JetBlue apologizes after employee dressed up as 'homeless' person for Halloween

Halloween can be fun, but the holiday can create truly terrifying problems for grown-ups at work in the form of bad PR and even lawsuits.

By Jennifer Carsen • Nov. 12, 2019

How to get middle managers to commit to D&I — even when they don't want to

HR can make the stakes clear but also should be prepared to design around the unwilling, panelists at an ABA conference told attendees last week.

By Katie Clarey • Nov. 11, 2019

EEOC commissioner: It's an 'interesting moment' to talk pay data collection

Despite challenges in collecting the Component 2 data, EEOC considers addressing pay gaps a priority, Commissioner Charlotte A. Burrows told attendees at a conference.

By Katie Clarey • Nov. 11, 2019

OFCCP collected record $40M in class settlements for 2019

To prevent pay discrimination and fend off settlements, HR can review organizational compensation policies and conduct regular pay audits.

By Lisa Burden • Nov. 11, 2019

Most women say the post-#MeToo workplace is unchanged — or worse

HR and managers can become better equipped to handle misconduct with thorough training.

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • Nov. 11, 2019

Employer's policy banning workers from speaking Spanish results in $2.6M settlement

Rules requiring that employees speak English in the workplace at all times are presumed to violate Title VII, EEOC has said in guidance.

By Lisa Burden • Nov. 8, 2019

Weed at work: 5 questions to answer

Conflicting and changing laws leave HR departments with some ambiguity, a speaker told attendees at the American Bar Association's labor and employment law conference.

By Katie Clarey • Nov. 7, 2019

Employers paid a record $322M to resolve DOL wage claims in 2019

Overtime errors, worker misclassification and auto-deduct policies are all frequent trouble spots.

By Jennifer Carsen • Nov. 7, 2019

Manager fired for abrasive behavior, not cancer leave

The plaintiff allegedly humiliated his subordinates, berated them in front of others and discouraged them from speaking with management.

By Jennifer Carsen • Nov. 7, 2019

Owner-operator truck drivers in California plan protests over AB5

The law has gained attention due to the impact on the gig economy, but owner-operator truck drivers could be equally affected.

By Matt Leonard • Nov. 6, 2019

Dollar General ends EEOC background check suit with $6M settlement

Background check policies that disparately impact minorities continue to land employers in hot water. 

By Lisa Burden • Nov. 6, 2019

Goldman Sachs bumps up paid parental leave to 20 weeks

The policy change comes as other employers face discrimination claims over leave length.

By Dan Ennis , Liza Casabona • Nov. 6, 2019

Reporting requirements, talent market pressure employers to conduct pay audits

For employers motivated to ensure their pay practices are equitable, an audit may reveal where they need to improve.

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett , Katie Clarey • Nov. 5, 2019

In 'welcome news' for employers, DOL proposes fluctuating workweek update

The proposed rule, announced Monday, is just one of several Trump administration regulatory wage-and-hour priorities.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 5, 2019

White Starbucks manager fired after Philly incident alleges race bias

The suit follows one of the most significant case studies of corporate social responsibility and HR management in recent history.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 4, 2019

Cop told to tone down his 'gayness' for promotion agrees to $10M settlement

Of nine applicants, only the plaintiff and another man with a "history of disciplinary/performance issues" allegedly were not promoted to lieutenant.

By Lisa Burden • Updated Feb. 15, 2020

Beverage distributor pays $950K to settle claims that sales assignments were discriminatory

BBI denied that it engaged in any discriminatory or unlawful conduct, according to a statement released by the EEOC.

By Lisa Burden • Nov. 1, 2019

Jury's finding that barbers were independent contractors can stand, 11th Cir. says

There are various tests for determining whether a worker is a contractor, but they generally boil down to how much control an employer has.

By Jennifer Carsen • Nov. 1, 2019

1 in 10 New Yorkers say they've experienced 'quid pro quo' sexual harassment

New research from Cornell notes that harassment may be a widespread structural issue rather than simply "a few bad apples."

By Jennifer Carsen • Oct. 31, 2019

'Old-timer' comments made outside work didn't show age bias, court says

A plaintiff also presented an email in which the CFO said the company was looking for "young sharks" for junior sales positions.

By Lisa Burden • Oct. 31, 2019

Uber, Lyft back ballot initiative to abate California's gig worker 'ABC test'

The coalition, which also includes Doordash and Instacart, wants to bring the issue of worker classification to state residents after a failed effort to defeat Assembly Bill No. 5.

By Ryan Golden • Oct. 31, 2019

School axed worker not for race but for refusal to chaperone zoo trip he found dangerous

The plaintiff refused to go to the zoo because, as the court said, having never been to a zoo, he "feared that he and his students would be in danger there."

By Lisa Burden • Oct. 31, 2019

10 compliance nightmares that will make HR pros scream

When allegations of employee rights abuses travel through the court system, it offers a glimpse of the drama dogging HR departments.

Oct. 30, 2019

National Safety Council says no amount of marijuana is OK for 'safety sensitive' jobs

The discrepancy between state cannabis laws and the drug's illegality at the federal level creates enforcement problems for employers.

By Jennifer Carsen • Oct. 30, 2019

Unlock a valuable talent pool by pursuing workers with disabilities

By auditing their hiring practices and evaluating their workplaces for inclusivity, employers can access this talent pool, writes Easterseals President and CEO Angela F. Williams.

By Angela F. Williams • Oct. 29, 2019