If you suffer from a disability, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations for your disability and not discriminate against an employee (or job candidate) because of a disability. If you believe that you have been fired because of a disability, it is important to seek help from an… Read More »
Company’s Effort to Diversify Costs Man His Job
A white male hospital executive was recently awarded a $10 million payout for employment discrimination after being fired and then replaced by two women – one white, one of color – as part of his company’s diversity and inclusion program. The employee said he was terminated without warning due to the company’s efforts to diversify… Read More »
Online Retailer Sued for Workplace Discrimination
According to a report from Iowa Public Radio, a popular online retailer has come under fire from a senior manager who is suing the company for alleged racial and gender discrimination. The employee alleges her ordeal began when the popular online retailer hired her at a lower level than she was qualified – a practice… Read More »
Job Protection for Expectant Moms
Last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) to eliminate discrimination and promote women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable accommodations to workers limited by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition. If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the PWFA would supplement the accommodation… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court Rules on Sexual Orientation Discrimination
In a 6-3 decision the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an employer who terminates an employee, or otherwise discriminates against them because they are gay or transgender, is violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which protects employees from discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race, color, religion and national origin.… Read More »
SCOTUS to Decide Whether Sexual Orientation Discrimination Prohibited Under Law
Last month the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether existing federal law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Although 22 states including Iowa have laws that forbid sexual orientation discrimination on the job, federal law does not offer the same protection. The Court is being asked to decide, once and… Read More »
Employment Discrimination in Targeted Social Media Job Ads
Employment discrimination in the digital age is on the rise with some companies engaging in discriminatory practices in advertising of job opportunities by targeting job adverting to a limited online audience. In fact, a group of recent EEOC rulings found reasonable cause to conclude that more than a handful of employers have used social media… Read More »
Supreme Court Weighs Transgender and Sexual Orientation Discrimination
A transgender woman’s wrongful termination case is among three cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear to tackle the question of whether federal anti-discrimination laws, specifically Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, applies to employees based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The details of the wrongful termination case… Read More »
Pregnancy Discrimination and FMLA Violations in the Workplace
An employee who claimed she was fired after becoming pregnant has settled her claim with Humana Inc. to the tune of $500K plus $250K in attorney fees. This, after a U.S. District judge in New Jersey entered a judgement in favor of the plaintiff who sued her former employer and its parent company, Humana Inc.,… Read More »
Documenting Workplace Harassment or Discrimination
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII defines a hostile work environment to include situations where a person is harassed or discriminated against based on their sex, race, religion, national origin, age or disability. The law is not meant to protect against mere teasing or isolated situations that are not serious, but rather pervasive… Read More »