The 21st nominee for the “worst employer of 2017” is … the Whata(alleged)racist

It has been 53 years since Congress banned racial discrimination in employment. You’d think by now that all employers would know that you cannot hire an employee expressly based on their race.

Yet, how does one explain this lawsuit, recently filed against Whataburger?

A rebuttal to those who questioned my parenting skills

Over the past four days, I have taken A LOT of heat online for allowing my 11-year-old daughter to perform on stage with Roger Waters.

WIRTW #477 (the “just another brick in the wall” edition)

I had a whole post written about Norah’s punk show last weekend, and how her performance awed me.

Then this happened yesterday.

At 2:54 pm I received the following email from the School of Rock general manager:

Major Minors! Roger Water’s people just contacted us, they need 10-12 kids aged 10-15 tonight to be on stage for a section of the show (the we don’t need no education part). This is going out to you guys.… I need to know NOW.

Is LGBT discrimination finally coming to a head?

Two stories this week caught my attention:

• EEOC Sues Malcolm S. Gerald & Associates for Sexual Orientation Discrimination; and
• Is the EEOC going “wishy-washy” on LGBT rights at work?

The 20th nominee for the “worst employer of 2017” is … the nepotism harasser

Just when I think I’ve hit rock bottom with my survey of the year’s worst employers…

The EEOC reports that it has sued an Illinois IHOP franchisee for sexual harassment. While the allegations are bad, what makes this case worse is the allegation that the store owner ignored his employees’ complaints because the accused harasser was a close relative.

What it’s like to be sued by your employee

When you litigate, you’re losing.

This is an odd statement for a litigator to make. But it’s true.

The 19th nominee for the “worst employer of 2017” is … the pizza punisher

Your 19th nominee for the worst employer of 2017 is a Jacksonville, Florida, Pizza Hut franchisee that threatened its employees if they skipped work because of Hurricane Irma.

WIRTW #476 (the “… punk rocker” edition)

Genetics is a funny thing. We have no idea where Norah got her musical chops, as neither my wife nor I are anywhere close to what one would call musical.

Consider this, however. Joey Ramone’s real name was Jeffrey Hyman. Could this be the source of Norah’s musical chops (and her height)?

My dad says not to count on it. I’m holding out hope.

Norah will be doing her punk thing this Sunday and next Saturday at Slim and Chubby’s, 5 pm and 3 pm, respectfully. D-man precedes her at 3 pm (Sunday) and 1 pm (next Saturday) playing some Beatles tunes. 

Here’s what I read this week:

Discrimination

• Not Giving Employees Something (Namely a Discrimination Complaint) To Talk About — via Dan Schwartz’s Connecticut Employment Law Blog
• Can a man claim pregnancy discrimination? A man, baby! — via Eric Meyer’s The Employer Handbook Blog
• Liability for abetting workplace bias — via Walter Olson’s Overlawyered
• I keep finding my coworker in a compromising position … with himself — via Ask a Manager
• Unbelievable – Health Care Providers Sued For Disability Discrimination — via Above the Law

HR & Employee Relations

• Second-guessing the advice columns: Bad HR practices aren’t necessarily illegal. — via Robin Shea’s Employment & Labor Insider
• How HR Can Help Employees Handle Natural Disasters Again — via Mike Haberman’s Omega HR Solutions
• Yes, you can be fired for missing work while fleeing Hurricane Irma — via Wonkblog
• Employee theft robs US businesses of $50B annually — via HR Dive 
• Swimming Pool Company’s Non-Compete Claim Takes a Dive — via Suits by Suits
• Don’t Steal My Employees When You Quit – the Anti-Raid Provision — via Smooth Transitions
• Employment Authorization Issues Related to DACA Rescission — via Currents

Wage & Hour

• Chipotle Asks Court to Hold Employees in Contempt — via CUE, Inc.
• Does an Exempt Employee Need Permission to Leave the Office? — via Evil HR Lady, Suzanne Lucas
• Does Paying Time and a Half For Certain Work Count Toward Overtime? [Wage & Hour FAQ] — via Wage & Hour Insights
• If an Employee Attends a Beyonce Concert While on FMLA Leave, Can She Be Terminated? — via Jeff Nowak’s FMLA Insights

Labor

• HR In a Union Shop: Here’s What Your Supervisors Need to Know — via TLNT
• Are you taping me? Audio and video recording in the workplace — via Technology for HR

OSHA & Safety

• Drug testing and OSHA retaliation – can employers test or not? — via Employee Benefits News
• Workers’ Compensation Coverage Of Off-Duty Injuries — via Employment Essentials

The more things change … the NLRB and Weingarten rights for non-union employees

Today, a joke.

“How is the National Labor Relations Board like the weather?”

“I don’t know, Jon, how?”

“If you don’t like either, just wait and they’ll change.”

[groan]

Not my best material, I know. But, it does illustrate an important point, driven home by an Advice Memo [pdf] just released by the NLRB Office of General Counsel on the issue of Weingarten rights for non-union employees.

The 18th nominee for the “worst employer of 2017” is … the pumping preventer

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a six-figure verdict in favor of a Stephanie Hicks, a former narcotics task force investigator for the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, police department. She sued, and won, after her former employer refused to permit her to pump her breast milk after returning from maternity leave.