A paper products manufacturer with a plant in Inola, OK, will pay $80,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced. Harassment Continued After Internal Complaint, EEOC Says Sofidel America Corp. is an international manufacturer of paper products. According to the EEOC, a male […]
When a harassment or retaliation complaint surfaces, most HR professionals immediately focus on the facts. What happened? Who knew? Did anybody witness it? Should there be disciplinary action taken? Was the appropriate disciplinary action taken? But sometimes a lawsuit doesn’t even get that far. A recent federal court decision involving Blake Lively is a good […]
Nearly a decade after #MeToo ignited a global reckoning around workplace harassment, there was hope that workplaces would look fundamentally different — where employees, regardless of background, could show up without worrying about misconduct and retaliation. But we’re in 2026, and progress has not yet translated into the consistent, everyday sense of safety that many […]
The Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized a technical amendment restoring the 2019 overtime salary threshold to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) following two federal court decisions that invalidated the 2024 rule. For HR and payroll teams, the amendment closes the loop on the litigation and confirms which federal salary thresholds govern exempt classifications. […]
A physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic in Hawaii recently learned an expensive lesson about overtime compliance after a federal investigation found it shortchanged 32 employees. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division investigated First Physical & Functional Rehab and found violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). According to the investigation, […]
When employers outsource Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) administration to a third-party administrator (TPA), compliance responsibility stays with them. A recent federal case out of Wisconsin shows how quickly weak TPA oversight can lead to interference and retaliation claims. Employee Seeks Intermittent FMLA Leave Rodney Severson was hired as a production employee for S.C. […]
A federal contractor headquartered in Washington, D.C., will pay $1.25 million to settle a national origin discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of Hispanic workers who were fired, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently announced. Some affected individuals had been working at their jobs for at least 10 years — and in some instances, nearly […]
An Oregon restaurant recently learned a costly lesson about overtime and tip pool rules after a federal investigation found it had shortchanged 19 employees. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division investigated Taste of India 1, a restaurant in McMinnville, OR, and found two violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). […]
On April 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released a proposed rule for determining when multiple employers may be held jointly liable. For HR professionals, the proposal has significant implications for how your organization structures its staffing, contractor and vendor relationships. The proposal seeks to unify three labor […]
When most HR leaders picture FMLA retaliation, they think of a termination letter. But it can also come disguised as a “choice”— resign or be fired. That’s what the DOL said happened at the University of Tennessee, where an employee on approved intermittent leave was told exactly that. The DOL recovered $30,442 in back wages. […]
Missed payroll is a federal wage violation. A Newport Beach construction contractor learned that the hard way; it was ordered to pay $468,505 after the DOL found 137 workers went without pay and overtime. The case broadens the usual wage and hour conversation beyond overtime math to a more fundamental question: Did workers get paid […]
A federal court in Colorado rejected SHRM’s attempt to overturn an $11.5 million verdict for race discrimination and retaliation against a former employee. The decision offers three lessons for HR professionals. Case Overview: What Led to the Lawsuit Against SHRM In 2016, Rehab Mohamed started working at SHRM as an instructional designer. During her employment, […]
Hospitality employers in California take note: Several cities in The Golden State have minimum wage increases for hotel employees soon taking effect. In addition to the new pay rates, some ordinances impose benefit, accrual and notice requirements. Here’s how the changes break down by city. Minimum Wage Increases in 2026 These local ordinances set distinct […]
A single retaliation complaint to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) led to the overhaul of a company’s employment practices, including an external review of its complaint processes, reporting requirements to the state and changes to HR operations. The investigation didn’t stop with the retaliation claim. Here’s what happened: Former Employee Alleges Workplace Retaliation In […]
In FY 2025, the EEOC secured $660 million for workers who reported employment discrimination – and most of that money was recovered before cases ever reached court. According to the agency’s FY 2025 performance report, the EEOC secured $528 million through pre-litigation efforts, a record high for the agency. Of that total, $52.5 million came […]
Hiring decisions often come together in email threads and quick back-and-forth with recruiters. That’s exactly where the problem showed up in this case. A technology consulting company has agreed to pay $495,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit filed on behalf of an applicant who alleged age and national origin discrimination. EEOC Lawsuit Claims Manager Email […]
