Employment Law

Expert Tips for Avoiding EEOC Lawsuits in the Workplace Part 1 featured image

Expert Tips for Avoiding EEOC Lawsuits in the Workplace Part 1

Construction contractor sued for firing a number of female sheet metal workers. Construction company sued for race harassment and retaliation against African American workers. Concrete construction company sued for failing to accommodate and then firing an employee because of a disability. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) files lawsuits like these on the behalf of employees every day. When faced with these types of lawsuits, employers will require aggressive employment discrimination defense in Tampa.

The EEOC is tasked with conducting fair and accurate investigations on behalf of individuals who feel they have been discriminated against at some point during employment or while seeking employment from a particular company. Employers who put strong measures in place to address and prevent discrimination, harassment, and retaliation are more likely to avoid EEOC charges and lawsuits. Below you’ll find expert tips to help you avoid EEOC lawsuits. Read part two for the rest of the article.

Get Familiar With EEOC Laws and Regulations

For construction employers, knowledge is power. When you make it your business to get familiar with EEOC laws and compliance policies, you are one step closer to a discrimination-free workplace. Under EEOC law, employers are prohibited from discriminating against former, current, and potential employees on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, disability, and so on. This includes discrimination in the following:

  • Job advertisements
  • Recruitment
  • Application process
  • Background checks
  • Hiring referrals
  • Pay and benefits
  • Accommodations
  • Trainings
  • Discharging employees

If you have questions regarding what constitutes discrimination, an attorney skilled in employment discrimination defense in Tampa can assist you.

Implement Strict Anti-Discrimination Policies

To prevent EEOC allegations and charges, employers must take a no-nonsense approach to discrimination. This entails implementing policies, preventative actions, and practices in the workplace. Employment policies should cover everything from discrimination, harassment, retaliation, incident reports, the complaint process, disciplinary actions, and an appeals process.

Train Management

Training starts from leadership and trickles down to everyone else. Since managers are in the forefront responding to incidents and complaints, it is critical that they understand how to recognize signs of illegal behavior and to handle these situations immediately and effectively. It is also important that managers model proper professional behavior to discourage rule breaking and resist showing any signs of partiality towards any group of employees.

To request a consultation regarding discrimination defense in Tampa, please call us today at 813.579.3278 or submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.