In light of COVID-19 era mass layoffs and furloughs, many employers are faced with an uptick in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) investigations and charges of unlawful conduct. One facet of an EEOC investigation is a request for information and documents, which the EEOC may follow with an administrative subpoena for information and documents. The …read more »
Supreme Court Cautions Employers Not to Delay Asserting Failure to Exhaust Administrative Remedies Defense in Title VII Cases
Most federal laws prohibiting discrimination and retaliation, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”), require plaintiffs to first file an administrative charge alleging discrimination or retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) or the state-agency equivalent before they may file a lawsuit alleging such discrimination or retaliation. If …read more »
What Employers Need to Know about Hair Discrimination
Most employers maintain dress codes and grooming policies. And most of these policies dictate that employees must wear “professional” or “business-appropriate” hairstyles. Some go a step further, prohibiting “extreme” or “distracting” coiffures. Such policies, so long as enforced in an even-handed way, have not traditionally been viewed as presenting significant legal risk. But over the …read more »
The EEOC’s Focus on Harassment in the Workplace Continues with Seven More Lawsuits Filed in August 2018
Have you visited the EEOC website lately? Featured prominently at the top of the Home page is a section titled “What You Should Know: What to Do if You Believe You Have Been Harassed at Work” and a link that sets out detailed (but common sense) instructions for handling harassment in the workplace. The EEOC …read more »
EEOC Releases Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2018-2022
On February 12, 2018, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) unanimously approved its Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2018 through 2022. Congress requires federal government agencies like the EEOC to formulate strategic plans every four years and publish their plans on their website. According to the EEOC, the Strategic Plan serves as the framework for …read more »