Costly Mistakes
‘Tis the season: Holiday party leads to wrongful termination lawsuit
Here’s a cautionary tale about what can happen when a holiday party gets out of hand. A former employee has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Taco Bell, alleging things got so bad after a wild holiday party that she was forced to quit. Holiday party: A potluck event Alana Bechiom worked as a cashier…
#MeToo turns 5: What modern sexual harassment training looks like today
As #MeToo turns five, it’s clear that the movement has generated an increased awareness about sexual harassment and assault. And as countless numbers of people shared their stories, one thing became all-too-clear: a lot of that harassment happened at work. That truth probably strikes fear in the heart of HR pros everywhere. First and foremost,…
Accommodation mistakes – 3 companies paid big to settle ADA claims
The EEOC filed 48 disability accommodation lawsuits in FY 2023, almost doubling the 27 ADA cases it filed the previous year, according to employment attorneys at Seyfarth. And if the EEOC steps into an ADA dispute, the cost of noncompliance can be pretty steep, as these three recent cases show. 1. Restaurant forks…
An $11.25M mistake: Why jury sides with fired worker who complained about harassment
A recent lawsuit provides a case study on what NOT to do when handling employee complaints. How bad was it? A jury awarded an eight-figure payout to a fired worker. To avoid similar mistakes, download our Practical Tools guide on handling employee complaints. Here’s what happened – and where the company went wrong: Company fired…
Appeals court revives retaliation allegation — here’s why
Did you know that retaliation claims can challenge a broader range of employer conduct than claims of discrimination? A new ruling from a federal appeals court demonstrates the point. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam and Hawaii) ruled that a college employee could proceed with a retaliation claim within…
Autistic employee fired: McDonald’s franchisee pays $100K to settle EEOC lawsuit
JDKD Enterprises, the owner/operator of several McDonald’s franchises in New Jersey, has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of an autistic employee. The EEOC claimed the franchisee fired an employee who worked at several McDonald’s locations over a 37-year period because he has autism. The suit further alleged that the…
Bias claim against C-suite shows need for company-wide training: $85K payout
In this case, the EEOC sued on behalf of three Hispanic women who alleged that two C-suite executives in Texas created a hostile work environment. Who was involved: Alden Short and Hinson Jennings, a Dallas-based property management company, and three Hispanic female employees. Cringeworthy comments: C-suite exec said what!? What happened: According to the EEOC’s…
Black workers weren’t recalled after pandemic layoff: Hooters pays $650K
Hooters of Louisiana, LLC has agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a race discrimination and retaliation suit, the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) announced. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a Hooters location in Metairie subjected Black workers to a work environment that allowed offensive and demeaning remarks based on their race since at least 2017….
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