilled foreign workers temporarily to the United States.

Anti-union mood moves to Nebraska's modest unions

Source: Grant Schulte, Bloomberg Business Week

In the struggle between governors and unions over public employee costs, Nebraska would seem like an unlikely battleground.

March 31, 2011

Wis. GOP pressing ahead with anti-union law

Source: AP, Associated Press

Wisconsin's Republican leaders appear to be taking the same confident and bullish approach to implementing their divisive collective bargaining law that they took to passing it, suggesting they may ignore a judge's warning that there would be consequences to moving ahead while challenges to the law are pending.

Obama threatens veto of FAA bill over labor provision

Source: John Crawley, Reuters

President Barack Obama would veto sweeping aviation legislation if Republicans in Congress succeed in gutting a rule favorable to airline and railroad union organizing, the White House said on Wednesday

The Walmart Class Action and the Culture of Discrimination

Source: Ken Greenfield , Huffington Post

If the questions earlier this week at the Supreme Court hearing about the huge discrimination suit again Walmart are any indication -- and, with this court, they usually are -- it looks like hundreds of thousands of women are about to lose.

March 28, 2011

Who's Disabled? Feds Expand the Definition

Source: Nathan Koppel, Wall Street Journal

Labor and employment lawyers are busy Friday reading, parsing, fretting, lecturing and a few other present participles after the EEOC yesterday issued new regulations governing when employees qualify as disabled.

Workers eager to job hunt as morale plunges

Source: Laura Petrecca, USA Today

Wal-Mart sex-bias case could have wide impact

Source: Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBC

The nation's highest court will hear arguments Tuesday in a case pitting employee rights advocates against corporate America, and the outcome could have a sweeping impact on working women and the work world at large.

March 25, 2011

Wisconsin: No Ruling on Union Law

Source: Reuters & AP , New York Times

The battle over a state law curbing the union rights of public workers is headed for the State Supreme Court after a lower court declined to weigh in on the issue

Rolling Back Pay? Pregaming Next Week's Big Discrimination Argumen

Source: Ashby Jones, Wall Street Journal

Next Tuesday, down at One First St., N.E., arguably the most important sex-discrimination case to hit the Supreme Court in many years will receive a full airing.

EEOC Announces Final Bipartisan Regulations for the ADA Amendments Act

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Regulations Implement Congressional Intent to Simplify Definition of Disability.

March 24, 2011

Wal-Mart Pushes (Shoves?) Law Firms to Promote Minority Lawyers

Source: Nathan Koppel, Wall Street Journal

The Supreme Court is due next week to consider whether potentially hundreds of thousands of women can band together to sue Wal-Mart for alleged sex discrimination.

Collective Bargaining Rights Are Key for Workplace Equality

Source: Barbara R. Arnwine, Huffington Post

Women's History Month is a very special time to reflect upon both the particular challenges that women continue to face in the workplace and upon the new opportunities that will arise for economic equity.

Online etiquette flubs could crush your career

Source: Anne Fisher , CNN Money

More than three-quarters of HR executives said in a recent survey that technology-related gaffes can be hazardous to your job.

March 23, 2011

Justices Back Employee in Wage Complaint Case

Source: Adam Liptak, New York Times

Workers who complain to their employers about wage violations are protected from retaliation whether the complaints are oral or written, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday in a 6-to-2 decision.

Union workers 'ready to fight' over 'right to work' bills

Source: Matt Wickenheiser, Bangor Daily News

Roughly 300 union members flooded the State House on Tuesday to urge legislators to oppose two so-called "right to work" bills.

Bayer is target of $100M gender bias lawsuit

Source: AP, Bloomberg Business Week

A subsidiary of the Bayer Corporation faces a class-action lawsuit that claims the company discriminated against women, particularly pregnant women and mothers.

March 22, 2011

Workplace discrimination bills considered by Missouri lawmakers would hurt employees

Source: Michele T. Johnson , Kansas City Star

For Missouri employees the bills are potentially bad, because they basically mean that the people with power in their lives -- their employers -- have stronger armor to protect themselves even when they abuse that power.

Wisconsin Asks Appeals Court to Block Order Halting Union Bargaining Law

Source: Marie Rohde and Andrew Harris, Bloomberg

Wisconsin's attorney general asked an appeals court to block a state judge's order that temporarily halted a law curbing government employee unions' collective- bargaining power.

Wal-Mart sexual discrimination case could redefine class action

Source: Greg Stohr , Dallas Morning News

More than 100 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. workers paint a similar picture in sworn complaints about the company: Local managers made sexist decisions about promotions and pay, and top officials did nothing to stop them.

March 21, 2011

Judge blocks contentious Wisconsin union law

Source: Chris Bury, ABC News

Law Limiting State Unions' Collective Bargaining Rights Subject of Temporary Restraining Order.

Utah's New Immigration Law: A Model For America?

Source: Mara Liason, NPR

Ever since Arizona passed its tough immigration law penalizing undocumented workers, other states have been considering similar laws.

3M settles age-discrimination suit for up to $12M

Source: AP, Bloomberg

3M Co. has agreed to pay up to $12 million to settle an age-discrimination lawsuit with as many as 7,000 current and former employees.

March 18, 2011

Attitude of Bosses and Money Matter the Most

Source: Angela Henshall, Wall Street Journal

While government efforts to recruit and retain female talent in the workplace focus on flexible working and childcare support, women in financial services rank their relationship with their boss as the most important criteria of fa

Walker: Union Bosses Out of Touch

Source: Althea Fung, National Journal

If most Americans knew what the Wisconsin labor debate was really about, says Gov. Scott Walker (R), they wouldn't be up in arms.

Social-media policies can be potential pitfall for employers

Source: Mary Stuart, Denver Business Journal

Last fall, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against an employer that supposedly fired an employee for posting negative comments on Facebook about her supervisors

March 17, 2011

Wal-Mart Gender Bias Case May Mean 'Rough Justice' for Companies

Source: Greg Stohr , Bloomberg

More than 100 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) workers paint a similar picture in sworn complaints about the company: Local managers made sexist decisions about promotions and pay, and top officials did nothing to stop them.

Labor threats carry poignancy for Irish-Americans

Source: Associated Press

In a year when the questions of union power and the responsibility of governments to their employees have taken center stage, St. Patrick's Day is taking on dual meaning for many Irish-Americans, with their rich ties to the labor movement.

New Bill Would Ban Discrimination Against The Jobless

Source: Laura Bassett, Huffington Post

The Fair Employment Act of 2011 (H.R. 1113), drafted by Johnson and co-sponsored by Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), would amend the Civil Rights Act.

March 16, 2011

Senate OKs letting Texans keep guns in car at work

Source: AP, Business Week

Texans would be allowed to keep firearms and ammunition in their cars and trucks while they are at work, under a bill approved Tuesday by the state Senate over the objections of business groups

Unpaid internships gain popularity among the jobless

Source: Alana Semuels, LA Times

Working for no pay isn't the preferred route out of unemployment, but it offers valuable experience and the inside track to jobs once they do open up

Myths and Stereotypes About Mental Disabilities Greatest Barrier to Employment

Source: Press Release, EEOC

EEOC Hears Experts and Individuals with Mental Disabilities Detail Struggles to Gain Employment at Meeting.

March 15, 2011

Indiana Health Centers, Inc. To Pay $45,000 To Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Agency Charged That Indiana Health Care Provider Terminated Dental Hygienist Due to Her Pregnancy and Upcoming Maternity Leave

Dealing with Negativity and Harassment at Work

Source: Dr. Woody, Fox Business

The overwhelming drop in national workplace morale has most certainly caused a rise in negativity at work.

A 'Pro-Business' Supreme Court? Recent Rulings Favor Workers and Injured Plaintiffs

Source: Debra Cassens Weiss, ABA Journal

Recent decisions indicate the U.S. Supreme Court isn't reflexively pro-business, despite some assertions to the contrary.

March 14, 2011

Court Enforces EEOC Investigative Subpoena And Imposes Sanctions Against Osceola Nursing Home

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Federal Judge Also Imposes Sanction for Company's Unresponsive Conduct in Sex Discrimination Case

Unions frame bargaining as civil rights issue

Source: Associated Press

Labor unions at the heart of a burning national disagreement over the cost of public employees want to frame the debate as a civil rights issue, an effort that may draw more sympathy to public workers being blamed for busting state budgets with generous pensions.

The New Wisconsin Anti-Collective Bargaining Law Primer - What's Actually In It?

Source: Rick Ungar, Forbes

On the day when the largest protest to date is set to begin in Wisconsin, it seems like a good idea to review some of the key aspects of the law Governor Walker signed into existence on Friday.

March 11, 2011

Sexual harassment suit is halted against American Apparel chief Dov Charney

Source: Andrea Chang , Los Angeles Times

Case is delayed until March 25 by a New York judge, responding to a motion by the L.A. clothing maker that the issues in the suit by Irene Morales should be settled in confidential arbitration and not at trial.

Commission to Meet Tuesday on Employment of People with Mental Disabilities

Source: Press Release, EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hold a public meeting on employment of people with mental disabilities on Tuesday, March 15, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), at agency headquarters, 131 M Street, N.E. In accordance with the Sunshine Act, the meeting is open for public observation of the Commission's deliberations.

Companies Rally Behind Wal-Mart as Bias Suit Heads to High Court

Source: Ann Zimmerman & Brent Kendall , Wall Street Journal

More than 20 major U.S. companies, ranging from General Electric Co. to Costco Wholesale Corp., have lined up to support Wal-Mart Stores Inc. ahead of a March 29 Supreme Court hearing on one of the largest sex-discrimination suits in history.

March 10, 2011

The Broad Spectrum of Workplace Violence

Source: Bill Whitmore, Huffington Post

While news coverage of workplace shooting incidents defines the public consciousness of what "workplace violence" is, the true definition of workplace violence is far broader.

Wisconsin Senate Limits Bargaining by Public Workers

Source: Monica Davey, New York Times

The bitter political standoff in Wisconsin over Gov. Scott Walker's bid to sharply curtail collective bargaining for public-sector workers ended abruptly Wednesday night as Republican colleagues in the State Senate successfully maneuvered to adopt a bill doing just that.

American Apparel Exec Calls $250 Million Sex Harassment Suit 'Extortion'

Source: Russell Goldman , ABC News

American Apparel and its often-sued CEO Dov Charney have been hit with a $250 million suit by a teenage employee who claims Charney turned her into his sex slave, but the company is firing back by calling the young woman's suit "extortion."

March 9, 2011

California labor market recovery to go more slowly than predicted, report says

Source: Alana Semuels, LA Times

UCLA economists project the state's unemployment rate won't crack single digits until early 2013.

EEOC Seeks Public Comment on Plan To Review its Significant Regulations

Source: Press Release, EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is inviting the public to comment as it develops a plan to review its significant regulations pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 13563, "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review." 76 Fed. Reg. 3821 (Jan. 21, 2011).

Cigna sued on claims of gender bias

Source: Katie Johnston Chase and Chris Reidy, Boston.com

A Boston Cigna HealthCare employee is seeking $100 million in damages in a lawsuit that alleges the company systematically discriminates against women.

March 8, 2011

Wellness and workplace productivity

Source: Kristyn Schiavone, Chicago Tribune

Healthy workplace habits can lead to better productivity. Here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make to keep you working -- and playing -- hard.

Jobs Open, but Filling Them Slows Down

Source: Joe Light, Wall Street Journal

Hiring has yet to hit a rapid clip, but it's not for lack of job openings.

Democrats to End Union Standoff

Source: Kris Maher & Amy Merrick, Wall Street Journal

Playing a game of political chicken, Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to stymie restrictions on public-employee unions said Sunday they planned to come back from exile soon, betting that even though their return will allow the bill to pass, the curbs are so unpopular they'll taint the state's Republican governor and legislators.

March 7, 2011

The Best Way for Retirees to Leave the Workforce

Source: Glenn Ruffenach, Smart Money

Last year at this time, Ken Bottoms, senior vice president at First Horizon National, was working his usual five days a week at the Tennessee-based financial-services company. Last summer, though, he reduced his schedule to four-and-a-half days a week. And in January, he cut it further, to four days.

America's union story: Blood, struggle and bargaining for good and bad

Source: Ashley Fantz, CNN

Eighty-one-year-old labor historian Ken Germanson watches the news from home in Milwaukee every night, mystified.

A System That Encourages Small Businesses Not to Hire Older Workers

Source: Paul Downs, New York Times

In my last post, I noted that older workers face hiring discrimination because they increase health insurance costs. Which elicited this comment

March 4, 2011

Channel 25 Settles EEOC Race And Sex Bias Suit

Source: Press Release, EEOC

KOKH-TV (Fox 25) in Oklahoma City will pay $45,000 and additional consideration to a veteran African-American TV news reporter to settle a race and sex discrimination lawsuit.

Facebook and Labor Laws: Can Internet Posts Get You Fired?

Source: TIME, Reynolds Holding

Dawnmarie Souza's comments on her Facebook page didn't win her any points with the boss, but the rest of us owe her a debt of gratitude.

Cigna sued on claims of gender bias

Source: Katie Johnston Chase and Chris Reidy, Boston.com

A Boston Cigna HealthCare employee is seeking $100 million in damages in a lawsuit that alleges the company systematically discriminates against women

March 3, 2011

Delta faces charges of union bias in profit-sharing

Source: Columbus Business First

Flight attendants formerly of Delta Air Lines Inc. acquisition Northwest Airlines Corp. are suing their new parent, claiming they got lower profit-sharing checks because they previously belonged to a union, the Cincinnati Business Courier reports.

Supreme Court Finds Employer Liable Because of Discrimination by Proposing Official

Source: Debra A. D'Agostino, FedSmith

In Staub v. Proctor Hospital (No. 09-400), the United States Supreme Court held that an employer may be liable for employment discrimination based on the discriminatory animus of an employee who influenced, but did not make, the ultimate employment decision.

Age Discrimination in The Workplace: Is It Ageism Or Your Attitude?

Source: Matt Schifrin, Forbes

There is an ongoing debate about age discrimination in the work place that has been around for a very long time.

March 2, 2011

States Mull Shift in Worker Pensions

Source: Jeannette Neuman, Wall Street Journal

Policy makers across the country are considering scrapping guaranteed retirement benefits for public workers in favor of 401(k)-like plans.

Workplace Flexibility Gets a Little Blue Around the Collar

Source: Erin Holaday Ziegler, Bizlex

For a low-wage, hourly employee with a chronically sick family member, workplace flexibility might seem like somewhat of a pipe dream.

Supreme Court extends bias protection

Source: David G. Savage , Los Angeles Times

The Supreme Court extended the reach of the federal laws against job discrimination, ruling that employees are protected from illegal bias not just from a top decision maker, but from other supervisors as well

March 1, 2011

A new type of culture clash: American workers vs. foreign managers

Source: International Business TImes

While Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin and certain other states are seeking to curtail the power and influence of public sector unions, a different kind of labor dispute is taking place in Philadelphia which may be an augur for U.S. employee-management relations in the future.

Unions Debate What to Give to Save Bargaining

Source: Michael Cooper, New York Times

Government employees' unions in a range of states are weighing whether to give ground on wages, benefits and work rules to preserve basic bargaining rights.

Strides by Women, Still a Wage Gap

Source: Conor Dougherty , Wall Street Journal

Women are gaining ground educationally and economically, but men still make more money on average and women are more likely to live in poverty, according to a White House report expected to be released Tuesday.

February 28, 2011

Union Battles: A 'National Campaign' Against Labor?

Source: David Schaper, NPR

The stalemate in Wisconsin and other Midwestern states between Republican governors and organized labor is about much more than pay, benefits and collective bargaining.

Unions vs. the Right to Work

Source: Robert Barro, Wall Street Journal

Collective bargaining on a broad scale is more similar to an antitrust violation than to a civil liberty.

Woman receives $100,000 settlement in Belle Chasse sexual harassment case

Source: Mark Waller, NOLA

$110,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging it fired an employee in Belle Chasse for refusing to have sex with her boss.

February 25, 2011

Major Construction Firm To Pay $110,000 To Settle EEOC Suit For Sexual Harassment, Retaliation

Source: Press Release, EEOC

Brand Energy Fired Employee for Refusing Supervisor's Requests for Sex, Federal Agency Charged.

Wis. Assembly Passes Bill Taking Away Union Rights

Source: AP, NPR

Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly took the first significant action on their plan to strip collective bargaining rights from most public workers, abruptly passing the measure early Friday morning before sleep-deprived Democrats realized what was happening.

House bill would let bosses replace overtime with comp time

Source: Jim Siegel , Columbus Dispatch

Though collective bargaining is the key labor topic in the Statehouse, a bill allowing small businesses to offer compensatory time instead of overtime pay also drew fire from Democrats yesterday as it passed a House committee along party lines.

February 24, 2011

GOP bill would end California pension bargaining

Source: Don Thompson, San Francisco Chronicle

Following the lead of Wisconsin's governor, a Republican state assemblyman announced legislation Tuesday intended to eliminate collective bargaining for pension benefits by California's public employees

'Janie Q's' Class Warfare at Wal-Mart

Source: Al Horman, Huffington Post

Wal-Mart bosses refer to their women workers as "Janie Q's." That's according to lawyers who are representing 1.6 million Janie Q's who are suing the giant retailer for sexual discrimination.

Can Employees Refuse to Work for Political Beliefs?

Source: Stephanie Rabiner, Reuters

It appears as though Mark Ekstrum objected to performing his job based on political reasons. Do employers have to accommodate an employee's political beliefs?

February 23, 2011

Federal Court Refuses To Toss Out EEOC Claim That Chrysler Retaliated Against Employees

Source: Press Release , EEOC

Hostile Warnings of Discipline and Termination After Complaint of Sex Discrimination Are Enough for Case to Go Forward, Judge Says

N.J. governor wants workers to pay more for benefits

Source: Tami Luhby, CNN

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie introduced a $29.4 billion budget Tuesday that demands many concessions from state workers, as well as cuts spending and taxes.

Wisconsin Workers' Rights Battle Goes National at Pivotal Time for Labor

Source: Mark Niquette, Bloomberg

Unions and their allies are planning rallies, vigils and press conferences in at least 27 states this week against what they see as a national attack on government employees that is a seminal moment for organized labor.

How Are You Feeling About Your Job?

Source: Tony Schwartz, Harvard Business Review

The more we feel devalued, the more energy we spend defending and restoring our value, and the less energy we have available to create value.

February 22, 2011

After nearly 10 years, sex-harassment suit may finally be settled

Source: Ameet Sachdev, Chicago Tribune

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is about to conclude what its attorneys suspect is the longest discrimination lawsuit in the history of its Chicago office.

GOP Touts Need For Public Unions To Bend

Source: AP, NPR

Republicans who swept into power in state capitols this year with promises to cut spending and bolster the business climate now are beginning to usher in a new era of labor relations that could result in the largest reduction of power in decades for public employee unions

Michigan workers to oppose 'anti-labor' state proposals

Source: David Bailey , Reuters

Michigan labor leaders say union workers will lobby on Tuesday against legislative proposals that give emergency financial managers powers to remove elected officials and break labor contracts as they work to turn around failing schools and cities.

February 21, 2011

Workzone: Laws govern workplace alcohol, drug testing

Source: Patricia Sabatini , Post Gazette

Some people might think that distinguishing between getting drunk and getting high was splitting hairs.

6 Reasons You Shouldn't Quit Without Notice

Source: Suzzane Lucas , bNET

Your company doesn't care one whit about you and will fire you at the drop of a hat, so why on earth should you give them two weeks-or any length-of notice before you quit?

Labor faces a moment of truth

Source: Ben Smith & Maggie Habberman , Politico

As organized labor hails an unprecedented moment of unity playing out amid a sea of supporters marching in Madison, Wis., other union officials elsewhere are quietly wringing their hands about the risks of a high-stakes and historic loss in against Gov. Scott Walker.

February 18, 2011

Democrats Missing, Wisconsin Vote on Cuts Is Delayed

Source: Monica Davey, New York Times

The fury among thousands of workers, students and union supporters rose to a boil on Thursday, as state lawmakers prepared to vote on landmark legislation that would slash collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Order bans transgender discrimination in Mass.

Source: AP, Boston.com

Gov. Deval Patrick has signed an executive order that would ban discrimination against transgender employees in state government.

Republicans challenging unions in state capitol

Source: David Lieb & Sam Hananel, Idaho Statesman

Republicans who swept into power in state capitols this year with promises to cut spending and bolster the business climate now are beginning to usher in a new era of labor relations that could result in the largest reduction of power in decades for public employee unions

February 17, 2011

The High Price of Crying On the Job

Source: Rachel Emma Silverman, Wall Street Journal

Tears have been making headlines recently, with high-profile figures like John Boehner and Glenn Beck regularly welling up on the job and a recent study which found that women's tears caused male testosterone levels to dip.

EEOC Asks: Are Employers Discriminating Against The Jobless?

Source: Laura Bassett, Huffington Post

A Craigslist job ad posted Feb. 6 for a $25-per-hour customer relations position in San Francisco encourages men, women, and students to apply, "No Experience Required" - as long as the applicant already has a job.

Bill Would Repeal Nevada's Minimum Wage Law

Source: Sandra Chereb, Forbes

Critics of Nevada's minimum wage law argued Wednesday that the voter-approved mandate has had unintended consequences in the down economy and should be repealed, or at least re-opened for public debate.

February 16, 2011

Safety Agency Puts Punishing U.S. Employers First, Lawmaker Says

Source: Stephanie Armour, Bloomberg

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is punishing employers at the expense of reducing workplace injuries, Representative Tim Walberg, a Michigan Republican, said today at a congressional hearing.

N.F.L. Labor Dispute: Words but No Talks

Source: Judy Battista, New York Times

...there have been no conversations between representatives of the owners and the union since talks broke off after a negotiating session last Wednesday and no talks are scheduled.

Obama Budget Plan Could Create Millions of Jobs

Source: Paul Davidson, USA Today

President Obama's proposed fiscal 2012 budget is potentially a massive job-creation engine, with plans to generate millions of them by repairing and expanding highways, bridges and railways.

February 15, 2011

EEOC to Examine Treatment of Unemployed Job Seeker

Source: Press Release, EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, February 16, at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern Time), at agency headquarters, 131 M Street, N.E. In accordance with the Sunshine Act, the meeting is open for public observation of the Commission's deliberations.

Report dings Congress on workplace safety

Source: Erika Lovely, Politico

When it comes to providing a safe workplace environment for congressional staffers and employees, Congress is faltering, according to a report compiled by the agency responsible for workplace issues in the Capitol.

GM To Pay Hourly Workers More Than $4,000 Each In Bonuses

Source: Mark Memmott, NPR

"General Motors ... expects to pay its 45,000 U.S. hourly workers more than $4,000 each as a share of the company's first annual profit since 2004," the Detroit Free Press writes.

Workplace Bullying Bill Filed in Washington

Source: AP, Seattle PI

Workplace bullying would be declared an unfair practice in Washington under legislation introduced by state Sen. Nick Harper of Everett.

D.M. Council Approves $60,000 Settlement for Harassment Claim

Source: Jason Pulliam, Des Moines Register

A $60,000 payment to settle a harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed by a city employee was approved today by the Des Moines City Council.

February 14, 2011

Labor Department sues Kinder Morgan over overtime

Source: AP, ABC News

Labor Department seeks more than $1 million in back overtime for Kinder Morgan Energy workers.

Employees Have Free Speech on Facebook

Source: Rich Jennings , PC World

Employers: it's not legal for you to restrict what employees say about you on Facebook, or other Internet venues.

States Aim Ax at Health Cost of Retirement

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

Governors and mayors facing large deficits have set their sights on a relatively new target - the soaring expense of health benefits for millions of retired state and local workers.

Hussey Copper To Pay $85,000 To Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

Source: EEOC, EEOC

The EEOC had charged that Hussey Copper, Ltd. unlawfully refused to hire a job applicant because of his record of a disability and because they regarded him as disabled.

5 Reasons You Should Embrace Telework Week and Let Employees Work from Home

Source: Rick Broida and Dave Johnson, bNET

Here are a few reasons to embrace telwork according to WorkShifting: The Bottom Line, a white paper from Citrix.

February 11, 2011

Can I Say No to Health Insurance and Get a Raise Instead?

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

This summer will make three years since I've had a pay raise. Is there a tactful way for me to mention the amount of money the company has saved, and ask for a raise based on that?

Career Journal: Can an Office Romance Get You Fired?

Source: Shefali Anand and Prerna Sodhi, Wall Street Journal

With Valentine's Day around the corner, love is in the air - including possibly in your office

Wyoming House Backs Allowing Guns in Cars at Work

Source: AP, Business Week

Wyoming employers would lose the ability to prohibit workers from keeping guns in their vehicles at their workplace under a bill that passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Connecticut again considers workplace meeting law

Source: AP, Bloomberg

Connecticut lawmakers are again considering legislation that would ban an employer from forcing workers to attend or participate in workplace meetings about the employer's religious or political view

Career Journal: Can an Office Romance Get You Fired?

Source: Shefali Anand and Prerna Sodhi, Wall Street Journal

With Valentine's Day around the corner, love is in the air--including possibly in your office.

A Backlash Looms for the Federal Labor Board

Source: Stephanie Armour and Holly Rosenkrantz, Bloomberg Business Week

Business lobbyists say the agency is rapidly overturning case law. The Republican-controlled House is taking notice

February 10, 2011

Conn. Again Considers Workplace Meeting Law

Source: AP, Hartford Courant

Connecticut lawmakers are again considering legislation that would ban an employer from forcing workers to attend or participate in workplace meetings about the employer's religious or political views.

The Happiest U.S. Cities to Work

Source: Meghan Casserly, Yahoo!

A new survey reveals where the happiest workers are.

Facebook and the Law: The NLRB Got It Right

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

You would be smart to be cautious about what you say and post on the internet, because unless you are saying something that is explicitly protected, your boss can still fire you.

Bloomberg's Battle for More Say in the Pension Process

Source: Elizabeth Harris, The New York Times

New York City's labor force was in revolt in the late 1960s and early '70s. Teachers, sanitation workers and policemen had all been on strike. City officials and unions were at loggerheads

Conn. again considers workplace meeting law

Source: AP, Hartford Courant

Connecticut lawmakers are again considering legislation that would ban an employer from forcing workers to attend or participate in workplace meetings about the employer's religious or political views

Workplace threats pose a challenge for employers

Source: Stehen Roppolo, Chron

While Giffords struggles to regain her life as she once knew it, the national discussion has shifted from tamping down vitriolic political discourse to how to avoid the next senseless mass killing.

February 9, 2011

Layoffs Down, but Hiring Still Slow

Source: Justin Lahart, Wall Street Journal

The U.S. job market has returned to pre-recession levels in at least one category: layoffs.

Attitude adjustment can conquer unhappiness at work

Source: Anita Bruzzese, USA Today

You may think that your complaining boss or whining co-workers -- or even the gloomy cubicle where you labor -- are the reasons why you're not happy at work.

Still Nearly 5 Unemployed Workers for Every Opening

Source: Catherine Rampell, New York Times

There were still nearly five unemployed workers for every job opening in the United States in December, according to a Labor Department report released today.

Does Your Work Wife Get a Valentine?

Source: Sue Shellenbarger, Wall Street Journal

For Valentine's Day on Monday, Amy McMahon will be celebrating twice.

Kansas Proposal Would Add Sexual Orientation to State's Anti-Discrimination Law

Source: Samantha Foster, Kansas City Star

The Kansas Act Against Discrimination only protects employees from discrimination based on race, religion, gender and disability.

February 8, 2011

Who's Counting: Testing and Hiring Disparities Need Not Imply Bias

Source: John Paulos, ABC News

Mathematician Explores Claims of Prejudicial Treatment in the Media.

Reagan's complicated legacy for federal workforce

Source: Joe Davidson, The Washington Post

This week marks the centennial of Ronald Reagan's birth. When it comes to federal employee issues, he's probably most remembered as a big union-busting president.

Labor Shortage Persists in Some Fields

Source: Joe Light, Wall Street Journal

There are nearly 14 million people looking for a job, but few have the skills to fill the four computer engineering openings at Gowalla Inc.

Top 10 Careers for 2011

Source: Liz Ryan, Business Week

Thinking about a career change in 2011? Remember that some fields (financial analysis, for example) are expected to grow while others (manufacturing) will shrink over the next decade.

Facebook Firing Case Is Settled

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

A company that fired a worker after she posted negative remarks about her boss on Facebook has settled a complaint brought by the National Labor Relations Board by agreeing to revamp its rules to ensure they don't restrict workers' rights, the NLRB said.

Noose Found In Locker Of Man Who Filed FDNY Discrimination Lawsuit

Source: Huffington Post, Huffington Post

Seabrook, and four other minority electricians for the FDNY, filed complaints with the New York State Division of Human Rights, alleging the Fire Department overlooks minority electricians for overtime opportunities and promotions.

February 7, 2011

Discrimination Charges Soar in Down Economy

Source: Jane Lewis Volk, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Discrimination charges against employers reached record heights in 2010, according to a recent report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Little Known History of Labor Rights and Civil Rights

Source: Dedrick Muhammad, Huffington Post

The famed March on Washington in 1963 was titled the March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs and was originally envisioned by the great labor leader A Phillip Randolph.

Green Bay Meat Plant Settles Discrimination Case

Source: Wisconsin Ag Connection, Wisconsin Ag Connection

A state meatpacking company has agreed to pay $1.65 million to settle a sex-discrimination lawsuit for rejecting 970 female applicants over a two-year period.

February 4, 2011

Unemployment Drops to 9 Percent In January

Source: NPR Staff & Wires, NPR

The unemployment rate fell sharply last month to 9 percent, the lowest level in nearly two years. But the economy generated only 36,000 net new jobs, the fewest in four months.

Women Doctors Face $17,000 Pay Gap

Source: Rachel Silverman, Wall Street Journal

Starting salaries of new physicians reveal a growing gender gap.

Pacific Seafood to Pay $85,000 to Settle EEOC Lawsuit for Retaliation

Source: Press Release , EEOC

EEOC Alleged Employee Was Illegally Fired for Raising Issue of Race Discrimination.

Walmart cuts deals with unions before Thursday hearing in front of City Council

Source: Adam Lisberg, Erin Einhorn and Erin Durkin, New York Daily News

The war over Walmart in New York City has ignited a national debate about the place of big box retail giants in major U.S. cities. A pivotal milestone in that fight takes place Thursday night in New York.

$212K for Sergeant in Sex Harassment Case

Source: AP, SF Gate

Jurors have decided a Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant should get $211,700 for enduring years of sexual harassment by a lieutenant.

Top Chef's Recipe for Gender Bias

Source: Tara Sophia Mohr, Huffington Post

Fans of Bravo's Top Chef know: the women keep losing.

February 3, 2011

Flexible vacation policies are here to stay

Source: Shelly DuBois, CNN Money

You're an adult. You know how to prioritize your time to do your job.

When you don't trust your boss

Source: Katherine Dorsett, CNN

Jessica Moore knew working for a boss she didn't trust wasn't healthy.

Awaiting Health Law's Prognosis

Source: Reed Ableson, New York Times

With a court decision on Monday declaring the health care law unconstitutional and Republicans intent on repealing at least parts of it, thousands of Americans with major illnesses are facing the renewed prospect of losing their health insurance coverage.

Stop Asking Job Candidates the 'Biggest Weakness' Question

Source: Sean Silverthorne, bNET

"So, what would you say is your biggest weakness?"

It's a question many of us ask job candidates, even though it rarely yields any useful information.

'Right-to Work' Would Deliver Another Blow to Employees

Source: David Hoffman, South Bend Tribune

An employer who unjustly severs a relationship with an employee rarely suffers any ill effects for doing so...

National Guardsman Awarded $600,000 in Hiring Bias Case Against Oldham

Source: Andrew Wolfson, Courier Journal

...the department learned that Gentry served in the Kentucky National Guard and might be facing deployment soon - and it withdrew the offer and gave the job to someone else.

February 2, 2011

Immigration Officer Fired After Bosses Learn He Added Wife to Do-Not-Fly List

Source: Erica Ho, Time

Sometimes marriage gets a bad rap

Toshiba Accused of Gender Discrimination in U.S.

Source: Juro Osawa, Wall Street Journal

It's not the first time Toshiba has been in the spotlight on the broader issue of gender disparities in the workplace.

Rejoining the workforce after serious illness

Source: Dawn Klingensmith, philly.com

In the wake of a severe illness comes exhaustion, and not just of a physical nature.

Update on Reverse Discrimination -- What About the 'N' Word?

Source: Bill Clifton, Macon.com

In a recent case, the court reiterated that Title VII is not limited to discrimination against members of any particular race and indeed applies to white employees.

How Will Supreme Court Rule On Health Care Law?

Source: Nina Totenberg, NPR

Now it is the Obama administration's turn to defend a major initiative, and legal scholars of all political stripes caution against drawing too many conclusions.

EEOC Sues Amtrak for Gender Bias, Retaliation

Source: Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

Amtrak was accused in a lawsuit by the EEOC of gender bias for discriminating against a female employee in pay and work assignments, and retaliating against her when she complained.

February 1, 2011

Why Companies Need to Start Hiring Older Workers

Source: Daniel Roth, Fortune

As unemployment slowly begins to give, the head of BCG says companies must rethink the role of aging workers.

The NLRB Is On The Offensive

Source: James R. Grasso, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel

Since President Obama's NLRB appointees took office, the NLRB has embarked on a renewed effort to change national labor relations policy.

When Negativity Infects Your Office

Source: Sue Shellenbarger, Wall Street Journal

In my experience, few factors have a bigger impact on the juggle than the emotional climate where you work.

Toshiba Faces $100 Million Gender Bias Lawsuit

Source: Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

A senior human resources manager at Toshiba Corp has filed a $100 million lawsuit accusing a U.S. unit of the Japanese technology company of gender bias against women in pay and promotions.

January 31, 2011

Working on Immigration

Source: Editorial, L.A. Times

Congressional Republicans will not - and should not - succeed in persuading the Obama administration to resume workplace raids to detain and deport illegal immigrants.

8 Simple Ways to Customize Your Resume

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

Virtually any career coach or HR professional will tell you that to stand out from the piles of applications, you need to customize your resume to the job you want.

States Rebuff Federal Threat Over Union Laws

Source: AP, Las Vegas Sun

Four states are vowing to fight the federal government in a bid to preserve state measures that guarantee workers the right to secret ballots in union elections.

January 28, 2011

Obama and Business May Get On Well, but When Will That Produce Jobs?

Source: Simon Johnson, New York Times

President Obama is embarked on a major charm offensive with the business sector

Career Journal: How to Deal with Sexual Harassment at Work

Source: Prerna Sodhi and Shefali Anand , Wall Street Journal

Sexual harassment at work can involve a wide range of actions, from gestures to sexual innuendo to physical acts to demands for sexual favors. Sometimes these signs are so subtle that they are tough to pinpoint. But don't wait till they become more serious before taking action.

You Just Found Out Your Coworker Is Making More Than You. Now What?

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

Last year I received a bonus the same amount as my 1st year employed at said company. Through an indiscretion on behalf of a colleague, I was able to find out not only salaries of my colleagues with the same title/job function as mine, but I also found out their annual bonus amounts.

Why Companies Need to Start Hiring Older Workers

Source: Daniel Roth, Fortune

As unemployment slowly begins to give, the head of BCG says companies must rethink the role of aging workers.

San Pedro Woman Awarded $3.2M in Wage Dispute with Sportswear Firm

Source: Daily Breeze, Daily Breeze

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated for about a half-hour before finding in favor of Michelle Thomas in her wrongful termination case against TapouT.

Angry Employees at Central Park's Boathouse Restaurant Secretly Taping Their Bosses

Source: Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News

Fed up with their treatment by management, dozens of waiters and dishwashers have been reporting to work for the past year armed with miniature cassette recorders and have taped hundreds of workplace conversations.

January 27, 2011

Challenges for injured veterans, employers

Source: L.M. Sixel, Houston Chronicle

Over the past few years, disability disputes at the workplace focused overwhelmingly on whether a worker was indeed disabled and therefore entitled to civil rights protections under federal law

9th Circuit: Faith-Based Groups Not Subject to Title VII

Source: Law.com, Law.com

In an amended ruling today, the court delivers a two-paragraph, unsigned order affirming that the group, World Vision, didn't violate the act when it canned two employees who disavowed the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

Republicans Want a Return to Workplace Immigration Raids

Source: Brian Bennett, L.A. Times

They say they'll use their new majority in the House to press for more aggressive enforcement without any path to legal status.

Bill Would Add Sexual Orientation to Idaho Law Protections

Source: Betsy Z. Russell, Spokesman Review

Idaho's state Human Rights Commission has endorsed legislation adding sexual orientation to the state's anti-discrimination law.

January 26, 2011

Labor Department Withdraws Recordkeeping Proposal

Source: Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal

The Labor Department Tuesday withdrew a proposal that would require companies to more carefully log workplace muscle sprains and strains, the latest result of the Obama administration's effort to respond to business concerns about federal regulation.

Making Workplace Wellness Work

Source: Michael McCallister, Reuters

One-third of the U.S. workforce suffers from preventable diseases in any given year, according to The Milken Institute's 2007 report, "An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease."

Cities can lay off workers without union input

Source: AP, AP

The California Supreme Court says financially struggling cities and counties aren't required to consult with employee unions before deciding to lay off workers.

Settlement Talks Underway In Facebook Firing Case

Source: Mara Lee, Hartford Courant

The National Labor Relations Board delayed a hearing on whether American Medical Response violated Dawnmarie Souza's rights by firing her after she complained about her boss on Facebook, to allow the two sides to continue negotiating a settlement.

Concord Settles Sex-Bias Suit With Female Cop

Source: Henry K. Lee, San Francisco Chronicle

The highest-ranking woman in the Concord Police Department has reached a $150,000 settlement with the city over a lawsuit claiming that she was harassed and discriminated against because of her gender, attorneys in the case said Tuesday.

Supreme Court Limits Workplace Retaliation

Source: Sue Shellenbarger, Wall Street Journal

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that touches on this sensitive area for couples who work together.

January 25, 2011

2010: The Year in BigLaw Layoffs

Source: Ashby Jones, Wall Street Journal

Last year was a very good one for John Boehner, Rafael Nadal, the heirs of Steig Larsson and David Fincher.

Immigration status not relevant in workplace death: Court

Source: Roberto Ceniceros , Business Insurance

A trial court's ruling that an employer trying to limit its liability for future lost earnings could not present evidence that a deceased employee was an illegal immigrant was reasonable, a Texas appellate court has ruled.

Job Hunting Goes High Tech With Virtual Interviewing, Video Resumes, Employer Text Alerts

Source: Tory Johnson, ABC

The hottest lead in your job search can be found in the palm of your hand: it's your cell phone.

Union Sues Over Haley's Remarks About Boeing Plant

Source: Jim Davenport, Bloomberg

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is facing her first big lawsuit after saying the state would try to keep unions out of the Boeing Inc. plant in North Charleston.

Court Rules Company Retaliated By Firing Fiance

Source: Nina Totenberg, NPR

By a unanimous vote, the court ruled that not only are workers themselves protected from retaliation when they file such claims, so too are their family members and close relations, such as a fiance.

January 24, 2011

Jury Returns Verdict in EEOC Bias Suit; Paul's Big M to Pay for Sex Harassment

Source: Press Release , EEOC

In a victory for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a jury in federal district court here has returned a large verdict in a significant sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the agency.

Changing stripes may tame tigers in the workplace

Source: Daneen Skube , Journal Gazzette

I work with one rude co-worker and have tried everything to get along with him

Workplace myths debunked: Bosses care if you slack off and your job is not your life

Source: Carolyn Kepcher, New York Daily News

We make bad assumptions and then are disappointed when situations don't work out.

Sex, Age Discrimination Suit v Bank of NY Mellon

Source: Steve James and Bill Berkrot, Reuters

A veteran portfolio officer at Bank of New York Mellon Corp accused the company of sex and age discrimination on Friday, charging she was paid less than younger, male employees.

Reform and the Teachers' Unions

Source: Editorial, New York Times

The American Federation of Teachers, the country's second-largest teachers' union, has wisely chosen to work with state legislatures and local school districts to help shape these new systems rather than try to block them.

Managing Employees in Their Twenties

Source: Michael Fertik, Harvard Business Review

Young workers want affirmation even more than they desire higher salaries, says Harvard blogger Michael Fertik. Here's how to motivate them.

January 20, 2011

Anti-Labor Amendment Clears Virginia House Vote

Source: Bob Lewis, Bloomberg

Virginia came a step closer Tuesday to possibly writing its anti-union right-to-work law into the state constitution.

Will NLRB Seek Shorter Union Election Campaigns?

Source: Steve Minter, Industry Week

At issue is a remark by Pearce, an Obama Administration appointee, at Suffolk University on October 21. Asked what he thought about the Canadian model for union elections, which may occur in only 5 to 10 days, Pearce allegedly expressed support for a shorter time frame.

Ask the Juggle: Who Handles Emergency Child Care?

Source: Sue Shellenbarger, Wall Street Journal

A reader asks The Juggle about a common hurdle among couples facing this transition: When one spouse returns to work, who handles emergency child-care duties?

Goldman Sachs Reduces Average Compensation Per Employee by 14% to $430,700

Source: Michael J. Moore and Christine Harper, Bloomberg

After setting an all-time high for Wall Street pay in 2007, Goldman Sachs cut compensation costs to 36 percent of revenue in 2009, the lowest ratio ever, as it reported record earnings and U.S. banks faced pressure from regulators and lawmakers to rein in bonuses.

January 19, 2011

U.S. Lags Behind in Offering Family Medical Leave

Source: Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBC

Replicating successful California plan might cost too many jobs, critics say.

Kentucky: Discrimination Suit Is Settled at University

Source: AP, New York Times

The university has agreed to pay $125,000 to Martin Gaskell in exchange for his dropping a federal religious discrimination suit.

Finally, Giving Some Back to Employees

Source: Dee DePass, Minneapolis Star Tribune

As the recovery strengthens, employers are finding it in their self-interest to restore some pay and perks for weary workers.

January 17, 2011

Are You the Boss You Need to Be?

Source: Linda Hill and Kent Lineback, Harvard Business Review

Are you getting the best from your people, and from those you need but don't control? Are you fully satisfying the ever-rising expectations of your firm and its customers?

Workplace Flexibility: Less Than Meets the Eye?

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

...the Sloan Foundation has repeatedly given awards to accounting firms and to individual offices of accounting firms. Indeed, that helped persuade me to write my article last Saturday about the accounting industry as a model for other industries on the workplace flexibility front.

Significant Labor Law Changes Will Bypass Congress

Source: Seth Borden, Washington Post

When President Obama took office in early 2009, many expected significant legislative changes in the area of traditional labor law to facilitate union organizing in the private sector.

January 14, 2011

New Law Prohibits Genetic Screening for Jobs

Source: Tim Doran, MSNBC

Federal regulations making it illegal for employers to discriminate against workers or job applicants based on their genetic information became effective Monday.

An Unlikely Union: Social Media and Labor Relations

Source: Marissa Oberlander, Northwestern University

The growing use of social media such as Facebook, YouTube and viral flash mobs is changing the way employers and union members communicate in labor disputes.

Dell Named Defendant in Another Gender-Discrimination Claim

Source: Christopher Calnan, Austin Business Journal

A lawsuit filed last month by an Austin woman is the latest in a string of gender-discrimination cases brought against Dell Inc., the computer giant with a human resources department allegedly described by a Dell executive as "one of the toughest old-boy networks" in the company.

January 13, 2011

Judge Dismisses Steelworkers' Racial Harassment Lawsuit

Source: Brian Bowling, Pittsburgh Tribune

Twice someone left a noose near their work areas and once someone left a clothesline tied with a common knot.

California Family Leave Program Gets High Marks in Study

Source: Alana Semuel, L.A. Times

Nearly a decade after California legislators passed the nation's first paid family leave law, researchers say the downside for businesses has been minimal while thousands of families have seen their working lives improve.

Good News For Employment Lawyers: Bias Claims Way Up

Source: Ashby Jones, Wall Street Journal

A legal truism: When the economy goes south, employment-discrimination claims go north.

January 12, 2011

How to Deal with Salary History Questions

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

Employers ask about your salary history for 3 reasons...

N.Y. Judges, Angry on Pay, Seek Union-Like Group

Source: William Glaberson, New York Times

...A new survey shows that hundreds of the judges remain deeply dissatisfied with the commission plan and overwhelmingly favor the creation of an extraordinary association that, like a labor union, would negotiate for judges on "salaries and other terms and conditions of employment."

Who Can Replace Labor?

Source: Ezra Klein, Washington Post

A few generations back, Americans knew that organized labor had given them weekends and workplace benefits and higher wages and shorter days. Today, they see unions getting things at their expense: tenure for bad teachers, underfunded pensions for state workers, bailouts for auto companies.

January 11, 2011

America's Best and Worst Job Markets

Source: Brian Wingfield and Janeace Slifka, MSNBC

As 2011 gets under way, Washington, D.C. - flush with government and government-supporting jobs - has the healthiest labor market among major U.S. metro areas.

Workplace Violence - the 5 Most Important Tips Women Need to Know to Protect Themselves

Source: Lisa Quast, Forbes

While we tend to see a lot of media coverage when something horrific occurs, such as shootings in the workplace, I was surprised to learn just how high the incidence actually is of workplace violence.

A Group of Workers Corporate America Claimed Were Impossible to Organize Win Key Union Votes

Source: Sarah Jaffe, Alternet

Many of the freelancers who create your favorite TV shows have been toiling in white-collar sweatshops.

January 10, 2011

City Of Greensboro To Pay $91,000 To Settle EEOC Age Discrimination Lawsuit

Source: EEOC, EEOC

The City of Greensboro has agreed to pay $91,000 and furnish other relief to settle an age discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Profits are Booming. Why Aren't Jobs?

Source: Michael Powell, New York Times

Why have corporate profits (and that market thermometer, the Dow) spiked even as 15 million Americans remain mired in unemployment, a number without precedent since the Great Depression?

Lewd Navy Videos Raise Touchy Workplace Issue

Source: Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBC

Many support ship's commander; sex talk is not always harassment.

January 7, 2011

Worker Fired for Refusing Saturday Work Gets $110,000

Source: John Murawski, Newsobserver.com

A major Durham employer has agreed to pay $110,000 to a former worker whom the company fired because she refused to work on Saturdays for religious reasons.

Prosecutors Can't Sue for Age Discrimination

Source: David Ziemer, Wisconsin Law Journal

The 7th Circuit held Dec. 29 that all prosecutors are, by definition, policymakers, and are therefore exempted from coverage of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).

Supreme Court's Scalia Says Discrimination Is Constitutional

Source: Laura Chapin, U.S. News

Antonin Scalia is now officially the Archie Bunker of the Supreme Court.

January 6, 2011

Jewel Settles Disability Discrimination Lawsuit for $3.2 Million

Source: Francine Knowles, Chicago Sun-Times

Jewel-Osco parent Supervalu Inc. has agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle a federal lawsuit claiming the company discriminated against disabled employees.

Protecting Worker's Rights

Source: Luke Norris, Huffington Post

As states begin to face budget woes, elected officials are attempting to solve them in part by proposing legislation that would curb the rights of labor unions to bargain collectively.

Obama Nominates Republican Terence Flynn to National Labor Relations Board

Source: Holly Rosenkrantz, Bloomberg

President Barack Obama nominated Terence Flynn, a Republican, to the National Labor Relations Board, filling an open slot on the five-member agency that handles disputes between unions and companies.

Obama Nominates Republican Terence Flynn to National Labor Relations Board

Source: Holly Rosenkrantz, Bloomberg

President Barack Obama nominated Terence Flynn, a Republican, to the National Labor Relations Board, filling an open slot on the five-member agency that handles disputes between unions and companies.

January 5, 2011

Obama Hopes Republicans Will Help With 'Delivering Jobs'

Source: David Jackson, USA Today

"I think that there's gonna be politics, that's what happens in Washington," Obama said before departing Hawaii for Washington. "They are going to play to their base for a certain period of time."

Employment Background Checks: What They're Really Looking For

Source: Suzanne Lucas, bNET

What capabilities do employers really have to investigate online activities of potential employees?

January 4, 2011

GOP Faces Uphill Climb To Undo Health Law

Source: Julie Rovner, NPR

"You will see the Republican-led House put a bill across the floor that will call for a full repeal of the Obama health care bill," said incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA). "That will be one of the first things we will do."

The Jobs They Are A-Changin'

Source: Catherine Rampell, New York Times

A large fraction of displaced workers who have found new jobs have had to switch careers, and most of those career-changers have downgraded to a lower-paying job...

Court Tosses Sexual-Harassment Claims Against Grady

Source: Bill Rankin, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The federal appeals court in Atlanta has dismissed a lawsuit against Grady Hospital filed by three women who claimed a counselor sexually harassed them.

January 3, 2011

Trial Set for Firing Over Use of 'N' Word

Source: Michael Klein, Philadelphia Inquirer

A federal jury will be asked to decide whether it is acceptable for an African American person, but not a white person, to use the "n" word in a workplace.

Livermore Retirees Sue University Over Health Care Benefits

Source: Elizabeth Lesly Stevens, New York Times

...a State Superior Court judge is considering a lawsuit that Mr. Davis, now 68, and three of his fellow Livermore retirees have brought against the Regents of the University of California.

Minimum Wage Earners in 7 States Getting Raises

Source: AP, AP

It will be a happier New Year for nearly 650,000 workers earning minimum wage.

Go Green: Telecommuting Good for Workers, Employers, Environment

Source: Kelly Barth, Lawrence Journal

Arguably, the greenest improvement in the workplace has been telecommuting, made possible by technologies such as instant messaging, Skype and even e-mail.

December 29, 2010

Government Pay Freeze Expands to More Civil Servants

Source: Lisa Rein, The Washington Post

The two-year pay freeze that is now law for federal employees on the pay scale known as the General Schedule will also apply to hundreds of thousands of civil servants whose wages are set under a separate salary system, according to an executive order signed last week by President Obama.

Wilmington Subway Operator to Pay $55,000 to Resolve Sexual Harassment Complaint

Source: EEOC, EEOC

The EEOC had charged that two female employees were subjected to a sexually hostile work environment at one of SKMATCH's Subway restaurants in Wilmington.

2011 Jobs Outlook: Better, But Not As Good As It Was

Source: Tamara Keith, NPR

In January 2010, the unemployment rate was 9.7 percent. If you had asked most people then to look forward to the end of the year, few would have guessed the rate would be even higher now.

December 28, 2010

Anti-Bias Agency Cracks Down on the Use of Credit and Criminal Checks in Job Screenings

Source: David G. Savage

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sues a firm for using credit histories in its hiring system, a practice that the agency says has a 'disparate impact' on blacks.

The Fifth Annual Golden Stapler Awards

Source: Chris Erikson, New York Post

Honoring the good, the bad and the silly in workplace achievement...

Lawyer Alleges Evidence Destroyed in Sexual Harassment Case

Source: Steve Green, Las Vegas Sun

The lawyer for a woman alleging sexual harassment against the N9NE Group and its top executive in Las Vegas is now claiming evidence has been destroyed in her case.

Job Offers Rising as Economy Warms Up

Source: James R. Hagerty and Joe Light, Wall Street Journal

As the economy gradually recovers, some big U.S. companies are cranking up their recruiting and advertising thousands of job openings, ranging from retail clerks and nurses to bank tellers and experts in cloud computing.

Finish Line Faces Bias Suit on Behalf of Ex-Worker

Source: Dana Hunsinger, Indianapolis Star

A federal discrimination lawsuit was filed Monday against The Finish Line, alleging the Indianapolis-based athletics retailer violated federal law when it fired a worker because of her physical disability.

Without State Law, PA Towns Take on Bias Against Gays

Source: Mark Scolforo, Philadelphia Inquirer

Although his yearslong crusade to enact a statewide ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity again died at the end of the most recent legislative session, State Rep. Dan Frankel sees reason for optimism.

December 22, 2010

United Airlines Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit

Source: EEOC, EEOC

Federal Agency Obtains Policy Changes and $600,000 for Reservation Agents With Disabilities

Obama Orders Breastfeeding Policy for Federal Workplace

Source: Ed O'Keefe, Washington Post

President Obama is asking federal personnel officials to draft "appropriate workplace accommodations" for federal employees who are nursing mothers.

U.S. Proposes Posted Notice of the Right to Unionize

Source: Steven Greenhouse, New York Times

The National Labor Relations Board said on Tuesday that it would require companies to post notices on their bulletin boards - and perhaps send out e-mail - to inform employees of their right to unionize under federal law.

December 21, 2010

AP: Congress Decries Federal Pay While Staff Payrolls Rise

Source: Ben Evans, USA Today

For a guy who insists that federal bureaucrats make too much money, incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor doesn't mind handing out handsome government raises of his own.

Tips to Keep Your Job: Exceed Expectations

Source: Laura Ortiz, USA Today

"Appreciate the fact that you have a job, even if it isn't ideal."

Appeals Court Keeps Tennessee Trooper's Discrimination Suit Alive

Source: Brian Haas, The Tennessean

A Tennessee Highway Patrol lieutenant who said he was demoted because he is a Republican can continue his discrimination lawsuit against the agency, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

December 20, 2010

Whatever Happened to Casual Days at Work?

Source: Eve Tahmincioglu, MSNBC

Rules governing employee appearance getting tougher due to economy.

Class-Action Foes Have Trifecta Before Supreme Court

Source: Daniel Fisher, Forbes

Three cases that may determine the future of class-action litigation are before the Supreme Court.

NYC Settles Religious Discrimination Case

Source: AP, Wall Street Journal

New York City has settled a lawsuit with an Orthodox Jewish nurse who was denied a job at a city hospital because she couldn't work on the Sabbath.

December 16, 2010

Survey Names Facebook Best Place to Work

Source: Reuters, Reuters

Facebook is the best large U.S. company to work for, according to a survey by a career website published on Wednesday.

Federal Jury Awards Hindu priest 2.8M in Back Pay, Damages, but Orders 500K Back to Ashram Owners

Source: John Marzulli, New York Daily News

A federal jury awarded an Indian priest $2.8 million in back pay and damages Tuesday for years of involuntary servitude at a Queens ashram.

Obama Plans Government Workplace Diversity Effort

Source: Joe Davidson, Washington Post

If creating a government workforce that reflects the people it serves, particularly at top civil service levels, is a high priority for Uncle Sam, you can't tell it by his record.

How to Fight Discontent in the Workplace

Source: El Paso Inc, El Paso Inc

New surveys and studies are showing that employees across the country are showing signs of uneasiness and discontent.

December 15, 2010

Home Instead Senior Care to Pay $150,000 to Settle EEOC Race Bias Suit

Source: EEOC, EEOC

Hi Care, Inc., doing business as Home Instead Senior Care, will pay $150,000 and furnish other relief to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

December 14, 2010

Paterson Signs Wage-Protection Bill into Law

Source: AP, Wall Street Journal

Gov. David Paterson on Monday signed into law tougher penalties for bosses who illegally withhold workers' pay, though opponents said the measure will make it harder to do business in New York.

Woman Sues Over Alleged Ban on Wearing Crucifix to Work

Source: Amber Sutherland and Jamie Schram, New York Post

A Roman Catholic woman says she was banned from wearing her crucifix while working for Orthodox Jews at a Manhattan frame and watch wholesaler.

Circuit Judge Lowers Award in Sheriff Discrimination Case

Source: Jennifer Mann, STLtoday.com

Circuit Judge Troy A. Cardona has lowered by $550,000 the punitive damages that a jury awarded to two deputies who successfully sued St. Louis Sheriff James Murphy for discrimination.

December 13, 2010

FAA And OSHA Investigating Metropolitan Aviation

Source: Andrea McCarren, WUSA

The federal investigation stems from an incident earlier this year in which a pilot with Metropolitan Aviation of Manassas made an emergency landing and was fired soon after.

The Ten Commandments for the Office Holiday Party

Source: Toni Brayer, SF Gate

The office Christmas party can be a treacherous place. Meant to be festive and fun, it can damage a promotion or ruin a career.

What Happens When the Jobless Give Up?

Source: Nina Easton, CNN Money

What happens to a nation's collective psyche when millions of once-productive people remain out of work for months or even years?

December 10, 2010

Jobless Claims Continue Steady Decline

Source: AP, NPR

Applications for unemployment benefits dropped last week to the second-lowest level this year, fresh evidence that companies are cutting fewer jobs.

Securitas to Pay $65,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit

Source: EEOC, EEOC

Chicago-based Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. has agreed to pay $65,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Illegal Workers' Case Weighed

Source: Joan Biskupic, USA Today

The Supreme Court appeared poised Wednesday to uphold an Arizona law that penalizes companies that hire illegal immigrants.

The 4.0 Career Is Coming... Are You Ready?

Source: Douglas LaBier, Huffington Post

Even in the midst of our economic disaster that's hitting all but the wealthiest Americans, a transformation is continuing within people's orientation to work.

Sahara to Pay $100,000 to Settle Discrimination Lawsuit

Source: Steve Green, Las Vegas Sun

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission today said the current and former owners of the Sahara hotel-casino in Las Vegas will pay $100,000 to settle a lawsuit the EEOC filed in behalf of a man of Middle Eastern descent who complained of workplace discrimination on the basis of national origin.

December 8, 2010

What Not to Say at the Office Holiday Party

Source: Cindy Perman, USA Today

Office holiday parties offer a great opportunity to mingle, socialize and network with your co-workers but if you're not careful they can be a recipe for career disaster.

Supreme Court to Hear Arizona Case About Illegal Workers

Source: Joan Biskupic, USA Today

Against the backdrop of a fierce national debate over illegal immigration, the Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear a challenge to an Arizona law that revokes the licenses of companies that hire undocumented workers.

Jury Awards $50,000 in Michigan Prison Bias Case

Source: AP, Chicago Tribune