Search
The Employer Handbook Blog
Articles Posted in Race
Third Circuit: A single slur – just one bad word — can create a hostile work environment.
For the first time, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has recognized that “an extreme isolated act of discrimination can create a hostile work environment.”
Even one bad comment may create a hostile work environment, says Second Circuit
With all due respect to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, I’m glad, at least for this month, that I don’t practice there. Continue reading
It’s the last thing you want to hear at your employee-client’s deposition
Yesterday, at approximately 5:18 PM EDT, all of the associates at my law firm received the same email. It was from one of my partners, encouraging them to sign up to receive daily updates to this blog via email.
“You will learn something from him nearly every day of the week,” wrote my partner.
So, let’s see if we can teach them something — something, other than Eric knows how to make one hella-creepy selfie saltbae gif.
Continue reading
Skip the vodka, but consider some other bar rules for your workplace.
_in_Hamburg_2.jpg "By Achim Schleuning (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons")
A few weeks ago, a reader emailed me and asked if I would weigh in on how businesses should address employees talking about politics at work.
On the one hand, in the private sector, there are no First Amendment Rights. Free speech is a big myth. ( I suppose that the National Labor Relations Act could muddy the waters a bit; but, for this post, let’s pretend it doesn’t). And there’s practically nothing that would prevent a private employer from clamping down on employee discussions about politics at work.
On the other hand, an employer could violate bar rules and condone political speech. However, that could lead to problems for the employer, as in bad press or a lawsuit.
Racials slurs, shotgun threats, but no why no hostile work environment?
It’s deja vu all over again.
This right here is why you train your managers to take all complaints of harassment seriously.
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?
Our day at Epcot: Food, characters and, yes, an employment-law lesson
Remember Hank the Septopus from Disney’s Finding Dory? I found his missing tentacle. And, my son ate it!
Racist code names for customers are bad. And, so is firing someone for complaining about it.
These are the key allegations underpinning ***Googles “underpinning”*** yes, underpinning a complaint filed in California against luxury retailer Versace.
