With the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, employers shouldn’t be surprised if they find their employees expressing their opinions in the workplace about abortion. It goes without saying that this can be a sensitive issue for many employees,...
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Employee Title VII Claims
What Can We Expect from the Next Supreme Court Justice?
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is poised to become the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Throughout her confirmation hearings this week, the topic of Judge Brown Jackson’s race was raised on more than one occasion, and some have questioned whether...
How Can Employers Reduce Their Risk of Wrongful Termination Lawsuits?
Maryland is an "at-will employment" state, which means that either the employer or the employee can terminate the employment relationship, unless a binding contract stipulates otherwise. In the absence of a contract, a resignation or dismissal can be for any reason or...
U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Scores Goal for Equal Pay
Earlier this week, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team reached a settlement in its class action lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. According to the complaint, which was initially filed back in 2016 and brought claims under Title VII and the Equal Pay Act,...
Statistical Analysis Helps Avoid Pay Discrepancies
It is good for employers to do a statistical analysis of employee compensation periodically. It can help identify adverse compensation statistics specific to such demographics as race, gender, country of origin or other common threads. This analysis can help root out...
Federal Contractor Sued for Refusal to Hire a Pregnant Job Applicant
Workers in the United States enjoy many legal protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. So, it is surprising that a Virginia Beach-based engineering firm and...
The gender-based pay gap is still a problem
Many businesses tout a model where employee pay is based on merit, skill and experience. However, the much-admired Pew Research Center released a new study on gender and pay in 2020. It found that women earn 84% of what men earn for similar work. This number remains...
Tesla Ordered to Pay $137 Million in Race Discrimination Lawsuit
Earlier this week, a federal jury in California decided that Tesla had subjected a former worker to a racially hostile work environment and awarded him $137 million in damages. The jury awarded the plaintiff, Owen Diaz, $6.9 million in compensatory damages for...
EEOC Issues Guidance on Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
Back in 2020, the Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance on...
Fourth Circuit Case Expands the Definition of Same-Sex Harassment
In Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, the Supreme Court recognized the viability of same-sex harassment cases under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and outlined three different forms of same-sex harassment: 1. An employee is subjected to unwanted sexual...