Tag: california hr

News Notes: EEOC Settles Lawsuit For $875,000

  The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced an $875,000 settlement of a sex bias and retaliation class action lawsuit against Technicolor Videocassette Inc.’s Camarillo plant. The suit alleged that women at the plant, who worked in various departments duplicating videotapes, were subjected to repeated harassment by male co-workers and supervisors-including derogatory comments regarding […]

Employee Lawsuits: Workers’ Comp Release Bars Harassment Claim; 3 Tips On Drafting Releases That Stand Up In Court

No longer limited to back injuries and broken bones, workers’ comp claims have taken on new meaning over the past decade as stress-related claims have become commonplace. While some employers throw their arms up in frustration, a new California Supreme Court ruling demonstrates how handling this kind of claim wisely can limit your exposure to […]

Disability Discrimination: Blanket Refusal To Rehire Discharged Employees Violates ADA; Would Your Rehire Policy Pass Muster?

Suppose a former employee applies for a position with your company. You check their personnel record and discover the person was terminated. Following standard company procedure not to rehire previously discharged employees, you reject the person’s application outright.But the applicant turns around and sues you under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, claiming you really […]

Religious Accommodations: New Decision Says Accommodating Trucker’s Religious Beliefs Against Working Alongside Women Involved Undue Hardship

David Virts was an “over-the-road” truck driver at Consolidated Freightways Corp.’s Nashville, Tenn., terminal. Virts refused to go on overnight “sleeper runs” with female drivers because it would violate his religious beliefs. Now a federal appeals court has ruled that the trucking company wasn’t required to accommodate Virts because it would have been an undue […]

Personal Liability Of Supervisors: New Ruling Leaves Supervisors Vulnerable To Retaliation Suits; Get The Word Out

The question of who can be sued for work-related actions has become a hot topic in recent years. The California Supreme Court clarified that supervisors couldn’t be held individually responsible for workplace discrimination claims. But the California Legislature recently said any employee can be sued for harassment.

News Notes: Compensation Social Security Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service has postponed indefinitely a plan to begin collecting Social Security taxes on two types of stock options. Industry groups had complained that the proposed 15.3% tax would be detrimental to incentive stock options and employee stock purchase plans. The payroll taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare, would be divided between […]