Often, when faced with the need to investigate an employee’s complaint of harassment or discrimination, employers will ask their regular company counsel to investigate the allegation and defend the company if litigation ensues. The recent mistrial declared by Judge Adams … Continue reading
Facebook, blogs, Twitter, on-line petitions – Social media is leveling the public relations playing field. Gone are the days when big business controlled the media. Today, a disgruntled employee can fight back using social media. Using these new tools, former … Continue reading
Every workplace conflict is rife with positive and negative potential. It is a choice (conscious or not) whether to make it a source of learning and growth or simmering frustration, stagnation and possible litigation. In the gender discrimination class action … Continue reading
The recent reinstatement of a $3.5 million award of punitive damages by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit highlighted the importance of responding promptly, thoroughly and fairly to employee complaints of harassment, even where the harassers … Continue reading
It seems that at least some offices of the EEOC may be adopting the position that employers are in violation of Title VII if they have policies that warn employees who participate in an internal investigation that they could be … Continue reading
In this week’s Banner Estrella Medical Center decision, the NLRB held that employers may violate employees’ rights to engage in protected concerted activity when requesting employees not to discuss an ongoing investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct. In this case, the employer’s … Continue reading