Employers who are made aware of a discrimination, harassment, or workplace violence claim by one of their employees must act quickly to address it. First, the employer should take steps to assure the employee who has come forward that he or she will be protected from adverse action based upon
The Rules of Evidence protects communication between attorneys and clients from being revealed to the other side during a dispute. It’s a basic concept found in federal and state rules of evidence throughout the country. It often comes into play when an employee or former employee alleges harassment or other
Unfortunately, most financial settlements for discrimination include confidentiality agreements that forbid the disclosure of information about the settlement;[1] however, there is a small sample of financial settlement records from the Northern District of Illinois settled between 1999 and 2004.[2], [3], [4] A study found that the mean settlement amount of this sample was $65,950,
By its very nature, a workplace investigation is an inquiry; a search for the truth behind complaints or concerns received. Recognizing the need for such an inquiry is sometimes straightforward. In a typical circumstance, an employee may file a complaint with the human resources department. It then becomes the organization’s
This antiquated information Information as the State of Texas created personal liability for managers of micro-companies. Learn more here: Under Title VII, an employer is defined as a person who has at least 15 employees for at least 20 weeks of the year, or any agent of such a person.[1] A
Since nonprofits are supposed to make the world a better place, it can be traumatic when someone is suspected to be engaged in wrongdoing. If someone on the team is accused of fraud, embezzlement, or harassment, leadership handle an investigation carefully and appropriately. Nonprofit investigations are often unique because volunteers
It’s that time of year, the final months before a presidential election. This is painfully obvious when we see the candidates go at each other’s throats, then see co-workers and neighbors follow suit. The Washington Post[1] recently cited complex data indicating that Americans are much more divided than ever before. Hence, the
The political scene is very exciting these days and candidates are reaching out to the same demographic groups your company is employing. This is an excellent time for all companies to ensure that they have a policy about political speech. More importantly, this is an excellent time to make certain
Prior to his death, we had the opportunity to ask Branding and Storyteller expert Matt Ceniceros some questions about how Austin Startups can build their brand and spread the word about their value in the marketplace. Matt has served in various storytelling and public relations capacities across multiple industries for companies
Several years ago, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published information for employees and employers dealing with cancer in the workplace. Despite this publication, many Austin employers continue to have questions regarding the best ways to handle employees dealing with cancer. It is estimated that forty percent of working-age adults have had some form of
