Construction Law
How to Protect Your Company From Discrimination Claims
As an employer, there are always a number of items to juggle. From growing a business to growing a workforce, you deal with a variety of important audiences. One critical area to focus is on is the contentment of your employees. This can be a tricky balance because companies are employed with human beings. Human beings have a myriad of motivations, not all of them are in keeping with your own motivations. Unfortunately, your management decisions will be called into question. When they are, there’s always a threat of a discrimination claim. If not handled correctly, these claims can hurt employee morale, your reputation and come at a significant cost. If an employee has filed a claim against your company, it’s critical that your contact the discrimination defense Tampa attorneys at Cotney Attorneys & Consultants immediately.
However, prevention is your best defense. Use the following tips to protect your company against discrimination claims:
Know the Law
Per Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC) law, it is illegal to discriminate based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, or disability. It’s also against the law to take a retaliative action against an employee who files a claim or participates in a discrimination investigation.
Put Yourself in Your Employees Shoes
It may be difficult to do this when a complaint has been filed against your company, but it’s critical that you do so. Examine the circumstances around the complaint. There may be ways that you can defuse the situation. This approach may also help you determine if there are deficits in how managers and employees deal with situations that can become inflammatory.
Document Everything
At times, discrimination complaints originate from employees who have been terminated. It’s crucial that you document the entire process that led to that employee’s termination. If the firing is due to repeated, unwanted actions, written reprimands must be created, given to the employee, and kept for reference. Also, if you have a “zero tolerance” policy against certain behaviors, make sure employees sign it when they start their employment. These actions will be instrumental in protecting you against discrimination complaints.
To request a consultation with an experienced attorney in employment discrimination defense in Tampa, please call us today at 813.579.3278 or submit our contact request form.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.