Articles and Blogs

A recent denial of summary judgment by a U.S. District Court in New York reminds us that bias-based comments can have serious consequences for hospitals and other employers, including that their employment decisions may be undermined. The ruling also suggests that, in certain situations, requiring a waiver of claims may be considered retaliatory. Facts... READ MORE

It has been a busy week for the Supreme Court as it reaches the end of its current term.  On Monday, two significant decisions were handed down that directly affect employment law.  The first was the Court’s clarification of the meaning of “supervisor” for purposes of Title VII discrimination.  The second decision deals with... READ MORE

Today, June 24, 2013, the U. S. Supreme Court cleared the air on the question of who is a supervisor for purposes of discrimination cases arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.  In this case that has been pending since 2006, the Court, in a 5 to 4 decision, ruled that the... READ MORE

Complain, Complain, Complain… Two African-American nurses for some time had complained about working conditions, race discrimination and unfair treatment at their hospital.  They filed a petition with Human Resources that alleged Filipino nurses were treated better than the African-American nurses.  It was investigated but could not be corroborated.  They complained that other nurses were... READ MORE

Complaints of harassment don’t always result in liability for an employer.  Here’s a case in point. A Syrian born Muslim physician employed at Stroger Hospital in Cook County wrote letters and lodged formal complaints over the years about his treatment by a female coworker who was also a physician in the same department.  The... READ MORE