A supervisor touches a subordinate’s butt, continually makes comments on his appearance and asks him out for drinks. Seems like a pretty solid case of sexual harassment, right?
Let’s set the scene for a recent lawsuit: A male worker exposed himself to a female co-worker and showed her explicit pictures of himself. Then, word spread about the incident in the workplace. Sounds like a slam-dunk sexual harassment lawsuit, right?
Here’s a crucial reminder for your managers: A single incident can create a “hostile work environment.”
When is putting your hands on a co-worker and preventing her from leaving the room NOT sexual harassment?
There’s a misconception that e-mail can ever be truly private. As this recent case shows, there’s always a chance that messages will find their way into the hands of unintended recipients.
Imagine being sued by an employee who claims she was sexually harassed, but she never bothered to report it to anyone. Your company won’t be held liable, right? Well, you’ve got to pass a three-pronged test first, according to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.
A total of 46 states have cyber-stalking laws on the books, including penalties for harassment via text message. What’s an employer’s responsibility for monitoring text messages and acting on potentially offensive communication?
Ah, the holidays. Time for good cheer, love of family and friends, warm memories — and the potential for some nasty legal hassles for HR.
It’s Valentine’s Day, when romance blooms in the hearts of workers — and employers worry about sexual harassment claims.
The EEOC’s latest proposed guidance covers a topic a lot of employers probably think they already know well: national origin discrimination. But the new guidance throws in a few wrinkles about what’s considered discriminatory — and how to stay in compliance — that employers need to know. The proposed guidance released by the EEOC expresses […]
It’s not always what’s missing from employee documentation that could get you in trouble. It’s also what may already be in your documentation that could land you on the wrong end of a lawsuit.
Sad to say, most charges of sexual harassment grow out of some common misunderstandings about what the danger signs are. Time and time again, supervisors use those misunderstandings as a defense — and companies pay for it.
The EEOC just issued proposed enforcement guidance on workplace harassment, and it provides a window into the kinds of things the agency’s now looking to prevent – through litigation if necessary.
The U.S. Supreme Court just began its new term. A lot of what they do will have a big impact on HR.
Here’s more proof that managers (and executives) need to keep their opinions to themselves and just stick to the facts when disciplining employees. Otherwise, they could create a path for employees to sue.
These three cases are about as bad as sexual harassment lawsuits get.
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