Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, what better way to celebrate than to examine the pitfalls of office romances? The “Me Too” era is still in full swing, and it is subjecting employers to more scrutiny than ever. Have you considered how to best handle office romances between employees
Discrimination and Harassment
New Sexual Harassment Laws for New York Now In Effect
By Matt Anderson on
With the continued rise of the #MeToo movement, New York has taken the reins as one of the leaders in combating sexual harassment in the workplace. All employers who have employees located in New York state must now provide sexual harassment training to all employees at least once a year. …
A Plan for Saying No: How to Refuse Service
Refusing to serve a patron is a hot topic right now, and it is not something any employer should take lightly. When recently asked about this issue by Thomson Reuters, partner Seth Ford and staff attorney Matt Anderson outlined the do’s and don’ts for a refusal of service policy.…
Who Are You?: The Legal Implications of Employee Personality Testing
Many employers require employees and applicants to take personality testing (think Myers-Briggs). Others are seriously considering adding this as a component of their hiring and employee engagement efforts. Companies want to get a sense of an individual’s opinions, attitudes, feelings, motivations, preferences, interests, emotional makeup, and style of interacting with…
From Above The Law: Second Circuit Says Sexual Orientation Is Protected Under Title VII
By Evan Gibbs & Rebecca Silk on
Posted in Discrimination and Harassment
Reversing itself, the Second Circuit held on Monday, February 26, that sexual orientation discrimination is discrimination “because of . . . sex” under Title VII in Zarda v. Altitude Express. The Second Circuit’s decision aligns it with the Seventh Circuit and places it squarely at odds with the Eleventh…
Does Your Workplace Need A “Hands Off Pants On” Rule?
By Evan Pontz on
Posted in Discrimination and Harassment, Employment Laws
Late last year, to protect hospitality workers from sexual harassment and assault, the Chicago City Council passed what is known as the “Hands Off Pants On” ordinance. This legislation requires all Chicago hotels to:
- provide a “panic button” for employees working alone;
- adopt an effective anti-sexual harassment policy; and
- face
…
Potential Discrimination Through Social Media Ads
In today’s internet-driven world, employers have never had more options from which to recruit new hires. Sites like Zip Recruiter, Monster.com, and Career Builder specialize in talent acquisition, serving as stand-alone classified pages of sorts. Employers also can utilize ever-present social media channels, like Facebook and LinkedIn, to find the…
Sexual Harassment Is Not Just A Hollywood Problem
By Evan Pontz & Matt Anderson on
Last month The New Yorker published a story detailing years of claimed sexual harassment and misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Since then, it seems that every day features new allegations of similarly inappropriate behavior by public figures, from actors, to authors, to public radio executives. It is unclear whether…
California’s Statewide “Ban-The-Box” Law To Go Into Effect January 2018
California companies with five or more employees are subject to new legislation that prohibits criminal background screenings prior to a conditional offer of employment. This legislation also prohibits requesting information about criminal history on an application or at a preliminary point in the hiring process. Affected employers should carefully review…
Two Bulls in a China Shop: The EEOC and the DOJ
By Evan Gibbs on
Posted in Discrimination and Harassment, Employment Laws
United States executive agencies are practically always on the same page when presenting to the public. So, it is incredibly unusual to see two such agencies taking positions directly contrary to one another in pending litigation. This, however, is exactly the current situation between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ),…