Discrimination and Unlawful Harassment

Supreme Court passes on transgender rights case…for now.

March 7, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Gavin Grimm on Twitter (@gavingrimmva) https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/834652828698292224/ez_YxJ3p.jpg

I received a bunch of reader emails yesterday with requests for future blog posts.

One reader requested a follow-up to yesterday’s post about service animals and the ADA, asking that I address what happens when a service animal causes allergy issues for co-workers. Another reader sought input on heated political discussions at work as a gateway to a real hostile work environment. Both good ideas; I’ll get to them.

Today, however, I want to talk about Gavin Grimm and yesterday’s announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court to send his transgender rights case back to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for further consideration in light of the guidance document issued by the Department of Education and Department of Justice on February 22, 2017.

Yo, dawg! EEOC sues employer over not letting trucker use his service animal for work

March 6, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

But, will the EEOC’s bark be louder than its bite?

I’ll discuss service animals and Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations after the jump…

How about we connect at the SHRM Employment Law & Legislative Conference?

March 3, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Are you headed to Washington, DC for SHRM’s 2017 Employment Law and Legislative Conference on March 13-15? I’d love to meet up with you.

Well, unless you’re really creepy. Continue reading

This one will get you to hire slow and fire fast to avoid retaliation claims

March 2, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

As in faster than an employee can complain about discrimination to HR or to the EEOC.

A bipartisan — yes, bipartisan — Senate bill would make it easier for employees to prove age bias

March 1, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Bipartisan, eh?

(Sorry, it’s the first thing I thought of)

110,000 reasons to remember that the ADA’s duty to accommodate starts before saying, “You’re hired.”

February 27, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Here’s a snippet from a recent EEOC press release:

The [Americans with Disabilities Act] protects employees from discrimination based on their disabilities and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to employees’ and applicants’ disabilities as long as it does not pose an undue hardship.

That’s employees and applicants. And, that’s important.

Feds are signalling a rough four years ahead for transgender rights

February 23, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Late last month, I blogged here about some smoke signals from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that it may be backpedaling on pursuing discrimination claims on behalf of a transgender employee, in a case where the employer had raised a religious-freedom defense.

Since then, other dominos have fallen, which indicate that the Trump administration is reversing course on transgender rights.

A broken arm can be an ADA disability too?!?

February 22, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

Welcome to Jungle, baby. (Best $24 I’ve ever spent. Probably.)

Racials slurs, shotgun threats, but no why no hostile work environment?

February 15, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

It’s deja vu all over again.

This right here is why you train your managers to take all complaints of harassment seriously.

February 14, 2017 | by Eric B. Meyer

When I conduct anti-harassment training for supervisors, one of the points I stress is that all complaints of harassment and discrimination — no matter how minor — must be taken seriously.

Why?