Category Archives: workplace discrimination
Vehicle Mechanic at Local Power Plant Recovers $225,000 for Military Discrimination, Retaliation, and Wage Loss
In this case, the client had been a member of the United States Army and Army National Guard for over 25 years and recently retired with an honorable discharge. In addition to his military obligations, the client also had a private sector job as a mechanic for a local power plant. Over the course… Read More »
Aging Workers Face Discrimination When Employers Cut Payroll Costs
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 32.5% of Florida’s population will be 60 or older by the year 2030. Older workers contribute valuable knowledge and experience to the workplace, but they are often the first to be fired when employers decide to cut costs. The loss of employment often creates a crisis, given the… Read More »
What Does The Law Say About Exercising Free Speech And Religious Beliefs In The Workplace?
With all of the latest news on NFL players deciding to kneel during the national anthem—and President Trump’s speech that owners should fire anyone who does so—this issue of the right to protest in the workplace, insofar as the First Amendment is concerned, has come up again. We discuss this below, as well as… Read More »
EEOC Files Parental Leave Discrimination Suit against Estee Lauder
This fall, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against Estee Lauder, accusing the company of discriminating against a male employee in denying him the same federal parental leave as other employees. The company’s leave policy explicitly offered parental leave to caregivers (typically mothers), and two weeks to non-primary caregivers, which… Read More »
Justice Department Departs From EEOC on Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace
On July 27th, the Justice Department took a step backwards by arguing—in filing an amicus brief—that the federal civil rights law (Title VII) does not protect employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, strangely inserting its opinion into a New York federal case that was otherwise a private dispute between one worker and his… Read More »
New Study Demonstrates Startling Levels of Sexism in University Departments
A new thesis released on the impact of gender discrimination in the field of economics has led to an important conversation about a workplace culture that is characterized as exhibiting outright hostility towards women in the economics profession. While the underrepresentation of women in top university departments like economics has already been well-documented, until… Read More »
Legal Industry Leads In Transgender Policies: Is Your Workplace In Compliance?
According to the Human Rights Campaign, which publishes a national survey titled the ”Corporate Equality Index,” law firms are amongst the highest rated workplaces for LGBT equality. While the percentage of LGBT lawyers is currently highest at large law firms, experts estimate that it will also likely increase in moving forward. Arguably because they… Read More »
Justice Department Departs From EEOC on Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace
On July 27th, the Justice Department took a step backwards by arguing—in filing an amicus brief—that the federal civil rights law (Title VII) does not protect employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, strangely inserting its opinion into a New York federal case that was otherwise a private dispute between one worker and his… Read More »
Important Upcoming Employment Law Discrimination & Whistleblower Cases
Two important cases concerning employment discrimination and the protection of whistleblowers will soon be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Supreme Court, and will be important to watch. They include the following: Zarda V. Altitude Express: Sexual Discrimination The U.S. Court of Appeals is conducting an en… Read More »
Case May Provide Transgender Employees with Legal Protections under the ADA
A federal judge in Pennsylvania recently ruled that a transgender employee may have rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). While whether or not transgender employees are entitled to legal protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (“Title VII) still remains undecided in the courts, this case may prove to be… Read More »
Robert S. Norell, Esq. became a member of the Florida Bar in 1994 and has represented hundreds of clients in all types of employment law cases for the past 20+ years.