Question

In the EEOC Files Seven Suits Against Harassment (U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) article, the organization details the causes for the filing of seven lawsuits against various businesses in 2018

1. What were some actions that the companies could have taken to prevent the violation of rights as determined by the EEOC?

2. What are examples of damages awarded to complainants in cases similar to those mentioned in the EEOC article?

3. What are some actions that you would take as a Human Resource Manager to prevent some of the allegations detailed in the lawsuits described in the EEOC article?

Answer 1

1. Some actions that the companies could have taken to prevent the violation of rights as determined by the EEOC are as follows :

a. Formulating and implementing a stern policy that makes discrimination of any kind unacceptable.

b. Spelling out disciplinary plan of actions that would lay emphasis on how an employee complaint would be handled.

c. Laying out guidelines for an appealing process for employees who are dissatisfied with the result of their complaint.

d. Training of concerned managers in finding out how to carry out anti-discriminatory policy and how to prevent any kind of discrimination to take place.

e. Acting in a timely, professional and confidential manner as soon as a complaint is received.

2. The examples of damages available to complainants in cases similar to those mentioned in the EEOC article are as follows :

a. In October 2012, AA Founders Inc. had to pay $100,000 to Christopher Strickland, $60,000 to Leroy Beal and $40,000 to Kenneth Bacon on account of racial discrimination.

b. In December 2010, EEOC filed a racial discrimination case against a real estate brokerage company that refused to hire Black applicants. The company was asked to pay compensatory and punitive damages to the concerned applicants.

c. In January 2007, EEOC came to know about a federal employee who was not selected for the position of Criminal Investigator because of his race. The commission ordered retrospective promotion of the complainant, back pay, compensation and other relief.

d. In September 2007, a complainant reported that she was given lower performance rating and demoted by the employer because of her race, national origin and sex. The agency was asked to pay the complainant pecuniary and non-pecuniary compensatory damages.

3. The actions that I would take as Human Resource Manager to prevent some of the allegations detailed in the lawsuits described in the EEOC article are as follows :

a. Training HR managers, employees and other staff on EEO laws so that EEO policy is embraced by all the levels of the organization.

b. Promoting a culture that is inclusive of personal differences of the employees as well as employers, in order to highlight the true spirit of professionalism.

c. Creating a platform for open discussion on the concerned issues. Moreover, ensuring a speedy complaint mechanism in order to achieve an early settlement.

d. Ensuring that the recruitment criteria does not exclude any particular race/religion/nationality.

e. Providing credible assurances that all the complaints would be heard and taken care f very seriously without favoring a single group of people.