Rates of Dismissal by Summary Judgement in Employment Discrimination Cases
This study was a featured article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Oct 18, 2013. Read the original article.
Justice at Work is an ongoing initiative with the primary purpose of protecting litigants’ rights to a trial by a jury of their peers. In an effort to further enhance Justice at Work…
Should Religion Be an Excuse for Carrying Daggers?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides employees with a generous array of protections when it comes to religious expression and observance in the office. It forbids harassment or discrimination based on religion, such as denial of promotions. It also requires employers to ensure that…
What Is Meant by “Reasonable Accommodations” for Employees?
One of the crucial elements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the requirement it imposes on employers to provide workers with “reasonable accommodations” for mental or physical disability. This means that companies may need to make modifications to the work environment and/or employ…
Employees and Religious Holidays
As we make our way through the calendar year, a number of holidays come into play – not all of which are of equal importance to everyone. How many of us give a thought to our military on Veterans Day? Religious holidays do tend to command our attention, however, and this is true of the devout and…
Workplace Rights You Think You Have-But You Don’t
As a nation, Americans love to talk about their right to do just about whatever they please. We go where we want to go, say what we want to say, wear what we want to wear—and anyone who contradicts us on this topic is likely to receive an earful. It’s only natural to assume that the constitutiona…
Why Employers Should Take Pregnancy Discrimination Seriously
Pregnancy is a condition that has major repercussions across all aspects of a woman’s life, including employment. Pregnant women can face multiple obstacles in the workplace, from difficulty performing customary duties to unfairly denied promotions. There is good news, however: the law forbids bu…
What You Need to Know About Paid Leave
Most people pride themselves on being reasonably productive as employees, whether they work at a coffee shop or a Fortune 500 company. Yet, no matter how dedicated we may be to our jobs, life sometimes gets in the way of working a full 40-hour week. We may get sick, get summoned for jury duty, or…
Paternity Leave and the Options for Dads
The birth of a child is a major event in a couple’s life. It’s only natural that the arrival of a child often leads parents to reevaluate their priorities—there’s a brand-new individual on the block they need to worry about. Understandably, many parents prefer to spend some quality time with thei…
Signs of Ageism
Older workers can offer a wealth of skills and knowledge to the contemporary workplace. In general, they’re more experienced and more emotionally mature than their younger counterparts. They’ve been through a lot over the years, and they’re often quite adept at avoiding or resolving interpersonal…
The History of Women & Equality in the Workplace
Contrary to widespread belief, women have been employed outside the home well before the advent of modern times. It is true, however, that the scope of their employment has been subject to dramatic changes over the centuries. Often, the progress made by one generation was scaled back in the next,…
Millennial Employees More Likely to Recognize Discrimination in the Workplace
It seems as though every generation spends time fretting about their successors—that is, the people who will one day replace them as society’s movers and shakers. The so-called “Greatest Generation” of World War II gave way to “Baby Boomers” who shaped the ’60s culture. The Boomers in turn handed…
Politics in the Workplace
Considering the highly contentious and unusually colorful nature of the 2016 presidential election, it’s likely that political discussions in the workplace occupied an unprecedented number of man-hours. It’s equally likely that political gossip and arguments among coworkers can rightly be blamed …
Rights of Employees with Mental Health Conditions
Federal law—most notably the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—grants certain employment rights to persons suffering from physical infirmities, such as impaired vision or hearing, reduced mobility, and diminished breathing capacity. But what about people who are afflicted with mental health …
Military Servicemember Employment Rights: Do You Know Them?
For those serving in the Armed Forces, change is just part of life. Military Service member Employment Rights: Do You Know Them? Whether it is preparing for deployment or packing for yet another cross-country move with your family, being in the military means being ready for anything. What about reservists and members of the National Guard? Well, just like active duty, reservists and Guard members must be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. Civilian employers, therefore, have strict requirements on how to handle deployments and activations. If you serve in the Reserves or the Guard, it is important that you know your rights and know how to fight for them, if necessary.
Reasons Why Employers Should Practice Good Documentation in the Office
When illegal termination cases and similar kinds of employment disputes reach the courts, the proceedings often turn into a parade of mutual recriminations. The employee believes there was unfair treatment by the employer. The employer feels it did everything it reasonably could to help the empl…
How to Know if You Were Illegally Fired from Your Job
Getting fired from a job is an unpleasant experience, particularly when an employer decides to terminate without warning. Abrupt termination not only means job loss, but frequently it may also mean little preparation for the newly acquired status of job seeker. It’s understandable for a terminat…
Are H-1B Work Visa Holders Eligible for FMLA Leave?
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) is a federal law that protects the employment rights of workers in the event they have to take time off to deal with a serious health condition, including many illnesses and pregnancy. Under the FMLA, workers generally have the right to take up to …
4 Steps You’ll Need to Take Before Pursuing a Wrongful Termination Suit
The only thing worse than losing your job is losing your job for no reason at all or for an unjust reason. Thankfully, there are employment laws that may allow workers to obtain redress in the event of an unlawful firing. If you have suffered wrongful termination, it’s important to contact a loc…
Learn About Work Pay Discrimination
The Equal Pay Act prohibits pay discrimination on the basis of gender. Signed into federal law in 1963, the Equal Pay Act was a big win for the women’s rights movement at the time. Unfortunately, pay discrimination continues to be an issue in today’s workplace, primarily for women who continue t…
What Employees and Employers Should Know About Overtime
In most hourly working arrangements, federal and state labor laws require that overtime (1.5 times the employee’s hourly rate) must be paid for any time worked in excess of 40 hours per week. This seems straightforward, but unfortunately, many employers are still getting it wrong.
Do I Qualify…
Understanding Whistlerblower Labor Laws in Georgia
Like employees in most states, Georgia employees are subject to “at-will” employment, which means they can be terminated at any time for any reason. Although there are a number of federal laws that may override the at-will doctrine, Georgia law generally offers very few employee protections beyo…
How to File a Complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
If you believe that you have been discriminated against at work, you should consult an employment lawyer as soon as possible. If your belief is correct, you may have a legitimate claim related to discriminatory harassment or termination.
The following information is a general overview about th…
Executive Compensation
In most occupations, it’s a fairly simple matter for job applicants to negotiate the salary they want. Typically, there is a reasonable salary range for a given position, and the negotiation takes place within that predetermined range. In some cases, the exact salary is calculated in advance and …
Disability Discrimination in the Workplace
Life can be difficult for individuals who live with a physical or mental disability, and a large part of their struggle are the issues they face in securing and maintaining gainful employment. Many business owners resist hiring disabled applicants because of their belief that disabled individuals…