Suppose you find your company is affected by the pandemic and resulting economic downturn. You decide to furlough some of your employees. You inform them of their impending furlough. You hope that you can now focus on staying afloat until the economy improves. Could the furloughs themselves cause you other problems? What if your employees […]
A SLAPP in the Face? Why You Might Not Want to File a Counterclaim in a Workplace Harassment Suit
“My employee just sued me and my company claiming sexual harassment. It’s patently false. I want to counter-sue”. I’ve heard this one before. Can you file a counterclaim to a workplace harassment suit? In theory, maybe. Should you? That’s another question altogether. Why shouldn’t you file a counterclaim — particularly if you really believe — and maybe even […]
A White Doctor Can’t Sue for Discrimination? Why Not?
A doctor works as part of the medical staff at a hospital. The doctor, who is white, feels s/he has been the target of racial discrimination. The doctor complains about the alleged discrimination, after which the hospital initiates a peer review of the doctor’s more recent surgeries. The doctor allegedly has had no patient complaints […]
Are Hairstyles Protected Under Anti-Discrimination Laws? Maybe, in Part…
Does your company have a dress code, or an appearance or grooming policy? Many companies do. What exactly is a dress code or appearance/grooming policy, and why is it important? Generally speaking, these policies are a set of standards set by a company to provide its employees guidance about what is and is not appropriate […]
You CAN Legitimately Beat Discrimination Claims
Lowe’s just won a discrimination case filed by one of its employees. It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t magic. It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t “just” because the employee didn’t have good enough facts. It’s possible to win — or even avoid–an employment discrimination case. Can you? Yes, if you do your homework. Let’s take a […]