Last week, an ex-manager of a Chipotle Mexican Grill was awarded close to $8 million in a wrongful termination lawsuit against the restaurant chain. Jeanette Ortiz was accused of stealing more than $600 from a Fresno, California Chipotle in 2015. The alleged theft, which Ortiz’s supervisors claimed was videotaped, was…
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits workplace discrimination based on race or color, sex, national origin and religion. It does not specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, however. In fact, in Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc., the Second Circuit dismissed the plaintiff’s claims of sexual…
A whistleblower is someone who exposes information about an illegal or unethical activity against the government or a private entity. When the activity is being committed against the U.S. government, the whistleblower may bring what is known as a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act, which rewards whistleblowers…
If you are being treated differently at work based on your religious beliefs or practices, you may be a victim of religious discrimination. In the United States, individuals are protected – by federal law – against this type of discrimination in the workplace. It is common for victims of religious…
Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of gender discrimination. As such, it is illegal. Discrimination, including sexual harassment, can create an environment that is hostile, intimidating, or offensive. The situation can be even worse when the person doing the harassing is your boss. In the workplace, a supervisor…
Employers are required – by federal law – to provide a safe workplace. If you are concerned that your workplace is unsafe or unhealthy, you have rights. In most cases, the first course of action is to report the hazard to your employer. If the employer is unable, or unwilling,…
According to a lawsuit filed earlier this week, female workers at Boston’s McCormick & Schmick’s seafood restaurant have been routinely subjected to sexual harassment from male co-workers and supervisors. The five women involved in the lawsuit allege that their complaints about ongoing groping and lewd comments were consistently ignored by…
Sexual harassment has been a major topic of discussion in recent months. This should be no surprise, considering how widespread the problem has been for decades, centuries, probably since the beginning of time. The modern concept of sexual harassment is relatively new, however, dating from the 1970s onwards. And women’s…
Long and short-term disability insurance policies in Massachusetts can offer income protection when a medical problem renders you unable to work, but these policies don’t protect against job loss. Receiving disability benefits does not automatically prevent you from being terminated. However, certain situations do. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)…
When Rick Pitino was fired for “just cause” as University of Louisville’s head basketball coach in September, the former Boston Celtics coach lost a contract worth about $38.7 million. Last week, Pitino filed a lawsuit against the university’s athletic association, claiming his employer is in breach of contract for firing…