Facebook privacy among employees has been discussed for a long time, but a couple of recent events have brought the issue to the forefront of public discussion. At the beginning of the month Forbes reported on a lawsuit moving forward in Minnesota against a school district that requires Facebook passwords of students. Then, last Friday,
In the News
14 Employees Fired . . . For Wearing Orange
When I first heard about this story I assumed that it was a company filled with UT haters in College Station. Nope. According to the Sun-Sentinel, it was a law firm in Florida. One Friday, a group of employees at the law firm of Elizabeth R. Wellborn, PA decided to wear orange shirts so…
$168 Million – Hospital Hit for Largest Sex Harassment Verdict EVER!
It’s not the latest baseball sensation’s new contract amount. It is the amount that Ani Chopourian was awarded against Sacramento’s Mercy General Hospital for a operating room sexual harassment spanning two years. As the LA Times reports, Ms. Chopurian filed at least 18 internal complaints of harassment over two years working surgery at Mercy…
The Discrimination You Don’t Even Realize . . . But Should Have to Pay For?
According to the Washington Post, 6,000 black Iowans are claiming that their state government should pay them money for discrimination it doesn’t even realize.
OK. You should all be clear by now that flirting with your secretary is impermissible overt discrimination. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Pepsi settling a claim of “disparate…
Breast Pumping at Work is (was) Not Protected in Houston
This week a judge in Houston ruled in favor of an employer who fired an employee who wanted to use a breast pump to express milk during work for her child. Donnicia Venters went on company-approved leave for a pregnancy from her job at a Houston collection agency in late 2008. When she called to…
Friends and Family Issues with Employee Termination
Imagine a vindictive employer – angry at an employee who recently filed an EEOC charge, but smart enough to know not to fire the employee in retaliation for filing the claim. How is this vindictive boss to take out his frustration without making matters worse? If you are North American Stainless, you fire the…
Pepsi “Popped” for Using Criminal Background Checks
The EEOC announced today that Pepsi Beverages has agreed to a settlement of $3.1 million to resolve a claim by black prospective employees. Between 2006 and 2010, Pepsi excluded from any consideration for employment any applicant who had been arrested or convicted of a crime, including minor offenses (not sure how minor).
Lawyer Suspended for Seeking “Secretary with Benefits”
Let’s start of 2012 with a bang! Over the holidays someone forwarded an article about a lawyer in Illinois who was suspended from the practice of law for a year. Why you might ask? Perhaps not, since the title of this post gives it away.
Seriously? Seriously. The lawyer posted an advertisement for a legal…
Proof that Following Employment Laws is Important!
My favorite tipster over at LexBlog sent me a couple of links this week to an employment related issue in San Francisco. A popular vegan restaurant chain called Cafe Gratitude is closing eight locations over a series of employment lawsuits. Sparing you the gritty details, one lawsuit involves the café’s tipping policy which is a…
VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011
Earlier this week, President Obama signed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 into law. Explained in more detail on the Veterans Affairs website, the law provides expanded education and training programs for soldiers, improves reemployment rights for guard members and reservists, and offers disabled veterans additional vocational assistance. Of course, the reason…