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Editor Sues Popular Magazine for Race Dicrimination

In a recent suit filed by Tatsha Robertson, the 48 year old alleges she was the victim of a continued practice of race discrimination during her employment at People magazine.    According to the suit, Robertson was, “the only black Senior Editor the magazine has ever had.”

As detailed in this article,  Robertson left her position at Essence magazine in 2010 to work  at People.    It was there that Robertson claims that her boss, executive editor Betsy Gleick, subjected her to a hostile work environment.

Robertson alleges that Gleick made such comments as, “You need to talk like everyone else here.  You’re not at Essence anymore,” and that the popular tabloid magazine was only interested in articles appealing to “white, middle class suburbia.”

According to the suit, a total of 14 out of 265 People Magazine covers have focused on African-American individuals since 2010, Robertson’s attorney states, “The media has a responsibility to report and act with integrity. People Magazine has betrayed that responsibility by engaging in discrimination, both in its pages and through its employment practices.”

If you or someone you know thinks they have experienced discrimination due to race, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help.   Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609 or use our contact form.

 

 

 

Microsoft Faces Discrimination Suit By Female Worker

Software-test manager for Microsoft Azure Nancy Williams has filed suit against the company for gender, race and age discrimination. Williams, who is 53 and on medical leave from Microsoft, has worked for the company since 1996, joining the Azure group in 2010.

As detailed in this article, Williams’ lawsuit alleges that her former boss ignored her during meetings, excluded her from internal communications and treated male employees in a more favorable manner.

According to the suit filed this week, Azure is dominated by males with a large portion being of Eastern Indian descent. Williams claims that during a meeting that took place in 2013, her boss stood over her  and made her repeat “You are my manager, I will do as you say.”

After reporting such incidents to the Human Resource department, Williams was told not file a formal complaint and according to Williams, little was done to correct the ongoing discrimination. Instead, Williams was given a substandard performance review and her boss allegedly waved his fists in her face.

In addition to monetary damages, Williams is asking the court to order an audit of Azure’s Human Resource department and require that every employee get training on discrimination and retaliation.

If you or someone you know thinks they have experienced employment discrimination, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help.   Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609 or use our contact form.

 

Age Discrimination Suits on the Decline

According to this Washington Post article, since 2008 charges of age discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have shown a slight decline.   24,582 age discrimination suits were filed with the EEOC in 2008 compared to 21, 396 filings  in 2013.   In contrast to the decline in the number of age complaints filed, monetary awards for such cases has increased; 2013 showing the highest amount, roughly $97.9 million, since 1997.

As detailed in a 2012 AARP survey, 77 percent of respondents between the ages of 45 to 54 said employees do face age discrimination and of those working full-time, 58 percent agreed.

Although such entities as those in Silicon Valley have shown a blatant trend in recruiting young applicants by requesting “new grads” in job descriptions, the downward swing in such cases can be attributed to different factors.   Such factors include a rising economy and the fact that older applicants are faced with age discrimination at the beginning stages of the hiring process.

Kris Stadelman, director of a San Francisco based work force development and training agency, believes that due to the trend of high-tier companies hiring young applicants at high salaries, mid-tier companies are hiring older workers at a lower price point.

If you or someone you know thinks they have experienced discrimination due to age, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help.   Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609 or use our contact form.

 

Federal Government Sues Pennsylvania State Police For Sex Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed suit against Pennsylvania and the state’s police department for claims of sexual harassment.   The suit alleges that the physical tests required to become a state trooper discriminate against female candidates.

As detailed in this article, since 2003 Pennsylvania state trooper candidates are required to take a physical test that includes such tasks as a 300 yard run and pushups.     The complaint argues the skills tested  are not necessary  for the job and prevent qualified female candidates from being hired into the force.

Specifically, in contrast to the seventy percent of female applicants that have passed the physical exam since its implementation, over ninety percent of male applicants have passed the exam.

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Jocelyn Samuels, “The Department of Justice is deeply committed to eliminating artificial barriers that keep qualified women out of public safety work.”

The Department of Justice is seeking a court order to stop the test and back pay for those discriminated against.

If you or someone you know thinks they have experienced discrimination due to sex, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help.   Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609 or use our contact form.