One Employer Sends A Clear Message: We Do Not and Will Not Tolerate Sexual Harassment
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Discrimination in the Workplace, Sexual Harassment, Workplace Safety
Anti-harassment, -discrimination, and -retaliation policies and procedures are not just for show. These policies and procedures must be clear, strong, and, most important, followed. And the tone is set at the top. Leaders that ignore their companies’ own anti-harassment procedures send the message that the company culture tolerates sexual harassment (and other forms). CEO Karen…
Read More Advancing Equity and Inclusivity At Work Requires Eradicating Inequity and Harassment
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Bystander Intervention, Discrimination in the Workplace, Diversity and Inclusion, EEOC, LGBTQ+, Sexual Harassment
The federal government, the nation’s largest employer, continues to take steps to shape its organizational culture in a way that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusivity while preventing unlawful harassment. On June 25, 2021, the White House released an executive order, which includes a strategic plan to address employment discrimination and workplace harassment, including sexual harassment,…
Read More Fire Department In Flames With Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Discrimination in the Workplace, Race, Religion, and National Origin, Retaliation, Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment
Quite often, retaliation claims bite employers in the backside rather than employees’ underlying claims for sexual or race-based harassment and other forms of discrimination. That’s what I was thinking as I read about a complaint filed last month against the Hillsboro government and chiefs at the Hillsboro Fire & Rescue Department. Three current employees allege…
Read More Sexual Harassment—Allegations of A Hostile Work Environment With A Side of Quid Pro Quo
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Abuse in the Workplace, EEOC, Sexual Harassment
If you thought sexual harassment abated during COVID-19, think again. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) continues to follow its strategic plan and filed suit this week against one Virginia-based company that owns several IHOP franchises for a manager’s alleged sexual harassment of female employees. Particularly notable, several of the female employees are teenagers. Specifically,…
Read More NASDAQ Requests Diversity In The Boardroom—Because Leadership Matters
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | LGBTQ+
Peanut butter and jelly. Spaghetti and meatballs. Sonny and Cher. Diversity and inclusion. Each goes together, and tends to improve the whole. NASDAQ seems to agree. Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will consider NASDAQ’s request to require all of its listed companies to have at least one woman and one “diverse” director, i.e.,…
Read More Ministerial Exemption Does Not Bar Hostile Work Environment Claim For Gay Church Employee
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | LGBTQ+, Race, Religion, and National Origin
Can an employee sue his church employer after his supervisor, a priest, created a hostile work environment claim because of the employee’s sexual orientation once the priest learned of the employee’s plans to marry his long-term partner? Yes, yes it can, according to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Demkovich…
Read More A Harasser for All Seasons
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
Now here’s a manager who seemingly has no issue with harassing women, African Americans and foreign-born employees. And now the company, an Ithaca, N.Y. manufacturer, is settling the EEOC’s case which alleged sex, race and national origin discrimination, for $93,000. Nothing seemed beneath him: as the EEOC claimed, a noose for the only black employee (a…
Read More Waitresses: Vulnerable To Sexual Harassment
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
Those who harass vulnerable workers are on the EEOC’s radar. Not a surprise: this is one of the EEOC’s announced priorities. And who are “vulnerable workers?” The EEOC just announced (like yesterday) a $70,00 settlement with a Florida restaurant franchise. It was alleged that the owner and manager sexually harassed female employees through unwelcome touching, stalking, and sexual comments.…
Read More The Fox Should Not Run Your Chicken Coop
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
If there’s one thing that hopefully all employers know by now, it’s that a harassment-free workplace is a product of top-down respect and compliance. Perhaps nothing is more important than a workplace that knows that management “from the top down” will not tolerate harassment of any kind, and will insist on proper and non-discriminatory behavior. …
Read More “Chivalry” Is Not Dead – It Just May Be Considered Sexual Harassment Now
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
Last year I authored a post in Above The Law in which I mentioned an interview with Manolo Blahnik. Apparently, the modern workplace left him confused. “He shared an increasingly common workplace concern: can I still compliment women at work, or could that be considered sexual harassment?” Manolo bemoaned that “he struggles with knowing what he…
Read More RICHARD COHEN
Richard Cohen has litigated and arbitrated complex corporate, commercial and employment disputes for more than 35 years, and is a trusted advisor to business owners and in-house counsel both in the United States and internationally. His clients have included Fortune 100 companies, domestic and foreign commercial and investment banks, Pacific-rim corporations and real estate development companies, as well as start-up businesses throughout the United States.
AMY EPSTEIN GLUCK
Amy Epstein Gluck has represented individuals and corporate clients in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and various federal district courts for more than twenty years. Ms. Epstein Gluck’s current practice areas include employment law—advising on and drafting employment agreements; handling employment negotiations, severance agreements, noncompete and nondisclosure agreements, “wrongful terminations” and other EEO matters; representation at the EEOC level; advising employers about discrimination laws and how to remain in compliance, and employment negotiations.
