Below are some recent reported verdicts in employment law cases. Verdicts in Favor of Employees Three white police officers were awarded a $10 million verdict against the City of Philadelphia in a retaliation case. The officers alleged that they were retaliated against after the broke the “blue code of silence” and spoke out about racism against black… 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.
Video Interviews: Are They Legal?
Internet technology now makes it possible to interview an employee “in-person” anywhere in the world. The benefit to employers is obvious. No longer do employers need to pay expensive travel expenses to facilitate an in-person interview. At the same time, by viewing a candidate on video, the employer can readily discern things about candidates that… Read More
Washington Company Rejects Ban on Sexual Orientation Discrimination
An employment law issue generated controversy yesterday at a company’s annual shareholder meeting in Seattle. The company is Expeditors International, a Fortune 500 global logistics company based in Seattle. It trades in the NASDAQ 100 and generates $5 billion in annual revenue. A shareholder proposal requested adoption of a written policy banning sexual orientation… Read More
Age Discrimination Case: $560,000 in Attorneys’ Fees
How do you turn a run-of-the-mill termination for poor performance into an $800,000 liability? We find the answer in the Sears Roebuck catalog. Former Sears employee Gunnar Steward sued for age discrimination after his termination for performance reasons. The facts of the case are relatively unremarkable. In fact, the evidence supporting Steward’s discrimination claim was… Read More
Congress Passes Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Congress has passed a new employment discrimination law, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). The bill passed the House today by a vote of 414-1. The Senate approved it last week 95-0. It now goes on to President Bush to sign into law. Under GINA, it will be illegal for employers to make decisions to… Read More
Turmoil Surrounds Election of Union Officers
We do not often hear about the internal turmoil that can surround the election of union officers. But, to borrow a phrase from Donald Rumsfeld, democracy is messy. Here is an article about two campaigns that are competing for the leadership of the International Association of Machinists District 751, a powerful union that represents more… Read More
Supreme Court Considers Age Discrimination Burdens of Proof
The Supreme Court was busy with two employment cases yesterday. We reported below on the employee benefits case. The Court also heard arguments in Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, which addresses the burdens of proof to be applied in age discrimination cases. Here is a New York Times article about the case. Briefs and… Read More
Supreme Court Hears Important ERISA Case
The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday heard oral argument in the MetLife v. Glenn case. This is an important case that could affect all future lawsuits to collect benefits under an employee benefit plan. Where an employee benefits lawsuit is governed by ERISA, the lawyers in nearly every case argue over the standard of review. Those… Read More
Another Court Allows “Benefits Interference” Claim for Terminated Employee
We reported last month on the decision by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Dewitt v. Proctor Hospital in which the court allowed a claim by a plaintiff who contended that she was fired because of her husband’s high medical bills. In a similar case decided this week, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals… Read More
"Public Policy" Wrongful Discharge Claim Based on Court Testimony
Here is an article about an interesting case filed recently in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. A counselor for a mental health agency alleges he was fired because of testimony he gave on the witness stand in a domestic violence case. A copy of the lawsuit complaint can be… Read More