Employment Discrimination Blog

What is gender discrimination?

A female shareholder recently lodged a gender discrimination lawsuit against a law firm nationally known for defending employers against employment discrimination claims.  Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. is an employment law firm comprised of more than 850 lawyers in over 50 offices throughout the United States.  Now, the firm faces alarming allegations of systemically paying female shareholders less, denying women equal opportunities for advancement, and manipulating origination credits to the benefit of male employees.
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Can I sue my employer for pregnancy discrimination?

Pregnancy discrimination is unfortunately a common reality for female employees across the nation.   Roughly 75 percent of the over 72 million women in the workforce will become pregnant at some point.  Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) in 1978 in an effort to eliminate discrimination based on pregnancy in the workplace. While the Act has deterred some abhorrent practices, Read more . . .

What are my legal rights if I am discriminated against due to being Native American?

Native Americans today report experiencing high rates of employment discrimination across the country.  According to a new poll conducted by NPR, in conjunction with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H.
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Will the Supreme Court hold that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bans discrimination against employees based on their sexual identity?

Seventy-six businesses, including mega companies like Apple and Starbucks, along with several LGBTQ rights organizations and scholars are moving for the Supreme Court of the United States to make an official ruling as to whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ employees against discrimination in the workplace.  Lambda Legal has filed a petition with SCOTUS that it hopes the court will take up.  As more companies and individuals get behind the cause of plaintiff Jameka Evans, our Georgia employment rights lawyers offer an overview of the case and what it could mean for LGBTQ employees nationally.
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What changes could we see to employment laws in the coming years?

Employment law is an evolving, ever changing field.  Employers across the country must stay abreast of the most recent legal changes in order to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.  Our Atlanta management based employment law attorney at Pankey & Horlock, LLC discusses the top employment law issues you need to watch below.
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The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that establishes the national minimum wage, record-keeping requirements, overtime pay obligations, and child labor restrictions. While most states have a state version of this law, the FSLA affects every state throughout the nation. Employers are required to comply with both state and federal wage and employment laws, where they conflict, the federal law will “trump.
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What are my rights under the Equal Pay Act?

Employees in America are protected by numerous federal and state laws against discrimination. One form of discrimination involves paying employees different wages for the same work on the basis of an employee’s sex. While we consider ourselves to be a progressive and forward thinking society, the sad reality is that female employees working full time in the United States continue to earn just 79 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts.

Does Title VII protect gay and lesbian people against employment discrimination?

Recently, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to rehear en banc the case of a skydiving instructor who claims his position was terminated because he was gay.  This New York case dates back to 2010 when Donald Zarda, a skydiving instructor, filed a lawsuit against his former instructor, Altitude Express, Inc.

What is age discrimination and what are my right if I am discriminated against due to my age?

In today’s youth driven society, age discrimination is rampant.  Anyone who is over the age of 40 and hunting for a job should be aware of what constitutes age discrimination and what your legal rights may be if you become the victim of such discrimination. Our Atlanta employment discrimination lawyers at Pankey & Horlock, LLC discuss the complex subject of age discrimination below.
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Is it illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on sexual orientation?

Attorneys representing a Georgia lesbian who claims she was fired for being gay are now asking the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to rehear the case en banc.  In the case of Evans v Georgia Regional Hospital, et al., plaintiff Evans states that she worked at Georgia Regional Hospital, where her supervisor targeted her for termination due to her status as a self-described “gay female.
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Employees have certain rights and protections. However, independent contractors have more control over their work and do not have the benefit of many employee protections. Employers sometimes deem workers as independent contractors instead of employees because it is cheaper for them to do so. Independent contractors are not subject to specific laws, including:

• Protection under the Family Medical Leave Act
• Unemployment insurance
• Safe workplace requirements
• Overtime compensation
• Minimum wage and hour restrictions

Many of these benefits are expensive for the employer to maintain. To avoid these extra costs, some employers classify workers as independent contractors even though they should technically be considered employees.
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