The United States Supreme Court’s historic decision in United States v. Windsor struck down provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) limiting the federal government’s recognition of marriage to the union of “one man and one woman.” In doing so, it opened the door for same-sex couples to have access to the same federally… Read More
Employment Blog
Here you can find the most recent employment law news and commentary on cases around the country. If you need assistance with employment law, don't hesitate to call us.
Irregularities in Interviews Can Show Bias
A case currently in Oregon courts, Devi v. Oregon Department of Corrections, asserts the importance of consistent interviewing to avoid discriminatory practices. The plaintiff, Harish Devi, began working as a corrections officer at Oregon Department of Corrections’ Shutter Creek Correctional Institution (SCCI) in 1995. In 2011, Devi was one of thirty-two employee referred for consideration… Read More
Pre-shift and Post-shift Work Deserves Compensation
Many employers believe they can expect employees to prepare for a shift and/or wind down from a shift on unpaid time. For example it is common for employers to require set up or meetings before employees clock in, or break down of equipment or clean up after clocking out. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act… Read More
Wells Fargo Faces Same-Sex Sexual Harassment Suit
The EEOC recently announced that it is filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against Wells Fargo. The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of four former bank tellers from a Reno, Nevada branch. The former bank tellers claim that their branch manager and another employee created a hostile workplace. According to the EEOC’s report, their manager… Read More
Seattle Man Unable to Find Employment After Wrongful Conviction Sues State
A 53-year-old Seattle man has become one of the first to sue the state for compensation for his wrongful conviction, time served in prison, and his inability to secure long-term employment. The Seattle P-I reports that James Simmons, a former IT professional who was charged, convicted and served a year in jail for dealing cocaine,… Read More
Court Finds that EEOC Abused its Power in Recent Case
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency charged with enforcing federal laws against discrimination in the workplace. If an employee believes they have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or genetic information, or if they believe they have been retaliated against for reporting,… Read More
Yet Another Development in Recent Cases Against Abercrombie
Abercrombie & Fitch has faced more than one lawsuit this year alleging religious discrimination against Muslim females. The lawsuits revolved around an employees and an applicant who claimed they had been the victims of discrimination because they each wore a hijab, a headscarf, in accordance with their religious beliefs. Though Abercrombie recently settled the case… Read More
If It Is On Company Property, Is It A Privacy Violation?
A Portland man was sentenced to 10 days in jail for videotaping his co-worker while she was using her breast pump at work. Russell Kent Gordon used a spy pen to tape his co-worker claiming that he wanted to make sure she was not stealing from the company. A recent AOL-Jobs post listing 10 legal… Read More
Whistleblowers Both Lose and Win Big in Recent Cases
Government whistleblowers shunned In this day and age, government employees are (and should be) increasingly hesitant to report abuses on the part of their government agency employers and superiors. In light of the growing number of highly publicized government whistleblower prosecutions, no one can blame them for their reluctance. A new documentary, “War on Whistleblowers:… Read More
Local Nuclear Whistleblower Loses Job
A Hanford Nuclear Reservation whistleblower has lost his job. Walter Tamosaitis worked for URS Corporation for over 40 years before he was laid off a few weeks ago. In 2010, Tamosaitis raised safety concerns and was subsequently demoted from the project he was managing. Despite the demotion and even though he filed a lawsuit over… Read More