Tag: EEOC

Misclassification mistakes: Know risks and prevention strategies

It’s almost an understatement to call misclassification of employees as independent contractors a hot topic. It’s certainly the subject of a growing list of court cases, government agency investigations, and legislative initiatives. Various agencies at both the state and federal level have been in crackdown mode for a few years now, and it’s no wonder: […]

Coal Mine Pays $40K for Failing to Reassign Worker with Disability

A coal mine in Birmingham, Ala. will pay $40,000 to settle allegations it failed to reassign a worker with a disability, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Rocky Davis had hearing loss and was regularly assigned to an area of the mine that adversely affected his hearing aids, according to the U.S. Equal […]

Judge halts EEOC lawsuit, citing ‘obstinate’ refusal to cooperate

by Amanda Jones Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates that after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has investigated a charge of discrimination and determined there’s reasonable cause to believe the claim is true, it must try to negotiate a settlement with the employer through a conciliation process before filing a […]

Employee temper tantrums, resignations, and the law

Employers generally go to great lengths to retain valued employees. They know the benefits of keeping good, experienced people and avoiding the costs of recruiting and training new hires. Sometimes, though, the words “I quit” are music to an employer’s ears. A problem employee out the door seems like a problem solved. But is it? […]

Telecommuting: A Reasonable ADA Accommodation?

You may think that the federal, state and local courts move at a glacial pace, but they often deliberate and resist change of opinion on employment law matters because, well, the modern workplace is a living, breathing, complex organism. Telecommuting is one such complexity, as are the multitude of situations that employers need to consider […]

Ex-EEOC employee met requirements to pursue disability claim against agency

by Nancy Williams Just as private-sector workers are required to file an administrative charge of discrimination before filing a lawsuit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, federal employees also have prefiling requirements. In a disability discrimination case against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the 9th Circuit recently decided that the […]

Are Your Trainers Well Trained?

Weiss is director of Seyfarth Shaw at Work, a legal compliance training company associated with the Seyfarth Shaw law firm. He says that courts (and opposing attorneys) will explore such things as the content of the training course, how much money is spent on training, and the trainer’s background and competency. His remarks originally appeared […]

Rising Caregiver Responsibilities Fuel Push for Extra Worker Protections

The increasing need for employees to care for an older relative or friend should prompt an expansion of federal legal protections against workplace discrimination, according to a recent report by the AARP Public Policy Institute. In what the AARP report authors dub as the “new normal,” Protecting Family Caregivers from Employment Discrimination says discrimination in […]

EEOC plan reveals enforcement priorities

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a draft of its Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) that spells out priorities such as stepped-up efforts against hiring discrimination and harassment, new protections for various vulnerable workers, preserving access to the legal system, and dealing with emerging issues like changes brought by the ADA Amendments Act. Recruitment […]

Could Sexual Harassment Training Have Prevented This Controversial Ruling in the First Place?

In 2007, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued on behalf of a class of female tractor-trailer drivers against a large interstate trucking firm. But judges in two federal courts have now virtually thrown the case out. What happened. CRST Van Expedited is the trucking firm, and one of its female trainees complained to EEOC […]