Especially if you’re gonna claim discrimination when you eventually get fired. That’s among the takeaways from a recent federal appellate court ruling reinforcing the importance of enforcing workplace policies, particularly those related to safety. What Happened? A logistics manager was fired after failing to follow company policy when another employee…
Last night, I read a First Circuit decision about an employee at a grocery store who violated company policy by buying beer for her underage grandson, except she claimed age discrimination. Spoiler alert: she lost. Stick around for some HR101: Clear policies and consistent enforcement matter. The Incident The employee…
It’s rare for an employee claiming discrimination to have a “smoking gun” piece of evidence. I’ve yet to defend a case where an employer outright says, “We’re firing you, old man, because you’re just too damn old.” Instead, most plaintiffs have to rely on circumstantial evidence to prove their case.…
Over the weekend, I read a Sixth Circuit decision about a police officer who successfully argued that he faced a hostile work environment due to age discrimination—despite the absence of explicit age-related comments. This case highlights how a pattern of behavior can create a discriminatory workplace, even without direct remarks…
In a recent decision, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted summary judgment in favor of the defendant, dismissing the plaintiff’s age discrimination claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). This case serves as a critical reminder for employment lawyers and human…
A recent Eleventh Circuit decision serves as a sobering reminder to employers why a plausible claim — a mere inference of bias – is all it takes for a plaintiff to pursue discrimination claims. The plaintiff is a white guy in his late 50s. In a complaint he filed in…
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Last night, I read a Pennsylvania federal court decision about an employer who tried to use an arbitration agreement with its employee to stop an investigation by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), the state’s version of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Consistent with a…
A man walks into a job interview. Years earlier, he sustained an injury that caused him to walk with a limp and requires him to extend his leg when seated. He had applied for one of the company’s open positions. And since he satisfied the minimum experiential and educational requirements,…
An employee in his early sixties worked under several managers, one of whom referred to the employee as “my b***h,” “motherf****r,” “old fart,” and “old motherf****r.” Upon seeking a raise, another manager told him that he was making too much money already and that “knowledge [did] not matter.” The employee…
Last month, I explained how easy it is for an employee to plead a discrimination claim under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Yet, last night, I read an opinion in which the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals had to correct not one but two judges on the pleadings standards.…