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 […]
We Don’t Discriminate — At Least We Don’t Mean To…
Has your company ever had to defend allegations of employment discrimination? If not, do you know someone else who has? Maybe you’re thinking you have nothing to worry about. You’re an Equal Opportunity Employer. Your policies say so. You have anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. You would never refuse to hire or promote someone just because […]
The ADEA Protects Applicants — Not Just Employees.
By now most of you know that under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) employers cannot discriminate against workers aged 40 or older. You may also know that your company practice, even a seemingly neutral one, is age discrimination if it has a disproportionately negative impact on workers age 40 and over. I’m guessing […]
National Origin Discrimination Remains on the EEOC’s Radar Screen–Make Sure It’s On Yours, Too.
Most employers know that it’s illegal to discriminate on the basis of an applicant or employee’s national origin. It’s been illegal at least on the federal level since July 2, 1964, under Title VII. Has anything really changed? Well, sort of. The issue has come to the forefront again, as charges of national origin discrimination […]
Can a “Sub-Group” of Over-40 Workers File a Federal Age Discrimination Claim?
You probably know it’s illegal under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) for employers to discriminate against workers over 40 years old. You may also know that large groups of over-40-year-old workers can sue as a group, and file what is known as a class-action lawsuit. Occasionally, a class-action lawsuit will involve sub-classes, i.e. […]