According to statistics kept by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, total discrimination claims filed by employees against employers are on the rise. These claims include those alleging race, sex, national origin, age and disability discrimination, as well as claims of retaliation and pregnancy discrimination.
Employers here in Humboldt County, California are not immune. Defending discrimination claims takes time and money that could be better spent elsewhere. The most important thing employers can do to prevent discrimination claims is to have a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for all employment decisions, and then document everything appropriately. Clear management policies and documentation are often the keys to successfully defending or settling discrimination lawsuits. From the outset of employment, make performance expectations clear. If you have written job descriptions, make sure they are kept current. If you have performance evaluation policies, they must be followed, and all employment decisions based on such evaluations should be documented. All employees in the chain of command should be clear about job-related expectations, as well as policies of non-discrimination.
If you have any questions about this or any other aspect of law affecting employers here in Humboldt County, please call our office and ask to speak with one of our attorneys.