Signal International Settles Federal Race Discrimination Lawsuit for $5 Million
Mobile-based Signal International, LLC (Signal Int.) will pay about $5 million to settle a federal race discrimination lawsuit that has been pending for four years, according to officials at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
This multi-million settlement will reportedly …
Workplace Sexual Harassment: 5 Essential Facts for Workers
Though illegal, workplace sexual harassment still occurs fairly often in the U.S. In fact, we noted in a recent blog that studies have found that about 1 in every 3 women is sexually harassed on the job at least once by the age of 34.
If you are ever the target of such harassment, understanding t…
Joy Mining Sued by EEOC for Violating GINA, Asking Applicants about Medical History
Joy Underground Mining, LLC has recently been named as a defendant in a federal discrimination case filed by officials at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This case, EEOC v. Joy Underground Mining, LLC, No. 2:15-cv-01581-CRE, generally alleges that Joy Mining violated th…
Protecting the Rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Employees
To date, there are nineteen states and the District of Columbia which have laws that protect the rights of transgender people. These laws vary from state to state. Recently, North Carolina adopted a law that restricts transgenders from using the restrooms appropriate to the gender with which they…
6 Shocking Facts about Workplace Age Discrimination
Age discrimination in the workplace can be financially ruinous, as it can force qualified, good workers out of jobs. Despite the fact that age discrimination is illegal in the U.S., however, it still occurs far too often. And understanding the scope of the problem may be the first step in addres…
Employers Are About 30% Less Likely to Show Interest in Disabled Job Applicants, Study Finds
Federal laws prohibit employers from discriminating against disabled job applicants. This has not, however, stopped some companies from overlooking qualified disabled candidates and hiring less qualified workers instead, as researchers at Rutgers University and Syracuse University recently disco…
How to Document Workplace Discrimination
Workplace discrimination can be as disheartening and upsetting as it may be financially damaging. Knowing how to document the incidents of discrimination, however, can be integral to taking action and positioning a future discrimination case for success. And this, in turn, can be the key to obta…
FAQs about Wage & Hour Issues
Federal laws dictate specific rules regarding how employers are to compensate workers for their labor. Understanding your rights under these laws can be integral to knowing when an employer has cheated you out of income and, consequently, when it is time to consult a lawyer and pursue legal actio…
Handling Transgender Issues in the Worplace
Many people believe that “transgender” means a man dressed in women’s clothing or a woman with a “butch” appearance. In reality, the term goes much deeper. Transgender people are those who do not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. They feel they were born in the wrong body and pre…
EEOC Workplace Harassment Study Update: Focus Shifts to Developing Strategies to Prevent Workplace Harassment
Continuing the federal Study of Harassment in the Workplace, officials at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently met with a panel of experts in Los Angeles to “explore innovative steps to prevent workplace harassment,” the EEOC has explained.
This meeting marked the s…
About 33% of Female Workers Have Been Sexually Harassed at Work by the Age of 34, Study Finds
While women have made great strides in the U.S. workforce, rising to prominent roles and occupations over the past few decades, some continue to face some significant challenges and issues at work – particularly when it comes to being treated with dignity and respect by colleagues, managers, etc….
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Faces Federal Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
A federal sex discrimination lawsuit has recently been filed against the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Mobile, Alabama by officials at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Filed on September 30th, this discrimination case (EEOC v. Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated et al., C…
Gender Identity and Transgender Restroom Conflicts at Work and in Society
Defining gender is no longer only a matter of determining whether a person has male or female genitalia. Today, we recognize transgenders as those people who identify with a different gender than the one with which they were born or assigned at birth.
While only a small percent of transgender in…
Uber Drivers Granted Class Action Status in Worker Misclassification Case
A group of Uber drivers has recently been granted class action status by a federal judge in a worker misclassification case that could end up impacting more than 160,000 drivers for the company.
This case, Douglas O’Connor et al vs. Uber Technologies Inc., U.S. District Court, Northern Distri…
OSHA Announces New Process for Resolving Whistleblower Claims
Officials at the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) have recently announced that they have implemented a new process for facilitating the resolution of whistleblower claims.
This process, which is part of the regional Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program already being …
New Executive Order Requires Paid Sick Leave for Employees of Federal Contractors
An executive order signed by President Barack Obama on Labor Day now requires that federal contractors provide up to seven days of paid sick leave to their employees.
The order was reportedly signed aboard Air Force One as the President made his way to a labor union rally in Boston, and it ma…
Transgender Employee Issues
Transgender employees face some of the highest rates of gender discrimination in the workplace. From refusal to hire to violations of privacy, and even physical and sexual violence, the workplace is a territory fraught with unpleasant occurrences. The rate of discrimination and harassment is stag…
4 Common Ways Employers Violate the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The FLSA is a federal law governing some fundamental workers’ rights, including the right to minimum wage and the right to overtime pay (among other things).
Although many employers are diligent about complying with this law, those who are not may be cheating workers out of the income they hav…
5 Steps to Take in the Wake of Workplace Discrimination or Harassment
Work can be stressful, especially when personalities may clash and people have to work with tight deadlines. When such stress, however, stems from potential discrimination or harassment from others in the workplace, knowing what to do can be important to protecting your rights – and possibly eve…
EEOC’s First Lawsuit to Protect Rights of Transgender Workers
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency responsible for protecting employees against discrimination in the workplace, whether it’s based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability. They are given this authority by a section of the Civil Righ…
United Airlines Settles EEOC Disability Lawsuit for $1 Million
Earlier this month, United Airlines agreed to pay just over $1 million to settle a federal disability lawsuit that has been garnering public attention since 2009. According to the settlement announcement from officials at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), United will have to pa…
Worker Misclassification Is Focus of New DOL Guidance for Employers
An “Administrator’s Interpretation” has been issued by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (DOL) to provide clearer guidance regarding how employers should be classifying workers.
Focused in defining when workers should be employees versus independent contractors, this Inter…
Georgia Minimum Wage FAQs
In light of our recent blog on the minimum wage increases being enacted throughout the U.S., we think it’s a good time to answer some of the most common questions people have about the minimum wage laws in Georgia.
While our answers below can provide some important insight about workers’ right…
Should Atlanta Follow LA’s Lead & Increase the Min. Wage to $15 by 2020?
Recently, the Los Angeles City Council sent a bold message to employers and workers, as it passed a new ordinance that would increase the minimum wage in the county to $15 by 2020. This move, which follows similar efforts in Seattle, San Francisco and other cities in the U.S. to boost the minimu…