Investigation at West Covina Unified Clears Board Members

Posted on October 21, 2011 by admin

An investigator has concluded that a former West Covina Unified superintendent’s claims of discrimination, retaliation and sexual harassment are “without merit,” district officials said this week.

Liliam Leis-Castillo, who was hired as West Covina Unified superintendent in 2006, filed suit against the district and board members Mike Spence and Steve Cox in August, following her termination by a board vote in May.

Castillo’s lawsuit claims she was fired because she did not reciprocate Cox’s alleged sexual advances toward her and because she opposed the way the board was managing the district’s charter school.
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Retaliation for Sexual Harassment Claims is Illegal

Posted on October 20, 2011 by admin

Sexual harassment is a very serious workplace issue and should be dealt with before major problems occur. It is essential to understand the underlying causes of sexual harassment claims and have a clear policy posted in all workplaces.

Denver Sheriff’s Captain believes she’s being retaliated against for filing a sexual harassment complaint against a coworker.
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EEOC Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit On Behalf Of Fitness Club Employee

Posted on August 31, 2011 by admin

A Fitness company has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The agency claimed that a Latina janitorial worker who worked at two Allstar Fitness clubs in Seattle was repeatedly sexually assaulted by her immediate supervisor. The EEOC also said that the supervisor forced her to have sex with him on a regular basis and warned her to keep quiet about it.
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Former First 5 Employee Sues County of Riverside

Posted on August 24, 2011 by admin

A former First 5 Riverside employee has sued Riverside County and its public health officer, who she has accused of sexual harassment.

Pamela Luna, hired almost a year ago as a First 5 department manager, said she was fired earlier this month. She filed her lawsuit April 27 in Riverside County Superior Court.
She is seeking compensation for lost wages and benefits and mental and emotional distress, according to the lawsuit.
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California Law Enforcement Officer Wins Sexual Harassment Case

Posted on August 10, 2011 by admin

Many people spend more than one-third of their time at work. Although many individuals are passed the point of believing that every element of their jobs will be perfect, they do not expect to be harassed in the workplace. Yet that is the sad reality that many individuals face on a daily base.

Bosses, co-workers and even customers can create a hostile work environment. While employers may not be aware of the problem unless the victim reports it, once that happens, they are responsible for taking the appropriate steps to remedy the situation. In Pasadena, California, a sheriff’s sergeant won more than $210,000 in a sexual harassment lawsuit after being subjected to harassment for about three years.
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Former Auto Worker Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Posted on August 10, 2011 by admin

Janet Burney and Pat Byers may have been your average lovebirds back in 2007 when they started dating. Fast-forward a few years to March 2010, however, and the two had ended their relationship.

Nothing unusual there, except that Janet was an autoworker for Chrysler and Pat is a union official for the United Auto Workers. Correction: We should say “was a worker,” because after their relationship ended, Burney alleges she was fired… and now she’s suing for unfair termination.
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Sexual Harassment and the Restaurant Industry

Posted on July 19, 2011 by admin

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has targeted the restaurant industry as the “single largest” source of sexual harassment claims. Recent cases show a prevalence of inappropriate workplace conduct among younger, less experienced workers. A recent 2005 case suggests that when an employee complains that a co-worker physically touched her, simply warning the offending co-worker may be an insufficient response if other employees subsequently engage in similar conduct.

Before you dismiss this case as something unlikely to happen in your workplace, ask yourself:
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Strauss-Kahn Arrest Leads to an Increase in Harassment Claims

Posted on July 14, 2011 by admin

Harassment in the workplace is an ongoing issue. An article by Christian Fraser for the BBC reports that there have been an increasing number of sexual harassment complaints in recent months, as women are breaking their silence. The BBC article reports that perhaps that arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn was a turning point for these women. Fraser writes:
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Sexual Harassment Retalitation? You be the judge

Posted on May 23, 2011 by admin

An Alabama store manager was sexually harassed by her first boss, who was fired after HR investigated her complaint. But then she was fired, the day after her second harassment complaint. The reason was excessive absence: She was out sick for 5 consecutive days and didn’t present a doctor’s note.

What happened

Jones was hired to manage a convenience store located in a travel plaza that also contained a gas station and a restaurant. The plaza is part of a group owned by Flying J. She started in early December 2005, but by the following March, she had complained to a lawyer that the hiring manager was sexually harassing her. The lawyer informed the employer, HR investigated, and the hiring manager was fired.
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Workplace Violence and the Employers’ Liability To Provide Safe Working Conditions

Posted on March 11, 2011 by admin

Although workplace violence problems are not new, they are growing in public awareness. Consequently, there are legal developments and potential liability risks that all employers face. To understand associated legal risks and issues, and ultimately create change and develop solutions to problems, one must first gain an understanding of the different types of workplace violence and the factors which may indicate potential threats.

Types of Workplace Violence

Workplace violence is distinguished by four categories: disgruntled employees, crimes by unknown assailants, displaced domestic violence, and sexual harassment. Each presents distinctive risk factors which need to be addressed, as well as preventive measures which should also be considered and employed to decrease the likelihood of violent criminal acts. Whenever a civil action is under investigation by counsel or by an expert, categories of assailants and employer actions must be considered.
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