A court in Louisiana found a winking smiley face coupled with a narrative about a colleague’s good looks, to be flirtatious and offensive. But was it illegal? Saying the N-word one time may be severe enough for the case to go to court or can it?
You are used to knowing about the typical issues around harassment so what in the world is going on now!? What is it with emojis, and AI? You have been in Human Resources or management for years. Your plate is full of too much to do and to know in your increasingly stressful job. You are expected to stay current in discrimination and harassment case law for the federal and state-protected classes. Are you current? It seems like an unending responsibility. You remember hearing something in the news about a change in the pregnancy law but can’t remember what it was. You know that the American Disability Act, Title VII has expanded with something called an accommodation meeting, but what does that require? You heard that a company was required to pay a plaintiff an additional $1,000,000 because the company didn’t do harassment training could that be true? The #MeToo movement is alive and well. You have a company wellness program and have heard that employees are suing for discrimination based on the incentives offered to those who take part in the program. And it still isn’t clear as to whether you can personally be sued for misconduct. The EEOC has said that current workplace prevention tactics aren’t working harassment continues to be a problem with an increasing number of complaints every year; and with employers not doing what is required to effectively deal with the misconduct.
A new area in the EEOC’s recent 2023 proposed guidance indicates that harassment outside the workplace may also constitute illegal harassment if it negatively affects the work venue thereby creating a hostile work environment. This can include text messages, e-mails, phone calls, social media, and stalking, to name a few if it negatively affects the work environment thereby creating a hostile work environment. The EEOC’s new 2023 proposed guidance discusses systemic harassment and its first AI lawsuit alleging employment discrimination in hiring practices.
It is almost impossible for managers and HR professionals to stay current in the ever-evolving civil rights case law due to their busy workload. As a result, discrimination and harassment may go unrecognized and allowed to continue creating a hostile work environment for employees resulting in absenteeism, turnover, loss of productivity, and physical and emotional health consequences to the target and witnesses of the abuse. The failure of managers and HR professionals to recognize discrimination and harassment creates liability for the organization and costly lawsuits.
It is almost impossible for managers and HR professionals to stay current in the ever-evolving civil rights case law due to their busy workload. As a result, discrimination and harassment may go unrecognized and allowed to continue creating a hostile work environment for employees resulting in absenteeism, turnover, loss of productivity, and physical and emotional health consequences to the target and witnesses of the abuse. The failure of managers and HR professionals to recognize discrimination and harassment creates liability for the organization and costly lawsuits.
Dr. Susan Strauss
Dr. Susan Strauss is a national and international speaker, trainer and consultant. Her specialty areas include management/leadership development, organization development, communication, and harassment and bullying. She is an expert witness for discrimination and harassment lawsuits. She trains and consults with business, education, healthcare, law, and government organizations from both the public and private sector. Dr. Strauss has authored over 30 book chapters, books, and articles in professional journals. She has been featured on 20/20, CBS Evening News, and other television and radio programs as well as interviewed for newspaper and journal articles. She has her doctorate in organizational leadership, is …
Interactive dashboards & analytics in Excel
Copilot and HR: An Introduction for HR Professionals
4-Hour Virtual Seminar on Bootcamp on Excel
Leading Across Generations: 5 Challenges & 10 Strategies to…
I-9 Audits: Strengthening Your Immigration Compliance Strat…
Fair Lending in 2025: New Regulations, Examinations and Enf…
Tattoos, hijabs, piercings, and pink hair: The challenges …
Using Emotional Intelligence to Elevate Your Leadership
ChatGPT & HR: How HR Recruiting Professionals Can Leverage …
FDA Trends in Compliance and Enforcement in Computer System…
Elevate Your Workplace Wellness: 10 Critical Wellness Facto…
How to Manage the Legal Landmine of the FMLA, ADA and Worke…
How to Write a Successful Job Hazard Analysis
How to Write Right for Better Business Communication
How to Prepare For and Host a FDA Inspection and Respond to…
Public Speaking: Overcoming The Fear of Public Speaking
From Good to Great: The Secrets to an Optimized LinkedIn Pr…
Workplace Investigations 101: How to Conduct your Investiga…
Policy Pops: Navigating DEI in the 2025 Workplace: Strategi…
The Five Cs Of Commercial Credit: The Basic Elements Of Cre…
Transforming Anger And Conflict Into Collaborative Problem …
Navigating Alcohol and Drug Addiction Protections Under the…
Reduce Stress in the Workplace: Effective Ways to Handle Co…
Transforming HR with AI: Unlocking Excellence and Innovation
Creating Employee Handbooks that Protect You and Support th…
FDA Technology Modernization Action Plan (TMAP) and Impact …
Transform Data into Insights: A Beginners Guide to Excel Pi…
Mindful Communication:The Key to Meaningful Conversations i…
FDA Proposes Framework to Advance Credibility of AI Models
50+ new Excel features so far this decade
FMLA Compliance in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide & Strategies…
Excel - 10 Key Worksheet Functions to Skyrocket Your Produc…
Managing Toxic Employees: Strategies For Leaders To Effecti…
Hiring and Retaining Employees in this Crazy Economy
Harassment, Bullying, Gossip, Confrontational and Disruptiv…