Discrimination
Are Pre-Employment Credit Checks Discriminatory?
Did you have to submit to a credit check when you applied for a job? Many employee advocates are pushing to have such practices banned as potential employment discrimination. As explained by one observer – “How can you pay your debt if you can’t get a job”? If your negative credit report is used against…
Read MorePressure Increases To Pass ENDA
In a call for legislators to pass the Employment Non-discrimination Act (ENDA), Vice President Biden called employers’ ability in some states to fire employees because of their sexuality “barbaric” and “bizarre” during a keynote address at the Human Rights Campaign Gala dinner Saturday. “Hate can never be defended because it’s a so-called cultural norm,” he…
Read MorePassing ENDA and the Pay Check Fairness Act Would Benefit Workers
In President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union address, he set forth an agenda promising to make 2014 a year of action. He also expressed his commitment to civil liberties and civil rights. Included in his goals was pay equity for women and economic security for families. One of the changes many advocates seek is…
Read MoreApplicant Who Was Denied Interview At Weight Watchers Can Proceed with Pregnancy Discrimination Claim
A woman who was pregnant may be able to maintain an employment discrimination lawsuit against weight watchers. In EEOC v. The WW Group, a pregnant woman filed a claim against Weight Watchers after they failed to grant her even an interview. The woman was allegedly denied the opportunity to even apply for the job because she was…
Read MoreWoman with Perfume Sensitivity May Be Able to Bring Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
A recent disability discrimination case examined the actions of a jail dentist. In Mitter v. Cnty. of DuPage, a nurse alleged that the jail dentist planted strongly perfumed objects around his office, despite her claims she had extreme sensitivity to chemicals. Disability discrimination lawsuits can arise in a variety of situations. The ADA prohibits discrimination against…
Read MoreENDA Moves Closer To Becoming A Reality
The Senate has taken an initial step to pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), which would ban workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. ENDA seeks to prohibit an employer from refusing to hire, fire, or take any other adverse action against a worker based on actual or perceived sexual orientation…
Read MoreWoman Allowed to Maintain Claim of “Regarded As” Disability Discrimination After Termination
In order to combat various forms of employment discrimination at work, Congress passed Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While this law makes certain forms of discrimination illegal such as race, color, sex and national origin it does not include disability discrimination. Accordingly, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to…
Read MoreJustice Ginsburg Calls On Congress To Intervene After Employment Discrimination Ruling
This past week, the Supreme Court issued its decision in an employment discrimination case that may have far reaching consequences. In Vance v. Ball State, the nation’s highest court defined who is a “supervisor.” This issue arose in a race discrimination case involving a woman – Maetta Vance – who worked at a catering service at…
Read MoreGender Identification Bill Reintroduced
A new version of an anti-employment discrimination bill has just been re-introduced seeking to eliminate employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender-identity. The reintroduced Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would prohibit an employer from refusing to hire, fire, or take any other adverse action against a worker based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or…
Read MoreCompany’s Excuse That It Fired Employee for Insubordination Could Be Considered “Pretext”
It’s easy to imagine a work situation where a company decides it wants to fire a worker wrongfully – such as because of their gender, age or nationality. Fortunately employment laws rightfully prohibit a company from doing so. In legal terms, the concept of “pretext” applies where a company comes up with an excuse for…
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