Employers

8 ways to enhance workplace inclusivity through physical space and design

While it’s not far-fetched to speculate that changing office temperatures more than a few degrees in either direction could turn the thermostat into courtroom evidence, have entities that are committed to inclusion in the workplace considered whether a rise from 70 to 72 degrees might be enough to keep everyone more comfortable and increase overall productivity?

Oct 3, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Employers’ job ads on Facebook discriminated against women and older workers, EEOC says

Two years ago, ProPublica and the New York Times revealed that companies were posting discriminatory job ads on Facebook, using the social network’s targeting tools to keep older workers from seeing employment opportunities. Then ProPublica reported companies were using Facebook to exclude women from seeing job ads.

Sep 27, 2019 12:48 PM CDT

ABA urges withdrawal of proposed rule that would expand religious exemption for federal contractors

The ABA is urging the U.S. Department of Labor to withdraw a proposed rule that would expand the type of federal contractors eligible for an exemption that allows them to discriminate in employment on the basis of religion.

Sep 19, 2019 10:16 AM CDT

French company held liable for death of employee after he had sex

The Court of Appeal in Paris has ruled that a French company is liable for the death of an employee who had a heart attack after sex with a stranger during a business trip.

Sep 13, 2019 1:46 PM CDT

A group of Harvard law students is trying to get rid of mandatory arbitration clauses

The People’s Parity Project launched in 2018, when the #MeToo movement began drawing attention to mandatory arbitration employment disputes involving sexual harassment and gender discrimination.

Sep 1, 2019 1:20 AM CDT

Firm settles suit alleging it solicited fake online reviews that tricked woman into becoming client

Kraemer Manes & Associates has settled a lawsuit claiming that a client got bad legal advice after she was tricked into hiring the Pennsylvania law firm because of fake online reviews. Plaintiff Tabatha Wolfe filed a notice of the settlement in Allegheny County court Aug. 8, Law360 reports. Reuters had…

Aug 13, 2019 11:28 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Discipline recommended for bar code switches; Andrew McCabe sues over firing

• A staff lawyer for an Ohio judge is facing possible discipline after he was accused of switching bar codes on Walmart merchandise before going through the self-checkout. The lawyer, Terrence Kensley Scott, was accused of paying $27 for items valued at $367. A police officer who confronted Scott outside…

Aug 8, 2019 4:44 PM CDT

5 female anchors sue TV station for alleged age and gender discrimination

Five female anchors at TV station NY1 with more than 100 years of collective experience allege in a lawsuit that station owner Charter Communications “blatantly marginalized them and cast them aside in favor of younger women and men.” The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, alleges age and gender…

Jun 20, 2019 10:55 AM CDT

Legal industry adds 2,000 jobs in May in seesaw employment numbers

The legal services industry gained 2,000 jobs in May after disappointing April numbers.

Jun 10, 2019 1:06 PM CDT

How bystanders can stand up to sexual harassment in the law office

Even though bystanders are not the intended target of sexual harassment in the workplace, they, too, can endure a personal toll that is often overlooked, writes author and lawyer Lauren Stiller Rikleen.

Jun 6, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

Dad wins $5M class settlement after he’s denied primary caregiver parental leave

A fraud investigator at JPMorgan Chase who led a class action lawsuit over denied parental leave for fathers has won an agreement to settle the case for $5 million. Derek Rotondo, the lead plaintiff, obtained $5 million in a proposed settlement for fathers working at JPMorgan Chase who were denied…

May 31, 2019 10:56 AM CDT

White House tosses proposed rule for increased criminal background checks of federal job seekers

The White House has withdrawn a proposed rule change that would have expanded criminal background checks of federal job applicants, including whether the individual went through pretrial diversion. The Hill and the Washington Post have coverage. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management proposed the rule change in February to increase…

May 30, 2019 1:14 PM CDT

Lawyer files $5M suit against city, says rodents at work led to her contracting flea-borne typhus

Los Angeles attorney Elizabeth Greenwood, who was diagnosed with flea-borne typhus in November, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against the city, arguing that a rat infestation outside her downtown city hall office led to the illness and bosses retaliated against her when she shared her story with news organizations.

Apr 24, 2019 7:15 AM CDT