Articles on workplace-related issues from newspapers and Internet news sources around the country.
July 19, 2019
Union Says AT&T Reneged on Pact From Before Time Warner Deal
Source: Josh Eidelson , Bloomberg Law
A union at AT&T Inc. is accusing the company of reneging on a labor agreement that helped gain the support of worker groups for last year’s $85 billion takeover of Time Warner Inc.
Goodwill head who makes $164,000 fired disabled workers after minimum wage hike
Source: Kate Gibson, CBS News
An Illinois branch of Goodwill faced a barrage of criticism after announcing plans to fire disabled workers and blaming it on the state's rising minimum wage.
The National Domestic Workers Alliance Is Seeking a Federal Bill of Rights From Congress
Source: Katelyn Burns, Vouge
Early in the afternoon on Tuesday, over 100 domestic workers and organizers, nearly all women of color, many of them immigrants, gathered in the basement of a Washington, D.C., church on Capitol Hill. As they were preparing to embark on a long day of meetings and knocking on legislators’ office doors, they chatted excitedly in English and Spanish, ate lunch, and discussed what they would say in front of their representatives.
The House just passed a $15 minimum wage. It would be the first increase in a decade.
Source: Alexia Fernández Campbell, Vox
The House passed a bill on Thursday to double the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. This would mark the first increase to the rate in more than a decade and the highest increase ever.
July 18, 2019
Uber drivers and other gig workers in California could get better pay under proposed law
Source: Marco della Cava, USA Today
Gig economy workers are increasingly ubiquitous, shuttling us to appointments and delivering our food while working for Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and others.
Black workers' wages still recovering from layoffs during recession: Fed analysis
Source: Erin Douglas, Houston Chronicle
Black workers had the highest unemployment rate during the financial crisis, and that could be the reason why the group is still seeing low average wage growth a decade later, analysts at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found.
New Law Grants Farm Workers Right to Unionize, Get Overtime
Source: Mary Esch, USA Today
New York farm workers have the right to unionize, get overtime pay and take at least one day off per week under a labor law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo
New Law Grants Farm Workers Right to Unionize, Get Overtime
Source: Mary Esch, USA Today
New York farm workers have the right to unionize, get overtime pay and take at least one day off per week under a labor law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo
New Law Grants Farm Workers Right to Unionize, Get Overtime
Source: Mary Esch, USA Today
New York farm workers have the right to unionize, get overtime pay and take at least one day off per week under a labor law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo
New Law Grants Farm Workers Right to Unionize, Get Overtime
Source: Mary Esch, USA Today
New York farm workers have the right to unionize, get overtime pay and take at least one day off per week under a labor law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Five Tips For Supporting Muslims In The Workplace
Source: Rebekah Bastian, Forbes
As we work to create more equitable workplaces, we need to understand and support the needs of all identities that have been marginalized or underserved. Muslims are arguably one of the most misunderstood identities in the United States, and as such, their needs are often overlooked. This can lead to a lowered sense of belonging, or feelings of being unsafe and discriminated against.
July 17, 2019
Federal Law Says ‘Go Back To Where You Came From’ Counts As Discrimination
Source: Sanjana Karanth, Huff Post
Lawmakers spent most of Tuesday hashing out whether to condemn President Donald Trump’s racist comment that four congresswomen of color should “go back” to their ancestral countries, but a federal agency has already made the decision for them.
New York Expands Salary Protections for Employees
Source: Denise M. Keyser, Christopher J. Kelly, and Elliot I. Griffin, NLR
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed two bills into law yesterday, amending Labor Law §194, to address the much-discussed "wage gap."
Democrats Are Pushing A Bill To Give Domestic Workers Employee Protections
Source: Nidhi Prakash, Buzz Feed News
Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Pramila Jayapal are leading a group of Democrats in Congress to introduce a bill giving domestic workers protections against sexual harassment and racial discrimination, which many currently don’t have because they’re excluded under civil rights laws.
Whole Foods workers say conditions deteriorated after Amazon takeover
Source: Michael Sainato, The Guardian
‘Amazon has changed the company so much to the point where I can’t recognize Whole Foods anymore,’ a team member in California said.
Since being bought by Amazon two years ago, employees at Whole Foods say their working conditions have declined markedly amid pressure to push Amazon Prime deals and memberships, plus widespread understaffing, increased workloads and labor budget cuts.
Union Challenge of Trump Executive Orders Rejected by Federal Court
Source: Noam Scheiber, New York Times
A federal appeals court on Tuesday dealt unions a setback in their legal fight against executive orders President Trump had signed targeting federal government workers and their unions.
July 16, 2019
Look Over Your Shoulder: Mobile Sensor System Uses Machine Learning to Classify Top Performers at Work
Source: Andrew Eatwell, Toolbox
“It’s a battle that unfortunately we’ve mostly lost,” says Paula Brantner, senior adviser at Workplace Fairness, a nonprofit that promotes employee rights.
With the ubiquity of wearable devices like fitness trackers, and social media posts as well as smartphone apps, people have “forfeited their privacy in a lot of different ways,” she says.
Walmart Workers Must Pursue Sex Bias Claims as 79 Suits (2)
Source: Patrick Dorrian and Erin Mulvaney, Bloomberg Law
Two groups of women who brought separate cases against Walmart for alleged systemic sex discrimination must pursue their claims in 79 individual lawsuits, a federal judge in Florida ruled.
Parenting can be a full-time job. Activists want the tax code to treat it that way.
Source: Dylan Matthews, Vox
About 11 million parents in the US don’t work for a wage. Most of those are stay-at-home moms primarily at home for caregiving reasons, but it’s a group that also includes ill or disabled parents, parents who are retired, and parents still in school.
Amazon warehouse workers around the world are striking for Prime Day
Source: Mike Murphy, Quartz
Thousands of workers at Amazon fulfillment centers and warehouses around the globe are going on strike today to bring attention to the working conditions they endure. Some are arguing that buying from Amazon during Prime Day is akin to crossing a picket line.
July 15, 2019
NYC struggles to enforce paid sick leave law: city comptroller
Source: Michael Gartland, NY Daily News
The government agency responsible for enforcing the city’s paid sick leave law is failing at its job, an audit conducted by Comptroller Scott Stringer found.
The Earned Sick Time Act, which went into effect in 2014, mandates employers with five or more workers provide paid sick leave.
Some of Amazon's highly paid tech workers say warehouse worker conditions are 'a source of shame'
Source: Julie Bort, Business Insider
A group of Amazon's tech workers are openly supporting the planned strike by Amazon warehouse workers in Shakopee, Minnesota, next week during the online retailer's Prime Day shopping event.
Oregon grocery workers point out gender pay gap
Source: Kathleen McLaughlin, The Bulletin
Duties and pay for men and women are no longer written into grocery workers union contracts. But the contracts that govern thousands of people who work for Fred Meyer, Albertson’s, Safeway and QFC in Oregon and southwest Washington still assign higher rates of pay to certain jobs, which are divided into “Schedule A” and “Schedule B,” according to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555.
Should you boycott Amazon Prime Day?
Source: Russell Brandom, The Verge
Amazon is now powerful enough to push its own holiday onto the calendar. Starting Monday, Prime Day will kick off with an avalanche of deep discounts — and Amazon is doing everything it can to make sure it feels festive. In fact, the company is doing so much, it might make you uncomfortable.
July 12, 2019
Acosta out as Trump Labor secretary
Source: Brett Samuels and Jordan Fabian, The Hill
Alexander Acosta announced Friday he will resign as Labor secretary amid mounting scrutiny over his role in negotiating a secret plea deal for financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is accused of sexually abusing dozens of young girls.
Connecticut and Oregon Make Paid Family Leave a Reality
Source: Bryce Covert, The American Prospect
The United States has no national guarantee that if someone has a new baby or needs to tend to their own or a family member’s serious injury or illness he can take any paid time off from work. The only guarantee is 12 weeks of unpaid time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act for those who qualify.
Uber and Lyft drivers swarm Sacramento as lawmakers advance gig workers’ rights bill
Source: Johana Bhuiyan, Los Angeles Times
On many mornings, Minda Aguhob, a Harvard-educated data scientist who started driving for Uber and Lyft five years ago as she struggled to find a job, opens her Uber app around 6 o’clock, hoping to hear the familiar ping of a ride request from her first passenger of the day. Wednesday morning was different. At that hour, Aguhob, along with 30 or so of her fellow Uber and Lyft drivers, was piling onto a bus parked outside the West Oakland BART station to make the hour-and-a-half drive to Sacramento.
July 11, 2019
Facebook sets goal to double female workforce in 5 years
Source: Kurt Wagner, Seattle Times
Facebook unveiled new diversity goals on Tuesday, including an effort to double the number of female employees globally over the next five years, and double the number of black and Hispanic employees in the U.S.
Amazon Workers Threaten To Strike On First Day Of Retailer's Summer Sale Event
Source: Alina Selyukh, NPR
Amazon workers in Minnesota are planning a six-hour strike on Monday to coincide with the first day of retailer's summer sale event, Amazon Prime Day.
Beverly Hills loses another harassment lawsuit against police chief and will pay $1.1 million
Source: James Queally, Los Angeles Times
A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday upheld allegations of workplace harassment and retaliation against Beverly Hills Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli, marking the latest defeat in a string of lawsuits lobbed at the chief from inside her own agency.
The Biggest Abuser of Forced Arbitration Is Amazon
Source: David Dayen, The American Prospect
In the past several months, advocates have expressed surprising optimism that they will be able to make progress in dismantling America’s forced-arbitration system, which supersedes dozens of laws enacted by Congress to protect workers and consumers, and bars access to the constitutionally mandated right to take a complaint to court.
July 10, 2019
Resolved: A $15 Minimum Wage Is Fine
Source: Hamilton Nolan, Splinter News
The issue of minimum wage is not as simple as you, a moron, saying “I would like to be paid more money.” It is about complex economics. Now we have a big old CBO report on the $15 minimum wage proposal. Is it good? Yeah, it’s good.
Why don't Americans talk about child care?
Source: Michele Norris, The Washington Post
The Democrats recently held two nights of debate, each two hours long, and in both sessions the two words that most American families talk about, worry about and sweat about behind closed doors were barely mentioned. Those two words are "child care." Finding it is a challenge; paying for it can be crippling; it's an issue that resonates with voters regardless of party, race or geography; and as of yet, we aren't talking about it in a serious way.
Former Tesla workers claim they were fired for using maternity and sick leave
Source: Michael Sainato , The Guardian
In February 2018, Devon Beccera started working at the Tesla Giga factory in Sparks, Nevada. A few months into her employment she was promoted to supervisor , making about $25 an hour. She found out in July that year that she was pregnant, and informed management she planned on taking maternity leave in February, 2019, once she became eligible.
ABA amicus brief supports LGBTQ employees in Title VII discrimination cases
Source: Amanda Robert, ABA Journal
In an amicus brief filed in support of employees in a trio of cases, the ABA urged the U.S. Supreme Court to recognize that the prohibition against discrimination “based on … sex” in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act encompasses discrimination based on an employee’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
July 9, 2019
Paid family/medical leave becomes law in 7th state
Source: Joyce M. Rosenberg, JH News Guide
Connecticut has joined a small but growing group of states that give employees paid leave to care for sick relatives or to deal with their own medical conditions.
Seven states and Washington, D.C., now have paid family and medical leave laws that provide for employee and/or employer-funded insurance pools to partially replace workers’ wages. The other states are California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, the state of Washington and Massachusetts.
Employee Activism Is Alive in Tech. It Stops Short of Organizing Unions.
Source: Kate Conger and Noam Scheiber, New York Times
In February, about a dozen employees at a small technology company called NPM embarked on an effort that is often frowned upon at start-ups: trying to unionize.
$15 minimum wage would give up to 27 million a raise, CBO concludes
Source: Irina Ivanova, CBS News
Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 would boost the income of up to 27 million Americans and lift 1.3 million people out of poverty, the Congressional Budget Office said on Monday. In a report, the CBO examined three proposed bills to raise the federal minimum from its current level of $7.25 per hour: Raises to $10, $12 or $15 an hour.
Why nearly 350,000 workers in mostly red states aren’t seeing wage increases, even though their local lawmakers passed them
Source: Tracy Jan, The Washington Post
For most of her 13 years working the grill and cash register at McDonald’s, Bettie Douglas earned just over $7 an hour. Then in 2017, the St. Louis resident’s hourly pay rose to $10 after the city increased its minimum wage.
July 8, 2019
Know your rights: A breastfeeding mom's guide to pumping at work
Source: Meghan Holohan, Today
Workplace Fairness Senior Advisor Paula Brantner spoke with Today about nursing at work.
Brantner said employers need to consider pumping breaks like any other break. If they pay employees for lunch breaks, then employers should pay them for pumping. If they do not pay for breaks, they will not pay for pumping.
“It has to be treated the same,” Brantner said.
Trump NLRB Eliminates Hurdle to Employers Kicking Out Unions
Source: Hassan Kanu, Bloomberg Law
The National Labor Relations Board made it easier for an employer to oust a union after getting evidence that a majority of workers no longer supports that union.
Home Economy & Politics Economic Report GET EMAIL ALERTS Wage gains have hit a wall — and that’s not good news for America’s workers
Source: Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch
The U.S. economy showed off its muscles in June with a big snapback in hiring, but wage gains for workers have suddenly turned flabby and threaten to cap economic growth.
How To Get The Positives Out Of A Multigenerational Workforce
Source: H.V. MacArthur , Forbes
Many workplaces are unintentionally negating their own staff. How often have you heard someone complain that Millennials are entitled? Or Gen-Xers are lazy? Or that Baby Boomers resist change? For me, I hear it nonstop from clients looking to fix their workplace. The truth is, the biggest issue they are dealing with isn’t the lack of capability in any one generation, it’s the lack of value being assigned to having them all together in one place.
July 5, 2019
When Is An Employer's Reason For Firing You Actually A Pretext For Age Discrimination?
Source: Eric Bachman, Forbes
In employment litigation, some of the most important evidence is centered on the question of whether the employer had a legitimate reason to terminate your employment or whether the reason was simply a pretext for unlawful discrimination. A federal appellate court recently tackled this issue and fleshed out how an employee can prove that the employer’s purported reasons were just a mask for illegal behavior.
When OSHA shows up: Practical guidance regarding walk-around rights
Source: Travis Vance and Pamela Williams, Rock Road Recycle
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) provides that, if an OSHA compliance safety and health officer (CSHO) shows up to conduct an inspection and presents his credentials to you as the employer, you have a right to guide the CHSO’s walk-around at your workplace.
Justices to Review How Federal Workers Prove Job Bias Claims (1)
Source: Hassan A. Kanu, Bloomberg Law
The U.S. Supreme Court accepted June 28 a petition asking for clarification on what federal government workers must prove when they file discrimination claims.
July 3, 2019
Apple, Facebook, Google urge Supreme Court to end LGBTQ discrimination
Source: Abrar Al-Heeti, CNET
Tech giants such as Apple, Facebook, Google and Amazon are teaming up to urge the Supreme Court to protect members of the LGBTQ community from workplace discrimination.
Major Companies Introduce Workplace Dating Policies With One Major Caveat
Source: Alexandria Hoff, CBS Philly
The rules of the workplace: there’s usually a long list and employees are expected to follow them. And for some of the biggest companies, the rules are changing when it comes to dating coworkers.
There Are More College-Educated Women Than Men In The Workforce, But Women Still Lag Behind Men In Pay
Source: Kim Elsesser, Forbes
Women have been earning more college degrees than men since the 1980s and now, for the first time, there are more college-educated women in the workforce than college-educated men. Minority women have also attained more education, and this has resulted in big gains in job growth for this population. Despite all this advancement, women, and especially minority women, still have a long way to go to reach parity with men in the workplace.
July 2, 2019
When getting fired gets violent — what experts say about avoiding workplace tragedy
Source: John Woolfolk, East Bay Times
More than 20 million Americans are laid off or fired from their jobs each year. Most go quietly and move on. Steven Leet was the exception.
Fired from his job stocking parts at a Morgan Hill Ford dealership Tuesday afternoon, the 60-year-old San Jose man lingered for nearly two hours and then barged into an open office where his two supervisors were meeting. He shot them to death, then walked outside and fatally shot himself.
Seven Ways Leaders Can Encourage Diversity In The Workplace
Source: Forbes Coaches Council, Forbes
The topic of diversity can be a complex subject. How is it best defined? What are the benefits, not only for the individuals and teams but for the company as a whole?
Intentions and reality: What really works when it comes to workplace diversity?
Source: Distin Walsh, Crain's Detrot Business
Born out of a necessity to curb discrimination lawsuits, workplace diversity programs began to blossom across the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s. By the 2000s, they became an imperative to business success — matching the look of the increasingly diverse U.S. consumer. Diversity, equity and inclusion programs are now commonplace.
July 1, 2019
California poised to be first state to ban race-based discrimination against natural hair
Source: Elinor Aspegren, USA Today
California legislators have passed a bill that would protect students and employees from discrimination based on natural hairstyles, poising the state to become the first in the country to end race-based discrimination based on hairstyle.
Is The Workplace Culture Stalling Women's Progress
Source: Pragya Agarwal , Forbes
Everyday examples of unintentionally gender-biased behaviour in the workplace are stalling women’s careers. Researchers conducting a year-long study have shown that such gender double standards are perpetuated by both men and women.
Employees speak up at Wayfair, Google. Have millennials killed being afraid of the boss?
Source: Nathan Bomey, USA Today
Not happy with the leadership at your company?
You may not have to keep your mouth shut anymore. Gone are the days when speaking up got you automatically fired.
Employees, especially millennials, feel increasingly emboldened to publicly criticize their employers, organize protests and pursue change at the top on issues such as gender equality and immigration.
From strip clubs to strip malls, how 2 million workers could be swept up in a bill aimed at the gig economy
Source: Judy Lin, Cal Matters
In coming weeks, the state Senate will begin hearings on a bill that will make it harder to classify workers as independent contractors, officially codifying a sweeping 2018 California Supreme Court decision. The so-called “Dynamex” bill, supported by organized labor and named for the court case, has made headlines for threatening the on-demand business model made popular by the likes of Uber, Lyft, Door Dash and Postmates.
June 28, 2019
Professor Alleges Discrimination Against Law School And Former Dean In New Lawsuit
Source: Kathrine Rubino, Above The Law
Shaakirrah Sanders is a tenured professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, and she was the first African American person to achieve that feat. But just because she’s grasped the brass ring of academia, it doesn’t mean that everything is okay.
June 27, 2019
It Could Take More Than a Century to Close the Computer Science Gap
Source: Kristen Bellstrom, Fortune
A new study from Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a research lab in Seattle, finds that when it comes to closing the gender gap in computer science, we may be even further away than we thought.
Erie Locomotive Workers Avert Strike with New Contract at Wabtec
Source: Saurav Sarkar, Labor Notes
Three months after the largest manufacturing strike of the Trump presidency so far, locomotive plant workers in Erie, Pennsylvania, have a deal. Electrical Workers (UE) Locals 506 and 618 ratified a four-year contract on June 12.
On Eve of Union Vote, Chattanooga VW Workers Describe Rampant Workplace Injuries
Source: Chris Brooks, Labor Notes
“I’m only 33 and I can’t see myself working here for another 10 years,” said Ashley Murray. “I would be disabled by then. We need a union because they are a multibillion-dollar company and they treat us like shit.”
June 26, 2019
Democrats plan amendment to prevent layoffs at OPM
Source: Jessie Bur , Federal Times
A group of democratic members of the House are looking to head off the Trump administration’s planned removal of 150 employees at the Office of Personnel Management by crafting an amendment to 2020 appropriations legislation that would bar the agency from doing so.
Government workers don’t have a federal right to unionize. Democrats want to change that.
Source: Alexia Fernández Campbell, Vox
Congressional Democrats want to give all government employees the right to unionize.
House and Senate Democrats plan to introduce a bill on Wednesday that would give public-sector employees collective bargaining rights for the first time under federal law, according to the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union, which is pushing for the change. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) will introduce the bill, called the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.
VA health care workers say managers are trying to silence them on veteran care
Source: Donovan Slack, USA Today
Health care professionals from the Department of Veterans Affairs testified at a congressional hearing Tuesday that they are being punished for reporting problems with VA care, to the detriment of veterans and despite proclamations by the Trump administration that whistleblowers are celebrated and not scorned.
Addressing Perceived Gender-Based Pay Disparity In The Workplace
Source: Mirande Valbrune, Forbes
Employee relations departments are tasked with investigating and reaching findings on Title VII and other equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints. One aspect may be a female employee's claim that she is compensated differently from other similarly situated employees because of her gender, a violation of the Equal Pay Act.
GE Reaches Labor Deal With Union Leaders
Source: Thomas Gryta, The Wall Street Journal
General Electric Co. GE +0.05% has reached a tentative four-year agreement with a group of unions after a few weeks of negotiations, keeping a labor peace as the conglomerate restructures its operations.
The agreement covers about 6,600 workers in 11 unions who work in various GE industrial divisions, including a power-turbine factory in Schenectady, N.Y., and an aviation facility in Lynn, Mass.
June 25, 2019
New York Adopts Laws Aimed at Combating Salary Inequality and Race Discrimination
Source: Jonathan L. Bing, Richard I. Greenberg and K. Joy Chin, Jackson Lewis
In the final days of its 2019 Session, the New York State Legislature passed three bills that, respectively, will bar employers from inquiring about applicants’ past salary history, prohibit wage differentials based on protected class status, and ban race discrimination based on an employee’s hair or hairstyle. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is expected to sign these bills.
Building with Pride: LGBTQ+ Issues
Source: Courtney M. Malveaux, Richard F. Vitarelli and Adam C. Doerr, Jackson Lewis
According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 5.5 million individuals over the age of 16 did not have, but wanted, a job in May 2019. In addition, the Williams Institute reported that approximately 4.5% of Americans affirmatively identify as LGBT, and a similar percentage were not willing to identify one way or another. That suggests that somewhere around 250,000–500,000 unemployed LGBTQ+ individuals want a job right now.
Rent Is Becoming Unaffordable For Many U.S. Workers [Infographic]
Source: Niall McCarthy, Forbes
The National Low Income Housing Coalition has released its latest "Out of Reach" report which shows how America's housing crisis is affecting millions of renters.
June 24, 2019
This nonprofit isn’t promptly paying its workers. Should she blow the whistle when she leaves?
Source: Carla Miller, The Washington Post
Flashback: this week last year Paula Brantner talked with the Washington Post about whistleblowing in the nonprofit sector.
"Nonprofit organizations that depend on external funding sources often contend with unpredictable income fluctuations, according to Paula Brantner, senior adviser at the nonprofit Workplace Fairness...your nonprofit employer’s board of directors has a fiduciary duty to ensure the organization is managing funds properly and not committing labor violations."
A New Treaty To Protect Workers Against Violence And Harassment Is A Landmark Victory For Women
Source: Bianca Barratt, Forbes
A huge step has been made towards protecting women all over the world from harassment and violence in the workplace.
Opinion: Weight discrimination is rampant, so why is it still legal almost everywhere?
Source: Rebecca Puhl, Burlington County Times
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City obsessively monitored the weight of its waitresses, according to 22 of them who sued it in 2008. They would be suspended, for example, if they gained 7% more weight than they had when they were hired. But a New Jersey judge threw out the suit, explaining that state law was silent about weight discrimination. The state Supreme Court affirmed the decision three years ago.
June 21, 2019
New York State Lawmakers Vote To Reform Sexual Harassment Laws
Source: Carla Herreria, The New York Times
Actress and activist Mira Sorvino celebrated the new legislation, proclaiming in a tweet, “We did it!!”
Along with Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and anti-harassment activists, Sorvino spoke at the state Capitol in Albany last week, urging lawmakers to pass legislation to protect victims of second- and third-degree rape, assault and harassment.
The real reason the U.S. women’s soccer team isn’t getting equal pay
Source: Lindsay Parks Pieper and Tate Roye, The Washington Post
Women are underrepresented in decision-making positions in sports, from top to bottom. The International Olympic Committee has never had a female president, and only 11 percent of all accredited coaches at the 2016 Rio Olympics were women. The United States Olympic Committee likewise did not have a female president for its first 100 years of operation, only ending the male line of succession in 2000. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, eight women served as coaches for Team USA, in contrast to 58 men. The overwhelmingly male leadership in soccer stems from the widespread belief that physical competitions showcase masculine traits and are the natural domain of men; therefore, women are seen as inherently less compete nt at all levels of sport with negative repercussion reverberating throughout the sport. Men actually did not originally oversee women’s sport. Because male leaders were disinterested in — and often disgusted by — women’s athletic endeavors, female physical educators assumed responsibility and organized women’s competitions in the 1920s. These women worried that the men’s model of sport, which prioritized competition for a small number of participants, harmed athletes. They therefore introduced modified versions of the games for their female charges in a format that prioritized participation for all. Despite the U.S. women’s team’s greater successes on the field, women remain largely outnumbered in the organization. “I don’t remember one senior woman in the organization that you would deal with on a daily basis in a position that was making decisions,” said former player Julie Foudy. That trend persists, as on ly six women served on the 18-person executive committee in 2017. This disparity also extends into coaching. Seven of the nine teams in the National Women’s Soccer League have male head coaches, and 22 of 28 assistant coaches are also male. By contrast, there are no female coaches in Major League Soccer. That the U.S. women’s team has had more male head coaches than female is particularly glaring. American women soccer players have proven more successful than their male counterparts by a wide margin, but they are still viewed as less equipped to hold positions of authority. This discrepancy is rooted in the belief that sports are fundamentally a men’s world. Society assumes men are superior in all elements of sport, from playing to coaching to organizing.
Here’s how new labor protections for Philly’s domestic workers would be applied
Source: Anna Orso, The Inquirer
Philadelphia seems poised to become the largest city in America to pass legislation aimed at protecting domestic workers such as nannies and house cleaners, whose positions are in many cases excluded from existing labor laws.
June 20, 2019
Tipped Workers Press For 'One Fair' Minimum Wage
Source: Chris Lisinski, WBur
Eliminating the separate, lower minimum wage for tipped employees would help workers achieve greater financial stability and reduce exposure to harassment, advocates said Tuesday.
Female drivers feel abandoned by Uber and Lyft after reporting a sexual assault
Source: Michael Sainato , The Guardian
One month into driving for Lyft around Atlanta, Alicia Dukes was sexually assaulted by a passenger on 21 April after she drove him to a gas station and back to his apartment.
Google rejects plans to fight sexual harassment and boost diversity
Source: Kari Paul , The Guardian
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, failed to pass several proposals to address sexual harassment, antitrust issues and diversity policies at its annual shareholder meeting, despite hundreds of employees protesting outside the event.
June 19, 2019
Point: Bill to close the wage gap is long overdue
Source: Paula Brantner, BlueRidgeNow.com
Pay discrimination can flourish in workplaces where salaries are a highly confidential secret and known only to a handful of people.
Without transparent salary information, you may have no idea about salary differences among people doing the same job. Some companies even threaten to punish employees who discuss this information.
The Supreme Court May Erode Decades of Wins for LGBT Worker Rights
Source: Josh Eidelson
In a trio of cases this coming term, the justices will hear arguments on whether it’s legal for bosses to discriminate against LGBT employees.
For mothers, parental leave is a penalty whether they take it or not
Source: Emily McCrary-Ruiz Esparza, Fast Company
Corporate parental leave policies are earning their share of headlines: Netflix offers 52 weeks of paid leave, Microsoft offers 22 weeks to birth parents and 10 to those who don’t give birth (and now will only work with companies that offer paid leave as well), and Amazon offers 20 weeks to mothers and will even shell out for their partner’s parental leave pay—even if they don’t work for Amazon. These are glimpses of progress among companies in a country still behind the curve on parental leave. But even these changes haven’t made a dent in a culture that still is yet to fully embrace the idea of parental leave.
The high-stakes battle between Uber executives and drivers in California, explained
Source: Vox
Uber and Lyft really, really don’t want their drivers to be company employees.
Both ride-hailing companies have launched an aggressive public campaign to escape California’s crackdown on the gig economy.
Massachusetts lawmakers will consider making more low-income workers eligible for overtime pay
Source: Mass Live, Mass Live
A salaried retail manager works 50 to 60 hours a week, but receives no overtime pay. Another manager was offered numerous full-time jobs that demanded 60-hour work weeks with no additional compensation.
June 18, 2019
Why Workplace Mental Health Policies Must Take LGBTQ+ Experiences Into Account
Source: One Mind, Forbes
On the heels of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, June commemorating LGBTQ+ Pride Month is a reminder that workplace mental health policies must be cognizant of how different groups are affected by mental health issues. The workplace can be challenging for anyone struggling with their mental health, but research shows it can be an especially unwelcoming place for the LGBTQ+ community. As the National Alliance on Mental Illness notes, LGBTQ+ people must deal not only with the stigma associated with mental health disorders but also the stigma surrounding their sexuality or gender identity. LGBTQ+ individuals experience discrimination and harassment in all spaces in society, and the workplace is no exception.
Why women in tech are being Photoshopped in instead of hired
Source: Rani Molla, Vox
An image of a tech event in which two women CEOs were poorly Photoshopped into a group of 15 men reignited a discussion last week about tech companies’ ongoing failures to meaningfully diversify their workforces.
BuzzFeed Employees Stage Walkout Over Stalled Union Recognition
Source: Nina Golgowski, Huff Post
BuzzFeed News employees across the country staged a walkout Monday to demand voluntary recognition of their union after months of failed negotiations with management.
Employees at all four of BuzzFeed News’ bureaus ? in New York, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco ? left their newsrooms to demand recognition of their union with the NewsGuild of New York, the organization said.
June 17, 2019
The US economic recovery is far from being a world record
Source: Jeffrey Frankel, The Guardian
This month marks the tenth full year of the US economic recovery that began in June 2009. Back then, a “trough” in business activity signified the end of the Great Recession that followed the 2007-8 global financial crisis. The current expansion has continued, uninterrupted, ever since.
Congress hasn't raised the minimum wage in 3,614 days. It's time to put hard-working Americans first
Source: Chris Lu, CNN
On Sunday, the United States will mark an unfortunate milestone: It will be 3,614 days since the federal minimum wage was last raised in July 2009. This will be the longest period of time between federal minimum wage increases in the nation's history.
West Virginia’s Senate Goes To War With Teachers, Again
Source: Rebecca Klein, Huff Post
West Virginia teachers went on strike in February to protest a bill that would open up the state to charter schools and help students pay for alternatives the public education system. They won that strike, and went back to work, when the House of Delegates’ rejected the legislation.
Just four months later, history is repeating itself.
June 14, 2019
Most Gig Workers Won’t Be Seen as Employees, Trump Lawyers Say
Source: Chris Opfer, Bloomberg Law
The Trump administration is limiting legal protections for many gig workers, the top prosecutors at the Labor Department and National Labor Relations Board told Bloomberg Law June 13.
A pair of recent agency memos sketch out the administration’s approach to the hotly contested question whether Uber drivers, Postmates food deliverers, and other gig workers are employees or independent contractors, Labor Solicitor Kate O’Scannlain and NLRB General Counsel Peter Robb said in separate interviews. The missives are tailored to specific factual circumstances, but they show that the agencies are likely to find that many gig workers are contractors.
‘Now I know I’m not alone.’ Study highlights challenges LGBTQ workers in STEM face
Source: Katie Langin, Science Magazine
“I’m living a double life.”
That’s what Sandra (a pseudonym), a transgender woman and professor of chemistry, told researchers when she was asked to describe how she navigates her personal and professional identity. “Many of my colleagues have never even seen me presenting as a woman,” she added.
Whistleblowers' rights could be at risk under Trump's new labor board
Source: Frank Lomonte, CNN Business
As the Trump administration has appointed new board members and replaced top staffers at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), it has signaled a directional shift in interpreting workers' rights laws. Uber drivers discovered this when a recent NLRB memo undercut their movement to organize for higher wages and better working conditions.
June 13, 2019
Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Jones Day Gets Yet Another Plaintiff
Source: Kathryn Rubino, Above The Law
Another former Jones Day associate, Jessica Jardine Wilkes, has joined the gender discrimination lawsuit against the firm, bringing the number of plaintiffs in the case to seven. The case was brought by former associates, alleging that the firm’s notorious “black box” compensation system is used to pay women less than men at the firm, and further alleges there’s a “fraternity culture” at the firm. Initially, the case had six plaintiffs, two named — Nilab Rahyar Tolton and Andrea Mazingo — and four anonymous; Wilkes joins as the third plaintiff to be named in the lawsuit.
Supreme Court will decide major racial bias suit against cable TV giants
Source: David Savage, Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court said Monday it will decide whether two large cable firms can be sued under the nation’s oldest civil rights law for having refused to carry the programs of an African American-owned network.
What Does Invisible Labor Contribute To The Gender Pay Gap?
Source: Leah Crowder, Pacific Standard
Activists coined the phrase "equal pay for equal work" during the fight for the 1963 Equal Pay Act. Fifty-six years later, the phrase is still making headlines. Senator and presidential candidate Kamala Harris proposed a policy that would address the gender wage gap in the paid labor market. Other candidates have supported similar action and legislation.
June 12, 2019
New Work Suits: Amazon, LabCorp Hit With Sex Harassment Claims
Source: Cynthia Harasty, Bloomberg Law
An Amazon area manager and a LabCorp employee allege they were subjected to sexual harassment and other bias, according to the lawsuits they filed.
The cases are among about 537 labor and employment complaints filed in federal courts June 2-8, an uptick from 436 the previous week.
Google Ends ‘No Poaching’ Requirement for Former Employees
Source: Hassan A. Kanu , Bloomberg Law
Google recently stopped enforcing a contract provision that banned former employees from trying to hire away their ex-colleagues for a year after leaving the company.
The company said in a recent court filing that it’s no longer enforcing its non-solicitation agreements. A Google spokesperson confirmed the decision in a June 10 e-mail to Bloomberg Law. The spokesperson didn’t respond to Bloomberg Law’s questions about how long Google has had a non-solicitation clause in employment contracts.
Trump Agency Changes to Obama-Era Mine Safety Standard Rejected
Source: Fatima Hussein, Bloomberg Law
Mine operators will be held to an Obama-era mine inspection standard despite efforts by the Trump administration to relax the safety protections. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the stricter standard June 11.
June 11, 2019
Judge rules lawsuit accusing Google of bias against conservatives can proceed
Source: Anna Hopkins, Fox News
A judge has ruled that a class-action lawsuit filed by two former Google employees claiming discrimination on the basis of gender, race and political bias can move forward, and an attorney representing the plaintiffs told "Fox & Friends" that Google has been making every effort to impede the case.
Nike Is Expanding Its Day Care Benefit and Employees Are Furious
Source: Rebecca Greenfield and Eben Novy-Williams, Bloomberg Law
Nine miles outside of Portland, Oregon, Nike’s corporate headquarters is a mecca of work-life balance. There are wooded trails, ponds and grassy knolls, with company-branded bikes employees are free to pedal from A to B. Inside, there are cafeterias, meditation rooms, a nearby deeply discounted employee store and, of course, every kind of athletic training facility imaginable.
But one of the company’s most valuable perks has nothing to do with athletics: the Nike Child Development Program, the subsidized, on-site day care available to working parents. Started in 1990, the program now accommodates over 500 families, with more than 500 on the waitlist.
Target boosts worker benefits, including paid family leave
Source: Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune
In the battle for workers in a tightening labor market, Target Corp. on Monday rolled out a series of beefed up benefits it will offer full- and part-time workers, including paid family leave and emergency child care.
"Our workforce, like the communities we serve, is multigenerational, and our team members face growing caregiving responsibilities including infants, children, spouses, domestic partners and aging parents," Target said in announcing the changes.
June 10, 2019
Why you should ask for someone’s pronouns instead of just assuming
Source: Meera Jagannathan, MarketWatch
This week we take a look back to a conversation Paula Brantner had with MarketWatch about pronouns.
"And documents provided as early as the hiring process and onboarding can be written to include a place to identify your pronouns, allow workers to specify non-gendered partners and provide an equal-opportunity statement that includes gender identity, Brantner said."
Volkswagen employees in Tennessee could help determine the future of the United Auto Workers
Source: Chris Isidore, CNN Business
The membership and influence of the United Auto Workers union has been shrinking for decades. In the latest effort to reverse that trend, the union will try to win a vote this week at Volkswagen's only US plant.
More than 1,700 hourly workers at the Volkswagen (VLKAF) plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will get to vote Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on whether they want the union to represent them. The union narrowly lost a similar vote five years ago.
Workplace mass shootings: They're rare, they're puzzling, and they resonate with Americans
Source: Lisa Marie Pane, USA Today
A postal worker on disability retirement for psychological issues returned to her workplace years later and killed six people.
A Connecticut beer delivery worker irate over being forced to resign opened fire as he was being escorted out of the building, killing eight co-workers.
Just a week ago, a longtime municipal engineer submitted his resignation in the morning and within hours went on a rampage inside the building, killing 11 co-workers and a contractor.
June 7, 2019
Poll: Some younger workers view aging workforce negatively
Source: Andrew Soergelf, The Inquirer
Some younger workers aren't particularly thrilled to see a rising share of older Americans forgo retirement and continue working, according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
SCOTUS could decide whether 'tender back' rule applies to Title VII, equal-pay claims
Source: Daniel Wiessner, Reuters
The U.S. Supreme Court could soon wade into a circuit split over whether workers who file discrimination lawsuits have to pay back severance or other benefits they previously received in exchange for waiving their right to sue.
June 6, 2019
Men are suing women who accused them of harassment. Will it stop others from speaking out?
Source: Kara Fox and Antoine Crouin, CNN Business
A series of high-profile defamation cases have been brought against women in response to the outpouring of sexual misconduct allegations in the wake of #MeToo, and women's rights activists say they could have a chilling effect on the movement's future.
Younger Workers Put Student Loan Aid Near Top of Desired Benefits
Source: Stephen Miller, SHRM
Millennial workers and their younger colleagues just entering the workforce are more likely than older workers to choose—and stay with—employers that offer them financial security in an uncertain world, new research shows.
June 5, 2019
At Least 2 Million Or More Americans Experience Workplace Violence
Source: Alana Wise , NPR
When a gunman stormed his workplace at a Virginia Beach government office, it was the latest example of someone taking grievances out on colleagues. Experts worry workplace violence is on the rise.
How to Create a Safer Workplace for Women
Source: Anthony Alex, Entrepreneur
Integrating the PoSH Act with an organization’s rules and framework for compliance is only half of the work done to create a safer workplace for women. Taking actions to implement and ensure women safety in the workplace is the actual and effective solution. Providing infrastructural amenities like late night shuttle service, female cab drivers, enhanced surveillance for security are few improvements coming up in the corporate work culture.
By the Numbers: Diversity in the Workplace
Source: Grey Litaker & Rick Bell, Work Force
Diversity is being heralded as both the right thing to do and a smart business decision for employers. But does the data show widespread diversity in the workplace yet?
June 4, 2019
Lawyers by Day, Uber Drivers and Bartenders by Night
Source: Sonia Weiser, New York Times
Legal Aid lawyers, who represent poor people in court, often have to work second jobs to make ends meet.
Her story is a familiar one in the gig economy era: She works several odd jobs like delivering food for Grubhub and UberEats, or helping people with their tax returns.
But Danielle happens to have a full-time job: She is a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society in New York.
