Posts Categorized In: Workplace Discrimination

In a recent case, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Title VII permits claims against an employer for acts of retaliation by coworkers.  According to the court, an employer will be liable for a coworker’s actions if: (1) the coworkers’ retaliatory conduct is sufficiently severe so as to dissuade a reasonable worker from… Read More

According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employment discrimination charges rose 9% in 2007, the largest increase in 15 years.  The increases occurred in nearly every category and, for the first time, retaliation claims have outnumbered sex-based charges.  The EEOC press release summarizes the data by type of discrimination claim and all… Read More

An article from the LA Times (here) discusses a painful case against the Los Angeles City Fire Department. The case arises out of a hazing incident in which a black firefighter, Tennie Pierce, had his dinner laced with dog food.  It is reported that the city settled with Pierce for $1.5 million after spending $1.3… Read More

A recent decision by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals addresses “association discrimination” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) in the context of medical insurance expenses.  The plaintiff in the case contended that she was fired because of her husband’s high medical bills.  The company was self-insured for the first $250,000 of annual covered… Read More

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued new guidance on employment of veterans with service-connected disabilities.   The EEOC’s guide for employers is here and the guide for veterans is here.  The new guidance explains (1) how protections for veterans with service-connected disabilities differ under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Uniformed Services… Read More

The U.S. Supreme Court is busy with an unusually large number of employment cases this term, and today the Court issued its opinion in one closely watched case.  By many accounts, the decision is somewhat of a letdown for employment attorneys because the Supreme Court did not really decide much of anything, and certainly did… Read More

Today a federal court jury in Florida awarded a sexual harassment plaintiff $5.4 Million.  The case was filed by a woman who alleged the defendant touched her and offered her money for sex, among other things.  An article about the case appears here.  The defendant in the case, Florida real estate mogul David Siegel, no… Read More

Check out this article about a case that resulted in a $500,000 verdict in a discrimination case against a company in Alabama.  The verdict was the result of the company’s failure to stop the use of racial slurs at work and the discharge of an employee after he refused to sign an agreement to arbitrate… Read More