Today Show co-host Ann Curry tearfully announced that she would no longer be part of the morning program's family on Thursday. She was reportedly one year into a 3-year contract when the network decided to buy her out amid a ratings decline. The 55-year-old newswoman was replaced by 40-year-old Savannah Guthrie who most recently was the Chief Legal Analyst.
Less Pay For The Same Work May Be Gender Discrimination
Unequal pay for equal work may be a form of discrimination. If a wage gap exists between men and women doing the same job, the resulting unequal pay may be a form of gender discrimination. In 1963, then-President, John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, prohibiting "discrimination on account of sex in the payment of wages by employers engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce."
Protection For Social Media Passwords From Employers, Colleges
Two bills are progressing through the California legislature, aimed at stopping colleges, universities and employers from requesting passwords to social media sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn from applicants. One of the problems with using social media as a screening tool is the potential for protected information - such as an applicant's race, ethnicity, gender, age or sexual preference - to become the basis for employment discrimination. We've previously discussed this issue on our blog.
Overtime And Work Hours For CA Teens Working This Summer
Summer is here, school is out for those that still have summer break and many teens are looking for jobs to fill their free time, make some extra money and get out of the house. Parents should be aware, however, that there are drawbacks to summer employment for teens. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that 70,000 teens are injured on the job each year, 70 are fatally injured.
Rams Sued By Two Former Employees For Age Discrimination
Lory Fabian, a former alumni coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, has filed suit against the NFL team alleging age discrimination. According to her lawsuit, the Rams have been consistently firing middle-aged women and replacing them with younger workers.
SCOTUS Says No To OT For Drug Sales Reps
Pharmaceutical sales reps are not entitled to overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court held, in Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp., that pharmaceutical sales reps are properly considered "outside sales" and are exempt from overtime pay requirements.
Commissioned Workers Must Have Written Pay Contract In 2013
Whether a part of your pay is commission-based, or whether you are paid entirely based on commissions, as of 2013, California law requires that a written commission agreement be established between commissioned employees and their employers. There are currently no penalties for non-compliance written into the new employment law, but failing to create the required contractual agreement could be considered an unfair business practice under California law.
United Airlines Sued For Racial Discrimination, Again
Twenty-two captains and two operations supervisors at United Airlines (UAL) recently filed a lawsuit against the commercial carrier alleging discrimination based on race in the company's promotion policies. The 24 African American employees claim that, since 2009, they have been denied or passed over for promotions because of their race and that United maintains a system that is geared toward preparing non-minority workers for upper management, intentionally discriminating against black employees.
HIV+ Huntington Beach Teacher Sues School For Discrimination
Matthew Edmundson taught middle school science at Pegasus School in Huntington Beach until his work environment became so hostile that he was forced to quit. Edmondson had taught at Pegasus for a total of nine years. He left for Texas after four years only to return at the school's request to teach 8th grade science.
LAUSD Sexual Harassment Suit: NOT Settled
As discussed previously on this blog, former Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) employee Scot Graham had brought sexual harassment claims against former superintendent Ramon Cortines. LAUSD held a press conference on May 23 announcing details of a settlement it believed the school district had reached with Graham. LAUSD noted during the press conference that Cortines had admitted to a sexual encounter with Graham but that Cortines believed that it had been consensual.
Chapman Settles Sex Discrimination Suit With Female Professor
After almost ten years at Chapman University in Orange County, film professor Lynn Hamrick was denied tenure. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging that she was discriminated against based on her gender, claiming that she was denied tenure because she is a woman.
UPS Driver Sues For Disability Discrimination Based On PTSD
Sergio Cervantes, a former UPS delivery driver, witnessed the execution of a gang member while completing his delivery route. He stopped, got out of his van and held the dying man in his arms, doing what seemed like the right thing, but making himself a gang target at the same time. Several gang members asked Cervantes' coworkers about him - his name, the route he drives - essentially looking for information on where he could be found.
LAUSD's Sexual Harassment Suit: Settled Or Not Settled?
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced that it had reached a settlement with former employee Scot Graham regarding sexual harassment charges he had brought against retired Superintendent Ramon Cortines. Graham alleged that he had been harassed at a ranch owned by Cortines in 2010; Cortines maintained that the two had an encounter, but that it was consensual.
