Stories involving discrimination lawsuits often make headline news. These stories catch the public’s attention with their exceptionally large verdicts. One example is a Pittsburgh jury returning a verdict with a $13 million judgment for a woman who became the target of obscene gestures by her male colleagues. Another case involving a 66-year-old man who suffered from harassment and a string of false accusations from co-workers receiving a $26 million judgment by the jury.
These are only two examples, but they clearly show that discrimination lawsuits can cost your company millions of dollars in damages if victims take you to court. These examples also clearly show that you should promptly handle any complaints of discrimination or harassment.
Protect Your Business from Discrimination Lawsuits
The main objective for your business to protect against lawsuits is to create a workplace that is intolerant of harassment and discrimination. Make it clear to new hires that they are entering a workplace with zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination. To ensure all employees understand policies for harassment in the workplace, you must have an Employee Handbook with such written policies and hold bi-annual or annual meetings to go over those policies and your expectations.
When employees understand the consequences involved should they engage in inappropriate conduct, or harass a co-worker or subordinate in any form, they are less likely to do so.
These are other tips to implement to protect yourself against lawsuits involving discrimination or harassment:
1. Provide Training for Supervisors and Managers
Your managers and supervisors typically have the most contact and interaction with your employees. They are the ones who are more likely to see inappropriate behaviors among your employees. Make sure your managers and supervisors are properly trained to recognize signs of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. It is critical they understand how to properly respond to complaints and how to de-escalate situations if they should occur.
2. Implement Fair Hiring Practices
Your hiring practices should be non-discriminatory as well and should emphasize that you are an equal employment opportunity business. You should not discuss a prospective employee’s sex, age, disability, race, marital status, race or other protected classification during the interview.
3. Implement Fair Disciplinary Actions
If you have received a complaint about sexual harassment, racial harassment, or any other form of discrimination against one employee from another, you must take the complaint seriously and promptly investigate the allegations. Often this leads to the discipline of one of your employees. It is best to contact Danz Law for legal advice to make sure you are protected and doing it properly.
Who to Contact About Discrimination Lawsuits Against Employers
Danz Law provides representation for businesses across South Florida. With our experience in business operations and management, we have built a solid reputation for helping business managers, entrepreneurs, and business owners with quality legal representation and advice. We are not just a law firm for protecting businesses in court. We are also counselors and advisers if you have any concerns or questions regarding employment-related issues.