"This & That" Tuesday: Pregnancy and Sex Discrimination 

 

June 16, 2015

 

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.

 

Upcoming Events

June 23, 2015

Irwindale Chamber of Commerce

The New Paid Sick Leave Act

Information can be found on my website.

 

July 15, 2015

West Inland Empire Employer Advisory Council

Coaching to Improve Performance

Information can be found on my website.

 

July 22, 2015

Industry Manufacturers Council

HR4U 101 Full-day Workshop

Information can be found on my website.

 

September 15, 2015

Irwindale Chamber of Commerce

Hiring Talent for Consistent Performance

Information can be found on my website.

 

Chick-Fil-A Franchisee Pays $10,000 to Settle Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

A Concord, N.C. Chick-fil-A franchise restaurant has agreed to pay $10,000 and provide substantial injunctive relief to settle a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC.

 

According to the EEOC's complaint, Chick-fil-A at Concord Commons, refused to hire Heather Morrison because she was pregnant. The EEOC said Morrison interviewed for a team member position with the restaurant's owner at the restaurant. At the time of the interview Morrison was six months pregnant. During the interview, the owner asked Morrison a series of pregnancy-related questions such as how many months she had been pregnant; when she was expected to deliver; her childcare plans after giving birth; and how much maternity leave she planned to take. Morrison felt that questions were inappropriate, but answered them because she wanted the job. Three days after the interview, the owner called Morrison and informed her that she would not be hired, and to call back after she'd had the baby and had childcare in place.

 

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

 

In addition to providing monetary relief to Morrison, the company entered into a two-year consent decree requiring it to develop and implement a policy that prohibits pregnancy-based discrimination. The decree further requires the company to conduct preventive annual training on pregnancy discrimination for employees, supervisors and managers. Finally, the company will report to the EEOC all job openings it has over the next two years, as well as its hiring decisions on any pregnant applicants.

 

Costco pays $8 Million to Settle Sex Bias Class Action

An $8 million settlement of sex discrimination claims by a class of 1,300 female Costco Wholesale Corp. employees who claimed the retailer discriminated in selecting general managers and assistant general managers throughout the U.S. was finalized.

 

The $8 million fund will be used to pay claims made by class members who prevail under the process established by the agreement, as well as $10,000 service awards to three class representatives.

 

The settlement also includes a new promotions process, creation of a posting process for AGM promotions, and a new “registration of interest” system for GM promotions.

 

Any portion of the settlement fund remaining after the class claims and service award payments, and payment of up to $100,000 to an independent consultant retained by the parties as part of the programmatic relief, is to be donated to the Network of Executive Women, Consumer Products/Retail.

 

The lawsuit alleged that Costco discriminates against female employees by using a uniform, corporate-directed system that fails to promote equally or better qualified women into GM and AGM openings, including the use of subjective decision-making and unwritten, unvalidated job criteria and the use of “ready now” ratings and “promotable lists.”

 

The three named plaintiffs also asserted individual claims under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, and two of them claimed retaliation under Title VII.

 

Factoids

• Average annual medical insurance premiums for 2014: employee $6025, family $16834, the average overall cost being $9504 with the employer paying $6276 and the employee paying $3228
• 34% of Americans contribute nothing towards their retirement.
• 21% of consumers currently own a wearable technology product and 45% say they are likely to purchase one in the next 12 months.
• Los Angeles is projected to have salary increases 3.1% above the national average

 

Quote of the Blog

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”

~Mark Twain~