Broward County Employment Law Blog

Medical professionals often face sexual harassment at work

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in Sexual Harassment on Monday, October 7, 2019.

Medical professionals, particularly females, often experience untoward treatment from both patients and co-workers while they are at work. Sometimes, this treatment is sexual harassment, and Florida victims of this type of behavior often feel unsure of what they can do about it. Many women doctors, nurses and medical workers say they've experienced unwanted verbal advances or even physical contact from patients and others while they are on shift.

The statistics about women in the medical field are troubling. For example, medical students are 220% more likely to experience sexual harassment during their work and training than nonmedical or nonscience students. Around one in four women training to be doctors will experience sexual advances and other types of harassment before they even become practicing physicians.

Protection against workplace discrimination for LGBT workers?

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in Workplace Discrimination on Wednesday, September 25, 2019.

It is illegal for employers to discriminate or harass workers on the basis of certain factors, such as gender, ethnic origin or religious beliefs. These protections do not extend to LGBT employees, some of whom may still face the threat of losing their jobs as a result of their sexual orientation or preference. However, this could change soon in Florida as many people are speaking out about the need to protect these individuals from workplace discrimination.

Lawmakers have tried to pass laws that prohibit discrimination against LGBT workers, but these attempts in the past have not been successful. However, there are more lawmakers from both sides of the aisle that think things could be different next time this issue comes up for a vote. In addition to both Republican and Democrat support for these protections, major employers in the state, including Disney, have endorsed the potential move.

UPS pays $2.25 million to avoid lawsuit by pregnant workers

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in Workplace Discrimination on Monday, September 23, 2019.

United Parcel Service has agreed to settle a dispute accusing the company of discriminating against pregnant workers. The $2.25 million settlement will go to pregnant employees who were not properly compensated.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the deal after investigating a complaint that the world’s largest package delivery company was violating the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which amended the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Florida women gather to support ratifying Equal Rights Amendment

On behalf of The Amlong Firm on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.

With the amount of laws that protect gender discrimination in the workplace, you might think that protection of gender equality is part of the U.S. Constitution. But if you are a woman, there is no ratified constitutional amendment giving you equal rights under the law.

Florida advocate groups recently gathered on Women’s Equality Day, August 26, to promote Florida finally ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment. Although the U.S. Congress passed the amendment in 1972, it still has not received ratification from the required minimum of 38 states.

Research shows men are hit harder by age discrimination

On behalf of The Amlong Firm on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

While women are more likely to face harassment in the workplace, a new study shows men are more likely to face discrimination when it comes to their careers after they turn 40. The study shows more men believe their age has kept them from finding work or advancing in their current job.

Half of the men surveyed said they had witnessed age discrimination in the workplace compared to 38% of the women who took part in insurer Hiscox’s 2019 Ageism in the Workplace Study. The study's findings are significant as by 2024, workers 55 and older will represent a quarter of the nation’s workforce.

Workplace discrimination reporting mishandled by Google

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in Workplace Discrimination on Monday, September 9, 2019.

Google is one the most successful and largest tech companies in the world. It is a leader in its field and industry, and it should be a leader in the way it treats its workers, but unfortunately, that may not the case. Some employees allege that the company mistreated them after they filed complaints of workplace discrimination and harassment. If this is true, it is unacceptable.

Each person has the right to report any form of discrimination or harassment they experience in a Florida workplace. Just last year, Google faced backlash over the way the company handled this issue, and people are now saying that the company has done no better over the last few months. Some even allege that the company stalled and stymied their careers in response to their reporting. If this is true, this is a form of retaliation.

Study notes that workplace age discrimination is common

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in employment law on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

Age discrimination at the workplace is common. Such discrimination is significant in Florida because of the large numbers of elderly residents. It also prevents otherwise qualified workers from performing their jobs. Unfortunately, age discrimination does not always garner the attention of other forms of discrimination.

An Insurance Journal periodical references a study concluding that as many as 20 percent of workers over the age of 40 experience on-the-job age discrimination. Most victims never file a complaint out of fear of retaliation. Many employers also fail to provide training that might prevent this discrimination from occurring.

Florida professor sues for age discrimination but stays cool

On behalf of The Amlong Firm on Saturday, August 3, 2019.

In February, Professor Charles Magee filed an age discrimination lawsuit against a Florida university. In April, he was awarded a patent for a vest designed to keep people cool in Florida’s hot weather.

Florida McDonald’s owner sued over religious discrimination

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in Workplace Discrimination on Monday, July 29, 2019.

Believe it or not, but McDonald’s is one of the world’s largest employers with nearly two million people working to supply hamburgers, fries, chicken nuggets and more to a fast-food-hungry planet. The chain caters to all kinds of people in its more than 37,000 restaurants located in more than 100 countries.

It seems likely that the last thing McDonald’s wants is to be known as a company that discriminates on the basis of religion, but that’s the allegation made in a recent discrimination lawsuit filed against the owner of several Florida McDonald’s restaurants.

More than half of LGBTQ workers have faced or seen discrimination at work

On behalf of The Amlong Firm posted in Workplace Discrimination on Sunday, July 14, 2019.

As part of the year-long observance of the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots, Glassdoor conducted a 2019 LGBTQ Workplace Survey. The website asked more than 6,000 employees about the on-the-job treatment of LGBTQ workers.

The results make it clear that workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual preference continues in far too many places of employment. More than half of LGBTQ employees said they have “experienced or witnessed anti-LGBTQ comments by co-workers.”