Here is the latest issue of “This & That” Tuesday. I hope you find it to be informative and useful.

 

Announcements

You can always check out my website for upcoming speaking engagements that are guaranteed to be of value to business owners or for a list of topics that I can speak on at Chambers, Clubs, Business Associations, etc. More details about the events, topics and Human Resources 4U, in general, can be found on my website.

Jury Awards $500,000 in Sex Discrimination Suit Against Exel, Inc.

An Atlanta jury has awarded $500,000 against a Westerville, Ohio-based warehouse and distribution company for failing to promote a female to a supervisory position.   According to the EEOC's suit, Exel, Inc. violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by refusing to promote Contrice Travis to an inventory supervisor position.    

 

At the four-day trial, the EEOC presented evidence that male employees were routinely promoted after verbally requesting consideration for open positions, while Travis, who the EEOC said was indisputably recognized as the most knowledgeable in inventory control, was denied the inventory supervisor position recently vacated by her supervisor. Travis's former supervisor testified that when he recommended Travis for the position, the general manager informed him that he would never put a woman in that position. 

 

The jury also heard evidence of the company's duplicity towards Travis — for example, that while Travis was told the inventory supervisor position would not be filled, however; the male selected for the position was told by a management and human resources official that the position would be filled, but that he would be selected only if he kept it a secret. The selectee, Michel Pooler, testified that Travis was later required to train him because he had no inventory experience whatsoever.

 

The jury awarded Travis $25,000 in compensatory damages and $475,000 in punitive damages for Exel's conduct in this matter. The court will also award back pay to Travis.

 

The EEOC's lead attorney at trial, Steven Wagner, said, "The people who were supposed to protect Travis's rights failed her. The company's human resources department took the side of the wrongdoer over the victim by telling Travis to transfer rather than investigate her complaints of sex discrimination."

 

Angels at Home to Pay $16,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Suit

Home Companions Plus, Inc., doing business as Angels at Home, a custodial and personal care service operating throughout central Georgia and headquartered in Macon, Ga., will pay $16,000 to an employee to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the EEOC.

 

In its lawsuit the EEOC charged that the CEO of Angels at Home subjected one of his employees, a female officer manager, to sexual harassment at the Macon facility. The EEOC said that the CEO subjected the employee to repeated crude, comments of a sexual nature, as well as unwanted physical contact.  When the employee complained, Angels at Home retaliated by terminating her.

 

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from subjecting employees to discrimination on the basis of sex and from retaliating against employees who complain about such discrimination. 

 

The consent decree settling the suit, in addition to the monetary relief, includes provisions for equal employment opportunity training and reporting, and posting of anti-discrimination notices.  In the lawsuit and consent decree, Angels at Home denied any liability or wrongdoing.

 

"The EEOC is pleased that Angels at Home agreed to resolve this matter and to take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the law.  This is a further reminder that employers must protect their workers from harassment and not punish them when they complain," said Bernice Williams Kimbrough, district director for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office.

 

Factoids

• 30% of U.S. workers are engaged, another 52% who are not engaged and will do the minimum amount of work to get by, and 18% who are actively disengaged and work against the organization’s objectives. (Gallup)

 

% of Companies Offering Leave Benefits:

• Paid holidays:             77%
• Paid Vacation:            77%
• Paid Jury Duty:           62%
• Paid sick leave:           61%
• Paid bereavement       60%
• Paid personal              38%
• Paid military                32%
• Paid Family                 12%

 

Quotes

“I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up. They have no holidays.”

~Henny Youngman~