Category: workplace discrimination

Social media behemoth Facebook is facing a lawsuit alleging that its targeted advertising feature allows advertisers to illegally exclude individuals based on race for housing and employment ads. The Fair Housing Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibit discrimination in employment and housing, respectively, on the basis of sex, age, religion, and other characteristics. […]

The simple answer to the question proposed by the title of this article is, of course, “whenever the employee is treated poorly or denied opportunities at work because of sex stereotyping.” While this answer is true, it doesn’t tell us a lot about what sex stereotyping is, and what kind of behavior employers must avoid […]

A new California bill will phase in standard overtime pay for agricultural workers by 2025. Currently, farm workers in the state receive overtime if they work more than 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week. The new law will require time and a half pay for over 8 hours of work a day […]

We have previously written that employment law for the LGBT community is moving toward greater inclusiveness and stronger protections. For example, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s landmark settlement of a sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit, along with prior precedent-setting cases establishing transgender protections under Title VII, seem emblematic of the direction LGBT law is heading. Here […]

This year Ontario strengthened its position on workplace sexual harassment by passing Ontario Bill 132. Known as the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), Bill 132 increased employer obligations to ensure Ontario workers work “without the threat and experience of sexual violence, sexual harassment, domestic violence and […]

On August 1, 2016, Massachusetts passed a law to establish pay equity by forbidding employers from discriminating on the basis of gender when employees do comparable work. In that respect, the Massachusetts law is similar to Maryland’s 2016 Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and to the California Fair Pay Act enacted in 2015. But […]

A new sexual harassment training mandate is now effective in California. Signed on September 29, 2016, AB 1661 mandates local agencies to train officers and elected officials in sexual harassment prevention. Local agencies are any “city, county, city and county, charter city, charter county, charter city and county, or special district” in California. AB 1661 requires […]

In early 2016 federal courts were saying that despite a general legal prohibition on asking employees medical questions or conducting screenings, companies that made such screenings a prerequisite for enrolling in employee wellness programs fell under an exception to the disability discrimination laws. But now it seems the tide is turning. The Equal Employment Opportunity […]

Employers use skills tests to assess whether applicants are a good fit for a job. Prescreening employees can save employers time and help them to get the best person for a job. But the test must be aimed at specific job-related requirements and must not discriminate. According to a US Department of Labor (DOL) testing […]

To put it bluntly: workplace diversity is a crucial component to a successful business. This piece will explore the benefits of workplace diversity and how it can help improve a company’s culture. The “What”: Four Layers of Workplace Diversity Diversity and inclusion are pivotal economic and business imperatives, yet that understanding alone is not enough […]