There are federal and state employment laws that prohibit an employer from asking questions in an interview that could be used to target a protected class. Questions that may be discriminatory in an interview include those related to:
An employer may be practicing discrimination if everyone in the workplace is the same gender, age, race or sexual orientation. This may mean their hiring practices are discriminating against those who do not fit a certain mold or look. You may also notice that the managerial roles are held by the same gender, age, race or sexual orientation. For example, if all managers in a company are white men, it is possible the company is discriminatory.
If those in your company who are of color, of a different sexual orientation or are a member of another protected class are constantly belittled, hear offensive jokes or treated more harshly than those who are not of a protected class, they may have a case for discrimination. Although this may seem to be an obvious sign, the communication may not be blatantly discriminatory, but could be subtle or used in the form of a “joke.” If you are a member of a protected class and have key responsibilities taken away or given tasks that are impossible to complete, you may have grounds for a discrimination claim under employment law. This is especially true if you suffer repeated discipline when impossible tasks are not completed. In fact, unjust discipline, when you are punished or criticized unfairly, is another sign that your employer is acting in a discriminatory manner.
]]>By having a group of employees from different places and different backgrounds, a business can greatly increase the amount of creativity that the team has. By only hiring people from a specific background, businesses are likely to get similar ideas as they have all experienced similar things. Hiring people from many walks of life will allow employees to compare many differing views and perspectives on a subject, which can lead to very creative solutions to the company’s problems.
Having multicultural employees is a great way to improve productivity in a business. Different people have different talents, so being able to combine all of these together can lead to better solutions and result in a more productive environment. Also, if employees are learning from each other’s perspectives and experiences, they can end up becoming better and more knowledgeable workers.
A diverse workplace can also lead to having more marketing opportunities and can result in reaching more potential customers. Employees from different cultures and backgrounds can lead to marketing strategies that could potentially appeal to broader groups of people.
Being known as a diverse, multicultural company that accepts people from any background can be very helpful to a company’s brand. It will cause people to respect the company and will draw more people to want to work there and be a part of the organization. Letting the general public see that a company is inclusive and welcoming of all people will also cause more people to want to support the business and purchase its services.
Ensuring that a company is multicultural and employs a diverse group of people can be exactly what it needs to take it to the next level. If a company is discriminating against certain groups of people, an employment law attorney can help ensure that the company is held accountable.
]]>Title VII exists under the EEOC. It prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, disability, age, genes, mental ability, physical ability, marital status, sexual orientation, residency, status or any other protected characteristic. The law covers government, public and even private employees. In the private sector, discrimination protection is in the state law, but various bodies want it included in Title VII. The federal law forbids employment discrimination in discipline measures, recruitment, salary, compensation, promotion, evaluations and training.
Additionally, Title VII covers discrimination against characteristics that are related to race, like their culture, accent and names. It includes qualities such as hair texture, skin color and certain facial features like beards. A policy ban that affects facial hair in a job setting discriminates against men in certain groups. For example, many African-American men are genetically affected by severe bumps caused by the shave of their beard, also called pseudo folliculitis barbae. If a person will not be employed, hired or trained by an organization because it has a no-beard policy, that might constitute discrimination. An exception to the facial hair ban may concern the kind of job or business, such as in the catering industry or food-related jobs.
If you face employment discrimination in any way, make sure you contact reliable legal assistance in the Ohio area. An attorney may guide you on how to follow up with human resources and how to defend yourself to your employer. Additionally, an attorney may help you understand what constitutes discrimination or a toxic work environment that you should leave.
]]>If you believe that your loved one’s was a wrongful death, you might have grounds for a lawsuit. In order to file a wrongful death claim, the surviving spouse or children of the deceased person must prove the following:
Deaths, especially unexpected ones, tend to leave both emotional and financial hardship on a family. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit and winning the case might be able to provide some relief for the family and loved ones involved.
These damages have to be measurable. For example, if the person who died was the breadwinner, you’d measure the loss in their salary. You can also use things like medical debt for treatment before the debt, cost of therapy for survivors and other expenses to establish a measure of impact on the family.
There are several different factors that might lead to a wrongful death. Automobile accidents are a common cause due to drivers under the influence, drivers texting and driving, etc. Work-related accidents and medical malpractice are other top causes of such deaths. Any other unlawful acts that lead to the person’s death might qualify it as a wrongful death.
The process might change depending on the exact case, but your family should be prepared with evidence of damages to file the lawsuit. An experienced attorney may help you gather documentation and submit your claim.
]]>Injured passengers should gather as much information as they can directly after an MVA (motor vehicle accident). This means collecting information like the insurance information from all drivers involved in the crash, getting a copy of the accident report, and taking down any witness statements if they’re able to. They’ll need this information when filing their claim.
The next thing they’ll need to do is file their claim against the car insurance of the at-fault driver. Ohio is an at-fault car accident state. This means that whoever is responsible for causing an accident is responsible for compensating anyone injured as a result of that accident.
Passengers may also be able to file a claim against the medical payments (medpay) portion of a driver’s car insurance. Medpay insurance covers damages and medical expenses regardless of who is responsible for an accident. Medpay is an optional form of car insurance, so passengers need to make sure that drivers actually have the insurance before filing their claim. Medpay covers medical expenses like doctor visits, ambulance fees, professional nursing services, and hospital stays and visits.
What can people reach out to if they need help dealing with the aftermath of a car accident?
People who have been in a car accident have a lot of things going on, and they may be very confused as to what steps to take when it comes to getting help. They may benefit by working with attorneys who have experience dealing with MVAs and insurance claims.
One of the things police officers and attorneys will ask each driver is how many hits they felt during the accident. This is a tactic that is often used to determine fault in motor vehicle accidents. The reason that it is so effective is that even though everyone’s sequence of events will be different, they will likely remember how many times they felt a hit. For example, if the front driver felt multiple impacts, the fault is likely to be on the middle car.
Because multi-car collisions are so complex to figure out, accident reconstruction experts might be brought in. If the tactic above does not present a party at fault, the expert will provide their evidence to the court, thus providing the judge or jury the ability to determine liability.
Ohio and many other states have comparative negligence laws. This allows court or jury awards to the plaintiff to be reduced by the percentage that the plaintiff was at fault, as long as its responsibility was equal to or less than that of the other parties.
Multi-car accidents can be quite complex to navigate through. That is why having an attorney at your side is critical to receiving the compensation you deserve.
]]>Many people consider their wage or salary a private matter, though some of your colleagues may share theirs freely with you. Based on their disclosure, you may discover that your pay is lower than theirs. Yet, if you have the same job as your colleagues, there may be no disparities between your skills and responsibilities. Your employer, then, may be discriminating against you by paying you a lower wage or salary than them.
When you interact with your colleagues and supervisor, they may treat you in a hostile manner. They may make jokes about your identity if you belong to a protected class. Or, based on it, they may berate you when you work together. If these behaviors are pervasive and prevent you from doing your job, they likely meet the threshold of discrimination.
You may have ambitions to climb the ranks at your employer. Yet, when working toward a promotion, you may find yourself passed over for other candidates despite your qualifications. This may not be a sign of discrimination if it occurs once. But it could be a cause for concern if it occurs multiple times. If this happens, you will want to observe who your employer moves into the roles you seek. You may notice that only one type of person occupies them, or that no one who resembles you does. In these cases, your employer’s practices may qualify as discrimination.
If you are experiencing any form of discrimination at work, you must document evidence of it and report it to the appropriate person. Keep in mind, though, that your employer may fail to investigate your report or retaliate against you for making it. In these cases, you will want to file a complaint or take legal action. An attorney can help you determine what option makes sense in your situation.
]]>One of the biggest disadvantages of online learning is that it limits face-to-face instruction for students. Teachers can’t always check-in on each student and ensure they are understanding the material. For students with learning disabilities or who require special instruction, they may struggle to keep up.
Second, online learning requires students to be organized and self-motivated. For students who have HDHD or ADD, that can be difficult. They are more likely to pay attention while in in-person classes and teachers can more easily notice if they aren’t organized.
Students who learn through hands-on activities can’t replicate those as easily at home. Those who need to improve their communication skills won’t get the same opportunity to do that with online learning.
For those who are have autism or other special needs, they may have less access to working with teachers who have the training to help them. Special needs students also face an increased isolation from their peers and lack of social interaction with online learning. Their parents may have an increased pressure to help them, which can be difficult if their parents also are working at home or have other children.
Finally, teachers can’t appropriately assess students’ knowledge purely through online assessments. The chances for students cheating increase greatly, so many teachers give assessments knowing that students will access their notes and other sources.
If your child has been forced into online learning this year and isn’t benefiting, you may need to talk to their teachers and your school district about better ways to accommodate their learning. If you’ve done that and still feel online learning is falling short for your child, you may need to speak to an attorney. Your child has the right to receive quality instruction and have their individualized learning plan met. An attorney with experience advocating for special education rights may be able to help you get your child’s education needs addressed.
]]>And many students may not be able to rely on parents for the accommodations they might otherwise receive during a typical school year. Such can be the case for students who do not live at home and those with parents who are unavailable during school hours. And as a result, teens and college students can face unique difficulties when distance learning.
If you or your child is in high school or college, accessibility issues related to distance learning can derail academic performance.
A primary issue is technological limitations. Low-income students might be unable to afford the computers, printers and stable internet access necessary to participate fully in classes. And if a student would typically utilize assistive devices in school, like recorders, calculators and translators, they may not have access to those when they are away from school.
A lack of contact with support staff can also inhibit learning. At school, a student may have aides, tutors and other professionals to help them. Away from school, these resources may be less available and possibly less effective.
And it is not just the learning element of distance learning that can complicate life for students with additional academic needs. Being at home during school be distracting, isolating and stressful in ways that make it all but impossible for a young person to be active, productive participants in a class.
There are numerous things students can do to overcome these challenges, as articles like this one explain.
Students can reach out to teachers and support staff to communicate any concerns or obstacles they are facing. They can explore financial services that are in place to help low-income families secure the tools they need for school. They can do their schoolwork in a location away from home.
These solutions can be effective, but they all rely on the student to figure out what they need. When this is not possible, or these efforts are not sufficient, parties can explore the legal measures and resources that are in place to help students with accessibility needs get the education they deserve.
]]>If you are hoping to receive compensation through an insurance claim or lawsuit, then collecting evidence at the scene and proof of your injuries will help your case. Here are four steps you can take to build a paper trail:
Calling for emergency help can help in critical condition receive the medical attention they need as soon as possible. The police report can help your insurance company understand the details of the tragic event. Plus, police will also be able to talk to witnesses if you are too injured to do so.
It’s essential to ask for contact and insurance information from the other party involved. Finding proof that someone else caused the accident is impossible to do if you don’t have at least a name or license plate number — the more details the better. Speaking of fault, when you are at still at the scene, you shouldn’t apologize or say your actions caused the collision.
Since an insurance adjuster or judge isn’t a witness of the accident, you can paint a picture by providing literal photos of the scene, the damage to each vehicle and your injuries. You can also jot down your own notes about what happened at the scene or immediately after the crash, while it’s fresh on your mind. This can help you keep the information you supply while seeking compensation consistent.
Written statements and photos of the accident are important. But putting actual prices to the injuries and damage done will help you get proper compensation. This includes keeping tabs of all accident-related medical bills and retrieving car repair estimates.
Essentially, if you are suffering because of someone else’s mistakes, then you should try and gather as much evidence of the scene as you can.
]]>