Late-night talk show host David Letterman came under fire last month after admitting—to ward off a blackmail plot—that he’d had sexual relationships with several female staff members. The incident sent the HR blogs buzzing for weeks. While Letterman is unlikely to make any Top 10 Lists of good bosses, does his misbehavior rise to the level of sexual harassment? And what’s the lesson from all of this?
Virginia-based Stanley Furniture has settled a racial harassment suit filed by three employees at the furniture manufacturer’s former plant in Lexington.
David Letterman has come under fire recently for having sex with employees of his late-night CBS talk show. But while Letterman may be guilty of bad judgment (he’s unlikely to make any Top 10 Lists of good bosses), does his misbehavior rise to the level of sexual harassment?
Late-night talk show host David Letterman came under fire earlier this month after admitting—to ward off a blackmail plot—that he’d had sexual relationships with several female staff members. While Letterman is unlikely to make any Top 10 Lists of good bosses, does his misbehavior rise to the level of sexual harassment? And what’s the lesson from all of this?
Some employees are more sensitive to potential sexual harassment than others. What some might disregard as innocent flirtation, others might consider an unwelcome come-on. Courts often throw out harassment suits that start that way, but why tempt fate—or spend time and money defending yourself?
Nothing—not even a sexual harassment suit or EEOC investigation—will consume as much of your time as a class-action overtime lawsuit. Your best bet: Thoroughly review your pay practices to make sure you aren’t making any wage-and-hour mistakes. Do that before the litigation hits.
There’s no excuse for anyone to be confused about his or her exempt or nonexempt employment status. Make sure every position description clearly labels the job either salaried or hourly. Otherwise, employees will turn to the courts to figure out whether you owe them unpaid overtime or whether you have violated the FLSA ...
Employment terminations fall into several categories. Whether the situation involves new hires who didn’t work out, firings for cause or performance issues, or voluntary resignations, terminations often lead to litigation. For each type of termination, there are some common ways employers can make sure they can defend themselves if challenged ...
Employment terminations fall into several categories. Whether the situation involves new hires who didn’t work out, firings for cause or performance issues, or voluntary resignations, terminations often lead to litigation. For each type of termination, there are some common ways employers can make sure they can defend themselves if challenged ...
Fernwood Hotel & Resort, located in the Pocono Mountains, tried to bar the details of a supervisor’s alleged assault on a saleswoman from her sexual harassment suit, but the courts ruled the allegations are key to the woman’s case and will remain in her complaint ...
Still reeling from a protracted, embarrassing trial and punishing verdict in Anucha Browne Sanders’ sexual harassment suit against New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas, Madison Square Garden (MSG) has quietly settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with former New York Rangers cheerleader Courtney Prince for an undisclosed amount ...
When was the last time you read your company’s harassment reporting procedures? Could all employees in your organization understand how—and with whom—to file a complaint? It’s important to ask these questions in the wake of a new court ruling that should give you incentive to cut the legalese and confusion out of your reporting procedures ...
A federal jury has awarded $100,000 for pain and suffering to a former director of special education for the Malverne School District, who claimed she was fired for reporting sexual harassment. The director lost her underlying sexual harassment suit, but prevailed on the wrongful-firing claim ...
This year marks the ninth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decisions in Faragher v. City of Boca Raton and Burlington Industries, Inc. v. Ellerth, which established the three-tiered requirement that employers prevent, detect and remedy unlawful harassment ...
A male corrections officer filed a sexual harassment suit against the city of New York for sexual advances made by a female captain at Riker’s Island ...
Don’t wait for employees to use the magic words—“sexual harassment”—to begin investigating a complaint. It’s up to you and your management team to decipher an employee’s protests to determine if they could fall into that legally dangerous harassment-complaint zone ...
Don't assume that you can handle sexual harassment issues after they arrive on your desk as a complaint. The trend these days seems to be "quit and sue," rather than giving employers a chance to fix the problem. And, in many cases, employees are finding success in such tactics ...
When a sexual harassment accusation arises, employers often move into crisis mode. But don't try to push the problem off your plate by quickly jettisoning the employee via a kangaroo court ...
When the U.S. Supreme Court began its new term, one of its first moves was to reject a case that could have created new responsibilities for employers in investigating sexual harassment ...
In a deposition recently released to the public, Savannah Chief of Police Michael Berkow admitted having an affair with a subordinate during his tenure as Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) ...
When it rains, it pours. Recently, 11 Los Angeles police officers filed discrimination and harassment suits against Savannah Police Chief Michael Berkow ...
Ex-Rangers City skater Courtney Prince has produced a paper trail to support her sexual harassment suit against Madison Square Garden. She introduced memos showing the Garden staff was digging up dirt on her before she filed suit ...
HR Law 101: Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Courts are increasingly taking a dim view of employers that don't take decisive action to prevent sexual harassment ...
Fear of sexual-harassment suits have forced many American leaders to stop touching people. Yet,
some top executives, including Jack Welch, still include a pat on the
shoulder or a warmer-than-usual handshake among their leadership tools. Here's how to use the power of touch:
Issue: Employees' ability to sue your organization expires at different times under different employment laws. Benefit: A new court ruling says you can set a more-restrictive statute of limitations, at ...
Don't think that you can automatically swat away a pesky sexual-harassment suit by saying the complaining employee didn't follow your complaint procedure to a "T." Courts may let employees pursue their ...
Issue: A court ruling said sitcom writers have a "creative necessity" to engage in overtly sexual banter. Risk: While the TV network was allowed to use this defense in a ...
Issue: Personal relationships between employees and their bosses are ripe conditions for legal trouble. Risk: Any form of quid pro quo ("this for that") exchange of sexual favors for job ...
Issue: Courts place the burden on employers to complete investigations of sexual harassment complaints, even in the face of reluctant complainants. Risk: Failing to pursue complaints actively will come back ...
In April, six female employees of a grocery chain won a record $30.6 million from a California jury in a sexual harassment lawsuit, far larger than any previous verdict in an ...
