By Kyla J. Miller and Tracy M. Billows

Seyfarth Synopsis: The 4th Circuit rejected a punitive damages award won by a male AutoZone worker who accused the Company of blatantly ignoring complaints of sexual harassment by his female co-worker, finding that managers who failed to act on his complaint, without proof of intentional conduct, did not warrant a punitive
Continue Reading Punitives Are Meant to Punish: So What Happens When Management Watches & Ignores Complaints of Female-on-Male Sexual Harassment?

By Kyla J. Miller and Tracy M. Billows

Seyfarth Synopsis: The Illinois Senate unanimously passed an all-encompassing sexual harassment bill, which hits all of the big ticket workplace sexual harassment hot topics, including imposing sexual harassment training and extensive reporting requirements, bans on non-disclosure agreements, arbitration clauses and non-disparagement clauses, and hefty penalties for non- compliance. Whether the House will
Continue Reading #MeToo on the Move: Illinois Responds as Senate’s Sweeping Sexual Harassment Bill Gains Traction

By Kevin Green and Jesse Coleman

Seyfarth Synopsis:  A recent editorial authored by two female doctors in the Canadian Medical Association Journal proclaims that, “in the era of #MeToo, it is time for physicians to acknowledge that the medical profession is not immune to bullying, harassment and discrimination, and act to abolish these behaviours.”  #MeToo and the Medical Profession
Continue Reading #MeToo Confronts Health Care

By Kyla Miller, Megan P. Toth, and Erin Dougherty Foley

Seyfarth Synopsis: Gone are the days where sexual harassment training will be enough. It’s time to shift the workplace focus from just ticking a box (i.e., training complete) to creating a culture where harassment (or discrimination) of any kind is truly not tolerated.  Promptly and effectively responding
Continue Reading Preventing #MeToo in the Workplace: How Employers Talk the Talk And Walk the Walk

Seyfarth Synopsis:  Over the next few weeks, we’re going to weigh in on the growing national debate around the recent wave of sexual harassment allegations.  To date, no one seems immune from the allegations: celebrities, politicians, presidents. See for instance Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2017 issue. We hope this dialogue will empower employees and employers, alike, to speak
Continue Reading Will the “Spirits” of the Holiday Haunt You? (Not Just Your Obligatory “Holiday Party” Blog Post)