When it comes to lawsuits for discrimination and harassment, the proof is often “he said, she said.” That is, unless what he or she said was recorded. But can you record your coworkers’ sexual harassment at work? Or will doing so violate other New York privacy laws? In this blog post, I will discuss New York eavesdropping and wiretapping laws…
When nude pictures make their way onto the factory floor, or start to spread through the office chat system, it can easily turn a happy work day into an uncomfortable event. But is pornography at work sexual harassment? Can you report it without having to worry about retaliation? In this blog post I will review a complaint filed by the…
Imagine that you and your ex-partner work at the same business. When the two of you break up, he or she threatens to send explicit photos of you to your boss, coworkers, even the owner of the company. Then he or she starts making demands. Sadly, this is the reality for far too many New York workers. But now a…
When you think of gender discrimination, you most likely imagine a powerful man in a three-piece suit looking down on his female secretary. Or maybe you think of the hostile work environment created when pornography is found on the factory floor. But what about when...
The definition of a worker is changing. As contract jobs become more common and the “gig economy” grows, more New Yorkers are finding themselves working, but not technically employees. Does this new status mean they lose out on the workplace protections of the state’s Human Rights Law? Or are there rules about the sexual harassment of independent contractors in the…
Disabilities come in all shapes, sizes, and severity. Sometimes accommodating for an employee’s disability requires special equipment or a flexible schedule. Other times, all that is needed is a chair. But employers sometimes refuse even the simplest requests, leading some workers to wonder if your employer can deny you a chair as a disability accommodation. In this blog post, I…
Not all sexual harassment involves sex. Unwanted comments and physical attention can make the workplace an uncomfortable place to be. When these seemingly minor offenses pile up and make a hostile work environment, it can leave you wondering, “Is hugging sexual harassment?” In this blog post I will discuss whether hugging is sexual harassment. I will review reports of Pixar…
When your workplace has an environment of sexual harassment it can feel like no one is listening to your complaints and there’s nothing you can do. An anonymous survey that swept through Nike revealed the company’s focus on athletes had created a locker room mentality. The environment of sexual harassment at Nike drove women away and caused supervisors to ignore…
Increasingly, complaints of workplace discrimination or harassment are settling out of court. Whether through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) mediation process, or as the result of negotiations by private employment discrimination attorneys, these cases often result in settlement agreements, rather than judgments. But what happens after everyone signs on to a discrimination-based settlement agreement? What are your options to…
Most employment discrimination cases involve women, African Americans, or other minorities. But in the wake of social pressure toward diversity and inclusion, some are wondering if perceived left-leaning companies like Google have gone too far. Are efforts to diversify the office crossing the line into illegal workplace discrimination for socially conservative views? Are white men becoming the targets of discrimination…