HR Specialist: North Carolina Employment Law

Complex state and local laws in the Tar Heel State can give employers the blues. Aggressive attorneys don’t stop with federal laws like FMLA, ADA and FLSA: they use state and local living-wage statutes, rural codes, plus discrimination and other laws to sue employers for sky’s-the-limit damages. This North Carolina-specific newsletter arrives monthly to help sue-proof every aspect of HR. Written in plain English, it’s your insurance policy for staying in step with current interpretations of state and local laws – and staying out of court. Learn more about HR Specialist: North Carolina Employment Law and the free report you’ll get when you subscribe...

The EEOC has filed a lawsuit against Greenville-based Carter Behavior Health Services, claiming the owner continually harassed female employees.

According to the complaint, the owner of the mental health counseling service created a hostile work environment for female employees. The suit alleges he repeatedly requested sexual favors from one woman and attempted to kiss her, while subjecting her and other female employees to unwelcome touching.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages against Carter Behavior Health Services, as well as injunctive relief barring the employer from harassing and discriminating against women.

Note: This case highlights the difficulty involved when the alleged harasser is the owner and founder. The only higher authority that can change his behavior is the law. Small businesses should have policies in place that hold even the owners accountable. While awkward, it’s less expensive than defending a federal lawsuit.