By Steve Kardell | Published January 13, 2022 | Posted in Employee Rights, Whistleblower Litigation, Wrongful Termination | Tagged Tags: emotional distress damages, employer retaliation, wrongful termination |
Former Utah Professor Suits for Whistleblower Retaliation, Wins $760K
Judith Zimmerman, a former professor at the University of Utah, won $760,000 in damages in a jury trial after she sued the university claiming whistleblower retaliation. The case was another example of how whistleblower retaliation can result in the perpetrator being subject to significant penalties for their actions. Case background Zimmerman had worked for the Read More
Read MoreWhistleblower Claims Executives at Minnesota Nursing Home Instructed Staff to Ignore COVID-19 Protocols
In a September article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, a whistleblower alleges executives of St. Therese of New Hope nursing home instructed staff to ignore protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The whistleblower was Brooke Peoples, who previously worked as an administrator at the facility in New Hope, Minnesota. She claims the instructions came from Read More
Read MoreWhich Protections are Available for Corporate Whistleblowers?
There are not any federal laws that afford general protections to corporate whistleblowers. However, there are many types of protected disclosures under federal whistleblower laws. These protections come from a variety of sources, including the following: False Claims Act: The False Claims Act protects disclosures about fraud toward the government, including any actions taken to Read More
Read MoreMore Workers Than Ever Quitting Their Jobs
The number of people throughout the United States quitting their jobs has reached record highs as Americans see significant opportunities in the job market and opportunities to earn more money elsewhere. Approximately 4.3 million people quit their jobs in August alone, representing nearly three percent of the workforce. That is the second time this year Read More
Read MoreNew Legal Concern: Long-Term COVID Discrimination
The Biden administration recently issued guidance that workers with long-term, lingering symptoms of COVID-19 may be protected under federal disability laws. This guidance brings forth a new area of concern for employers: that they may become targets of litigation if they discriminate against or fail to accommodate a person with such lingering symptoms. About the Read More
Read MoreWhat Employers Should Consider in Wake of Recent Supreme Court Decision on LGBTQ Employment Discrimination
The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination by employers on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity. This was a landmark employment law ruling that finally settles questions about whether members of the LGBTQ community can be considered part of a protected class. Read More
Read MoreThree El Super Grocery Stores Fined for Violating COVID-19 Leave Rules
The California Labor Commissioner’s Office fined three El Super Grocery Stores in the southern part of the state for failure to comply with COVID-19 leave polices. The fines punished the grocery stores for failing to provide or delaying supplemental paid sick leave and other such benefits to 95 workers across the three stores. The grocery Read More
Read MoreWalmart Must Pay $125 Million to Former Employee after Disability Bias Lawsuit
A jury awarded a former Walmart employee with Down syndrome more than $125 million in a disability discrimination lawsuit. The compensatory and punitive damages in the case will be reduced to $300,000, the maximum allowed under the Americans with Disabilities Act. A Walmart spokesperson portrayed the EEOC’s demands related to the case as “unreasonable.” The Read More
Read MoreRacist Trophy at Car Dealership Becomes Subject of EEOC Lawsuit
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued an auto dealership in Dallas (AOD Ventures Inc., dob Autos of Dallas) for race and gender discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Case background According to the lawsuit, a black salesman received a trophy at a holiday party dubbing him “Least Likely to be Read More
Read MoreEdward Jones & Co. Must Pay $34 Million to Settle Discrimination Case
A federal court approved a $34 million settlement between Edward Jones & Co. and black financial advisors at the company, ending years of litigation. In addition to the financial settlement, the company agreed to promote greater inclusivity in its corporate culture. Case background A group of black financial advisors (FAs) at the company originally filed Read More
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