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...
Tech Workers Say Harassment Rate Was Higher During Remote Work
"There's the assumption that once everybody went separately and you were protected in your own home, that you wouldn't see the same level of harassment," says Ellen Pao, a tech investor and leading diversity advocate in the tech field. "It turned out that actually...
AP Investigation Finds Sexual Misconduct In High Ranks Of FBI
An investigation by the Associated Press found at least six allegations of sexual misconduct by senior FBI officials that occurred over the past five years. In each case, the accused officials seem to have avoided any discipline, even when the claims against them were...
Tipped Workers Deserve Protection From Harassment By Customers
When a large part of your wages comes from customer tips, you may go out of your way to accommodate the customer. That can lead to great customer service, but it sometimes also means putting up with sexual harassment or other issues. Employers have a legal duty to...
New Montgomery County Law Significantly Expands the Definition of Workplace Harassment
On January 15, 2021, a new law will go into effect in Montgomery County that will dramatically change the definition of workplace “harassment.” Previously, in order for workplace harassment to be actionable, it needed to be “severe or pervasive.” Generally, this...
#MeToo: 7 Out Of 10 Who Complain of Harassment Suffer Retaliation
Workplace harassment has a severe impact on workers. It can affect your mental, physical and economic health. People are trying to do the right thing, but they sometimes face retaliation for reporting harassment at work. In the three years since the #MeToo movement...
Have You Updated Your Employee Handbook Recently?
Staying on top of changes in state and federal employment law can be something of a challenge. It is a good idea to designate someone in your human resources department to comb through your employee materials and make sure they're up to date, and the beginning of the...
Limiting Potential Liability From Your Office Holiday Party
Everyone enjoys a good holiday party. It's a way to show your staff that you appreciate their hard work this year and to get everyone revved up for next year. Yet sometimes, things get out of hand. Certain poor choices could mean liability for your business. You can't...
McDonald’s CEO Out After Acknowledging Relationship With Employee
Steve Easterbrook, McDonald's CEO since 2015, has been ousted by the board of directors after admitting to engaging in an allegedly consensual relationship with a subordinate. McDonald's, which has suffered from accusations of sexual harassment against many of its...
Women In Commercial Fishing Take Sexual Harassment Into Own Hands
The Alaska State Commission for Human Rights says that it doesn't receive more complaints about sexual misconduct in commercial fishing than in other industries. However, women who work in the industry suspect the problem is all too common in the male-dominated field....