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…
Break Time for Nursing Mothers: 3 Facts to Know
By federal law, employers are required to provide break times for nursing mothers. In fact, this legal requirement has been in place since March 2010 (when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PPACA, amended Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act, FLSA). And if you aren’t familiar …
The Gender Pay Gap: A Look at the Numbers
While you may be aware of the gender pay gap in the U.S., looking at the numbers can delineate just how big this gap is – and how it has changed over recent years. These numbers may also be one of the keys to working towards closing this gap and having income be based on merit/skills/effort, rat…
Red Lobster to Pay $160,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Case
Red Lobster Restaurants LLC has agreed to pay $160,000 to settle an EEOC sexual harassment case (EEOC v. Red Lobster Restaurants LLC, Civil Action No. 1:13-cv-02860-MJG).
While the EEOC reportedly tried to reach a pre-litigation settlement with Red Lobster via its conciliation process, the…
Equality for LGBT Workers: A Look at the Executive Order on LGBT Workplace Discrimination
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people will now receive the same protections from workplace discrimination as are enjoyed by so many, as a new Executive Order on LGBT Workplace Discrimination has officially gone into effect as of April 2015.
An Atlanta discrimination lawyer t…
Supreme Court Decision Regarding Discrimination Cases Lauded by EEOC
Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS) unanimously ruled that reviews of EEOC’s conciliation efforts may only be “relatively bare-bones” and that it’s only necessary for the EEOC to “afford the employer a chance to discuss and rectify a specified discriminatory practice.”
Effectivel…
Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: FAQs (Pt. 3)
Wrapping up our blog series entitled Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: FAQs, below, we will answer some more common questions about workers’ rights to equal pay under federal law.
Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: Here’s What Else You Should Know
Q – Are there laws other…
Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: FAQs (Pt. 2)
Resuming Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: FAQs (Pt. 1), here, more questions regarding workers’ rights to equal pay will be answered.
Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: More Answers
Q – Is it ever OK for an employer to pay men and women different wages when they are both…
Gender Discrimination and the Equal Pay Act: FAQs (Pt. 1)
Equal pay is a family issue. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force and are a growing number of breadwinners in their families. More women are also working in positions and fields that have been traditionally occupied by men. When women are not paid fairly, not only do they suffer, but…