A federal jury awarded $620,000 to a white police sergeant in his race discrimination lawsuit against the St. Louis Police Department, the Police Board of Commissioners, and other city officials. According to an article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sergeant David Bonenberger applied for an assistant director position at the police academy, but was not… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Workplace Discrimination
$2 Million Race Discrimination Verdict Reversed Due to Attorney's "Irregularities"
A $2 million jury verdict in favor of Jeffrey Chen, the former chief of police in Medina, Washington, was reversed by a federal judge as unsupported by the evidence. Seattle Weekly News reports that the trial judge in the case determined that the jury reached its verdict because of passion or prejudice based on Chen’s… Read More
Oregon Age Discrimination
Discrimination is a pervasive problem in the United States today, affecting millions of employees every year. Both state and federal law protect workers from certain kinds of discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex or national origin. When it comes to age,… Read More
Target's "Diversity Memo" Leads to Discrimination Lawsuit
Three former employees at Target have filed a workplace discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the company, according to an article in the Seattle P-I. The lawsuit stems in part from a “Multi-Cultural Tips” memo that included many racial and national origin stereotypes about people of Hispanic descent. Target states that the memo was only used… Read More
Specific Job Descriptions Can Help Avoid Discrimination Lawsuits
When an employee brings a discrimination lawsuit against his employer, the employee’s job description is one piece of evidence that Washington courts will consider. For that reason, well-written job descriptions can help employers defend themselves against discrimination claims. What Should a Job Description Contain? Employers should make sure that job descriptions include specific nondiscriminatory criteria… Read More
Proposed Federal Law would Prohibit LGBT Employment Discrimination
The recent Supreme Court decision striking down key provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) may signal a new era for lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the Unites States. That decision held that the provision of the law defining marriage as the “union between one man and one woman” for the… Read More
What Constitutes Disability Discrimination?
Discrimination in the workplace is a pervasive issue in the United States, and the problem includes discrimination against people with disabilities. Both state and federal law prohibit employers from discriminating against employees that have disabilities, and require that employers provide “reasonable accommodation” for such employees. The federal law prohibiting discrimination against disabled employees is the… Read More
Oregon Man Suing DOJ for Sex Discrimination
In Oregon, state law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, or age. One particularly pervasive form of discrimination occurs when a person is subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace. Such harassment could take the form of inappropriate comments, touching, advances, or communications between employees… Read More
Washington Agricultural Workers Settle Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit
Five workers from a farm in Lind, Washington agreed to a $650,000 settlement with National Food Corporation for their sexual harassment and retaliation claims. An article in the Seattle Times reports that the workers were sexually harassed by their supervisor and then fired when they reported the harassment up the chain of command. The workers’… Read More
Discrimination for English as a Second Language
It is well-known in places of employment that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin. However, employers sometimes do not realize that their behavior actually constitutes discrimination under Title VII. One common example is when an… Read More