Category: Employment Law

Should I Continue to Work at My Job After Whistleblowing?

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The Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Assist and Protect Whistleblowers.

A whistleblower is someone who works within a private sector or government organization and reveals abuses of power and other bad behaviors done by their employer that betray the public’s trust. The information they share can be revealed internally or disclosed to Congress, other government channels, law enforcement, and/or the public. But since whistleblowers run the risk of facing repercussions from their employers, should they continue working after speaking out?

The Aftermath of Whistleblowing

Being a whistleblower can be stressful, even when the person has good intentions. It is often portrayed as a heroic action, if you consider the individuals who pulled back the curtain on Enron, released the Pentagon Papers, or shed light on the tobacco industry. The public might view them as heroes, but the truth is that a whistleblower’s career can change forever.

Even though the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 was passed, approximately 30 percent of government workers claim they worry about retaliation for reporting wrongdoing. Since the government can have more oversight, it makes sense that private-sector whistleblowers worry even more in this respect. It has been reported that as much as 44 percent of these employees have experienced instances of retaliation.

What is the Whistleblowing Process Like?

You do not have to be working at the company that is the focus of the whistleblowing action, but if were taking part in the alleged illegal behavior you can consult a whistleblower attorney about how to handle it. All of the information will be kept confidential, and your identity will stay anonymous unless you decide to grant permission to provide your name.

Here are some of the programs in the U.S. that whistleblowers can pursue cases through:

  • The False Claims Act (FCA)
  • SEC Whistleblower Program
  • IRS Whistleblower Program
  • Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)

Claims can be filed under more than one of these, and there are statutes of limitations that apply. You must work with an attorney to file a case under the FCA, and using one for the SEC and CFTC will let you file anonymously. In any case, having an experienced lawyer may help facilitate your claim and increase the chances of success.

A successful case that leads to the recovery of fraudulently gained funds is a good thing, as the whistleblower can receive a percentage of the amount of money recovered as a reward. This can range from 10 to 30 percent, but every case is different.

Can I Keep Working After Whistleblowing?

If you work with an attorney, your identity will remain confidential throughout most of the process unless you grant permission to share your name. Federal law protects you from being retaliated against at work after reporting illegal company actions to the government. This means that you cannot be subjected to adverse employment decisions like demotions or firings based on what you did to expose the illegal conduct. If the employer does retaliate, you could be entitled to additional damages in a subsequent employment lawsuit.

There are also state laws that protect public employees from that kind of retaliation, but these might not apply to your situation. The amount of protection will receive depends on if the company is private, public, or a government entity, who your report the wrongdoing to, they kind of wrongdoing, and the applicable laws. The option of returning to work may be viable or then again, it may not.

If you are thinking about whistleblowing, you are taking on the risk of being suspended, demoted, transferred, fired, or facing other kinds of retaliation. That is why it is important to consult with an experienced employment lawyer before filing the claim – this way, an experienced professional who has your best interests in mind can guide you through the process.

The Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Assist and Protect Whistleblowers

It takes courage to become a whistleblower, and trusted legal guidance to help you make your claim. For a confidential consultation, contact the skilled Philadelphia employment lawyers from Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Reach out by calling 215-574-0600 or completing our online form. From our office in Philadelphia, we proudly serve clients throughout South Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Do Women Over 50 Face More Employment Discrimination?

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Whether searching for employment, aiming for a promotion, or simply trying to hold on to their current position, older women face extra challenges in the workplace. They face the dual threat of age and gender discrimination, which often hinders their chances of success.

Despite often having ample experience and qualifications, many sexist biases against women follow them while working during their older years. An employer’s preference for younger women at work could cause older women in the same workplace to experience gender and age discrimination. The compound discriminations could result in lower pay, fewer opportunities for advancement, and forced early retirement.

Age Discrimination Commonly Occurs in the Workplace

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) says 90 percent of workers surveyed in the United States say that age discrimination commonly happens at their place of work. A majority of women and men alike say that they experienced age discrimination while working.

Women are slightly more likely than men to say they experienced age discrimination at work. The AARP says 64 percent of women and 59 percent of men surveyed said that they experienced age discrimination.

While a vast majority of all workers say age discrimination occurs, very few file complaints. The AARP says only three percent of those surveyed said they filed a formal discrimination complaint.

What to Do if You Experience Workplace Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says any age-based discrimination is illegal. The federal employment oversight agency investigates complaints filed by anyone age 40 or older.

If you have good reason to think you were passed over for a hiring opportunity, promotion, or other work-related matter due to your age, you could file a complaint with the EEOC. The EEOC will investigate a complaint and determine whether or not it has merit. When an age discrimination complaint has merit, you can then file a civil action in federal court.

An experienced business lawyer can help you to prepare an EEOC complaint and support it with evidence. The federal agency will have up to six months to investigate your claim and either approve or deny it. An approval enables you to move forward with a lawsuit against the discriminatory employer. That is true in the state court system, too.

Possible State-Level Action in Pennsylvania

Your attorney also can help with state-level filings that might enable you to file a civil complaint in the Pennsylvania court system. Pennsylvania law outlaws age discrimination and other forms of workplace discrimination.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) investigates discrimination complaints. If it says your complaint has merit, you could pursue legal action in the state courts.

You do not have to file complaints with the EEOC and the PHRC. The federal and state agencies accept the decision of the other regarding workplace discrimination investigations. If you file with the PHRC and it says your complaint has merit, you can file a federal action as well as a state action.

Philadelphia Business Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Defend Workers’ Rights

If you were discriminated against at work, contact the experienced Philadelphia business lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green today. Fill out our online form or call 215-574-0600 to schedule an initial consultation at our Philadelphia law office. We represent clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

What Happens if You Are Found in Breach of Contract?

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Help Parties Who Face Contractual Difficulties.

In an ideal contract situation, both parties would uphold their side of the agreement, both sides would obtain what was agreed upon, and no issues would come up. However, it can be difficult to maintain a contract, even when both parties want to. Unexpected situations can present themselves without warning, and disputes could arise causing delays. This could sometimes lead to a breach of contract.

A breach of contract happens when a party of a legal binding agreement does not honor their side of the contract, either by not performing an action outlined in the contract, whether it is not performed on time, not performed in accordance with the agreement, or not performed at all. There are three distinct ways a party can breach a contract, depending on the agreement’s subject matter:

  • Either partially or fully not performing the obligations set forth in the contract. This is known as an actual breach of contract.
  • Behaving in a way that shows intent to not perform the obligations set forth in the contract. This is otherwise known as a renunciatory or anticipatory breach.
  • Acting in a way that makes the obligations defined in the contract impossible to perform. This can also be known as a renunciatory breach.

Breaching a contract can have serious consequences. When a breach of contract occurs, the breaching party must pay damages to the aggrieved party. It typically can have significant financial consequences, such as:

  • Lost income
  • Lost profits
  • Increased rental costs
  • Lost rental income
  • Increased labor costs
  • Increase material costs

The nature of the breach typically determines how to remedy the breach. A minor breach, whereas the contract itself is not entirely violated and can still be performed in a certain manner, can often be remedied quickly because a minor breach is when one party fails to perform a small detail of the agreement. The contract typically allows a party a certain amount of time to fix the mistake.

A material breach, also known as a fundamental breach, is such an egregious error that it cancels the contract, and the nonbreaching party no longer must uphold their end of the contract and has the right to file a lawsuit. The contract will typically have the options to remedy the breach, either through mediation or arbitration before filing a lawsuit.

Pennsylvania law allows for damages to be recovered when a contract is breached, but it must total a sum that compensates the aggrieved party for their losses. The nonbreaching party must present evidence, however, that the damages they incurred were reasonably foreseeable at the time the contract was entered and reasonably certain in terms of calculations:

  • Reasonably foreseeable: The damages recovered for the nonbreaching party must be a direct result of the contract breach and reasonably foreseeable at the time the parties agreed in the contract.
  • Reasonably certain calculations: The nonbreaching party has the burden of proving the calculations of their damages by a fair degree of probability. It does not have to be exact, and the jury is forbidden to speculate the amounts. The amount should put the nonbreaching party in or as nearly in the same position they would have been if the contract had not been breached. If the damages cannot be calculated with certainty, then the nonbreaching party is entitled to damages made during or in anticipation of the performance of the contract.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Help Parties Who Face Contractual Difficulties

If you believe you are in breach of contract, or are facing contractual difficulties, then contact the knowledgeable Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. immediately. Call us today at 215-574-0600 or fill out our online form to schedule an initial consultation. With our offices located in Philadelphia, we proudly serve all clients of South Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Does My NDA Prevent Me From Calling out Sexual Harassment?

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Help Parties Who Face Contractual Difficulties.

Non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, are a common component of employment contracts in today’s workplace. They are used to prevent employees from disclosing trade secrets and confidential company information, but do NDAs apply to sexual harassment complaints and other civil rights matters? The answer is complex and depends largely on the terms of your employment.

We will explore this issue and recommend next steps to protect your rights and your interests if you experience sexual harassment at work.

NDAs as a Tool to Keep Employees Quiet About Workplace Harassment

It makes sense that companies want to keep trade secrets under wraps. If inside company information gets out, it could seriously impact their bottom line. But is it fair to expect employees to keep the details of a sexual harassment complaint confidential?

It may not seem fair, but it is possible. Your right to speak out depends on the confidentiality agreement you sign when you take a job or settle a harassment case.

An Example of an NDA in a Settlement Agreement

Let us take the example of a male worker who files a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor who repeatedly asks him out on a date—while he repeatedly declines the offer.

His boss even promises him a raise if he consents to a romantic relationship with her. When he declines again, she gives the job to another employee with less skills and experience. This scenario has all of the components of a valid sexual harassment case.

After finally having enough, he reports his supervisor. With texts and emails to support his claims, the employer has no choice but to act. To avoid litigation, the company negotiates a settlement with the employee. They agree to compensate the employee with a caveat—he must agree not to disclose the amount of the settlement or the details of the allegations.

If the employee violates this provision, the employer can sue them in civil court. However, because lawsuits are public record, they may refrain from enforcing an NDA to keep the case as quiet as possible.

There are other ways to discourage an employee from speaking out. Some settlement agreements contain a provision that states they can stop paying the employee if that employee discloses privileged information. Other settlement agreements have a “liquidated damages” clause that requires an employee who violates an NDA to pay the company a specific amount of money.

Why Are NDAs Problematic in Sexual Harassment Cases?

Of course, employers do not want the public to find out about sexual harassment and other civil rights violations that occur in the workplace. But when we are quiet about these pervasive issues, they are more likely to continue.

As we have seen with the recent “Me Too” movement, shedding light on the problem is the key to awareness and prevention of sexual harassment. Everyone deserves a safe, equitable, and inclusive work environment.

Bill 849: Disclosing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act

NDAs that prevent individuals from speaking out about harassment may be a thing of the past in Pennsylvania if House Bill 849 is approved. The bill, which has been referred to the state senate’s Labor and Industry committee for approval, would ban NDAs related to sexual harassment as a requirement for employment—unless it was agreed to by both parties.

Federally, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in September unanimously approved the Speak Out Act, a bill that invalidates NDAs specifically designed to prevent employees from publicly disclosing instances of workplace sexual harassment or assault in order to prevent future harm to others. Similar state bills have already been passed in New York, New Jersey, California, and Illinois.

Currently in Pennsylvania, your NDA precludes you from sharing your experience, you can face possible legal action, damages, or a smaller settlement if you do. It is best to have your Philadelphia employment lawyer review any employment contract, non-disclosure agreement, or settlement agreement before you sign. This way, you are fully-informed of your rights and obligations at all times.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, P.C., Are Committed to Protecting Clients’ Civil Rights

If you have experienced sexual harassment or other forms of discrimination at your job, the skilled Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, P.C. can help. Established in 1958, we have a proven track record of success achieving good outcomes for our clients. Call 215-574-0600 or contact the firm online to schedule a consultation today. Located in Philadelphia, we serve all of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Is There a Transgender Wage Gap?

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff Pincus & Green Fight Workplace Discrimination.

Transgender workers earn nearly a third less than their cisgender coworkers, despite having similar levels of education and experience, a recent study shows.

The United States has more than 2 million workers who identify as transgender, so earning less impacts a significant number of working adults. Researchers with McKinsey & Company in 2021 reported transgender workers receive 32 percent less in pay than those who are doing the same job and are equally qualified.

The lack of equal pay is a serious problem for many transgender employees and may violate respective state or federal laws against discrimination.

Wide Pay Disparity for Transgender Workers

Virtually all workers who comprise the LGBTQ+ community say they are paid significantly less than their equally qualified and experienced counterparts. A recent study done by the HRC Foundation shows they are paid about 10 percent less than other workers, on average.

While 10 percent is a significant amount, it is much less than the 32 percent pay discrepancy among transgender workers. The disparity suggests transgender employees are among the least valued and lowest-paid workers regardless of their experience, education, and qualifications.

Majority of Transgender Employees Feel Excluded

The McKinsey report says more than half of transgender employees say they are not comfortable while at work. Many say they stay silent during work meetings and generally avoid socializing with coworkers.

The relative isolation of transgender employees makes it much harder for them to contest pay disparities orto simply feel included and respected while at work. Self-isolation will not help, but that often is a symptom of the workplace discrimination that occurs against transgender employees.

A lot of transgender employees say they do not feel as supported by employers as other employees. When they get paid nearly a third less than their equally qualified and experienced counterparts, the income disparity contributes to the feeling of alienation and a lack of support.

Pay Disparity Contributes to Transgender Poverty Levels

A darker side of the apparent pay disparity is its economic effect on transgender employees. Transgender people in general suffer high rates of poverty with about 22 percent living at or below the federal poverty level.

When paid almost a third less than others with similar experience and qualifications, the potential for impoverishment becomes much greater. Fortunately, you can fight pay discrimination and enforce your equal rights as a transgender employee when you retain an experienced employment attorney.

How to Fight Pay Discrimination?

Federal and many state laws say it is a type of sex discrimination to pay someone less due to gender identity. Pennsylvania and New Jersey laws ban discrimination based on gender identity, including lower rates of pay.

If you identify as transgender and are receiving less pay than your counterparts, you should retain an experienced employment lawyer to help uphold your rights. Your attorney can review your situation and help you to build a strong case that shows your employer is discriminating against you based on your gender identity.

There are steps that you must complete before a federal or state-level lawsuit could be filed. Those include filing a discrimination complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

When the commission affirms discrimination has occurred, employees can file lawsuits against their employers or other offending parties.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff Pincus & Green Fight Workplace Discrimination

If you are experiencing workplace discrimination of any kind, the Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff Pincus & Green can help to uphold your rights. You can call 215-574-0600 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation at our Philadelphia law office. We represent clients who throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

How Often Do Business Contracts Need to Be Updated?

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Protect Clients and their Business Contracts.

The use of contracts is standard and necessary practice among most businesses. When businesses allow lawyers handle major aspects of a company’s contracting process, or there is a contract management team to oversee the business portfolio, oversights that could have become problematic for businesses can be avoided.

Managing business contracts can be more complicated that many realize. It is easy for finer details to slip through the cracks when circumstances change without the contract being appropriately adjusted. When running a business or working on a specific project, it is essential to keep business contracts clear, up-to-date, and understood by all parties involved.

What Types of Business Contracts Need to Be Updated?

There are many kinds of agreements that businesses rely on to keep operations and projects running smoothly. Some types of business contracts that should be updated regularly include:

  • Buy-and-sell contracts
  • Client or customer agreements
  • Commercial leases and real estate contracts
  • Employment agreements
  • Equipment leases
  • Financial agreements, including loan documents
  • Non-compete agreements.
  • Non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements
  • Privacy policies
  • Service provider or supplier agreements
  • Shareholder or partnership agreements
  • Software licenses
  • Terms of use contracts
  • Website contracts

Why Should Business Contracts Be Regularly Updated?

Even when business contracts and related agreements are drafted by a lawyer, they still to remain living, breathing documents. A document that gets written for a business today may not always be the document needed tomorrow, as neither business nor laws are stagnant. The terms and conditions of a business contract need to evolve and vary with the growth and development of the company.

When renewing a company’s terms and conditions in a business contract, consideration should be given to the following:

  • Any verbal arrangements in place
  • Implied terms of the contract
  • Regulation and legislation with regard to provision of services and compulsory disclosures to customers
  • Industry practices and professional best practice rules
  • Company policies

It is crucial for businesses to review and renew their contracts regularly to ensure that terms and conditions reflect a company’s current operational feasibility, business arrangements with customers, and regulatory standards in place for businesses.

Terms and conditions of contracts enhance businesses and provide legal protections should any problems arise. There are several reasons companies should continuously update their business contracts, including the following:

  • Keeps company compliant with laws and regulations
  • Minimizes and manages dispute risk
  • Provides alternative methods to mitigate litigation risk, such as arbitration or mediation dispute resolution
  • Protects company’s intellectual property
  • Limits company’s liability and reputational risk
  • Sets expectations, securing a valuable working relationship

How Often Should Business Contracts be Updated?

How often certain contracts should be reviewed and updated can vary depending on the nature and scope of each agreement. The following is a general guideline as to when to update different kinds of business contracts:

  • Every two years: Not many business documents only need to be updated occasionally, but there are a few. Company contracts, such as operating agreements and other general records, usually fall into this category. Certain situations may necessitate a specific review prior to the two-year mark, such as the departure of a partner or change in ownership.
  • Annually: The general rule is, that when in doubt as to when a business contract should be reviewed or updated, the safest practice is once a year. Multiple agreements have one-year terms, including leases, licensing contracts, non-disclosure, or confidentiality agreements.
  • Biannually: Some contracts need to be reviewed more frequently than the most common one-year mark. Financing and professional service agreements warrant additional oversight to ensure the company is on track to fulfill all obligations. Professional services contracts can often involve substantial fee agreements with accountants or attorneys, so companies should check that they are getting an appropriate value.
  • Quarterly: the increased frequency of quarterly contract reviews can catch matters that could lead to bigger issues. Quarterly assessments can also be necessary for budgeting and reporting purposes like payroll and tax matters.
  • Monthly: Some business contracts are simply of a short duration, of an extremely high value, or with relatively unreliable partners. These types of contracts require diligent oversight and frequent communication.

All updates to business contracts should be discussed, agreed upon, and signed by every involved party. Hiring a knowledgeable Philadelphia employment lawyer can help your business avoid serious problems like breach of contract. Having a skilled employment lawyer by your side can ultimately save you time and money, a civil lawsuit, and the reputation of your company.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Protect Clients and their Business Contracts

Reach out to one of our accomplished Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green for all your legal business needs. Call us today at 215-574-0600 or contact us online for a free consultation. From our office in Philadelphia, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Are Algorithms Not Showing Equal Job Opportunities to Men and Women?

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The Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, P.C. Fight Against Sex and Gender Discrimination in Employment.

The days of searching the newspaper classifieds for open positions are long gone: potential employees now use sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, Craigslist, and various social media platforms. But each one of the online job sites and social media sites are controlled by artificial intelligence-based algorithms. These algorithms ultimately control the specific jobs you will see when doing a search. There has been a question as to whether the algorithms are changing the results of job queries based upon the searcher’s gender. A new study by the University of Melbourne has shed some light on this real phenomenon in a report titled “Ethical Implications of AI Bias as a Result of Workforce Gender Imbalance.”

Women Are Not Being Shown Certain Job Ads and Listings

The data found in the study indicate that when job seekers use job sites and perform search queries, specific jobs will not be shown to job seekers who have identified as female. When male and female candidates perform the same job search query, specific high-paying jobs are shown to the male candidates but not the female candidates, even though the candidates have the same or similar qualifications.

This problem is most prevalent in high-paying technical jobs that have traditionally been male-dominated, which is believed to be one of the causes of biased AI algorithms. This can skew search results for women when they are performing searches for open positions in these industries.

Gender Bias in Algorithms Are Attributable to Humans

The gender bias that is found in AI algorithms are not caused by the algorithms themselves, but the gender bias that humans already have. Our own bias in encoded into the system due to the various datasets that the algorithms use. The University of Melbourne study found that human recruiters, on average, consistently rank female candidates lower in qualifications for finance jobs, technical jobs, and data analyst positions. The rankings were not even close to financial industry positions where female candidates were ranked four places lower than male candidates, even though each candidate presented with essentially the same qualifications on their resumes.

Surprisingly, the study also found that there was minimal difference in the rankings of candidates between male and female recruiters. So, it did not matter if the recruiter was male or female, they all consistently ranked women candidates lower than male candidates for jobs in certain industries.

The Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, P.C. Fight Against Sex and Gender Discrimination in Employment

If you believe you have experienced discrimination in the workplace or in hiring practices, you need to contact a knowledgeable and skilled employment law attorney to get your questions answered. Our Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, P.C. have decades of experience in successfully fighting for the rights of women and other protected classes that suffer from employment discrimination. Call us at 215-574-0600 or contact us online to schedule a consultation at our Philadelphia law office. We represent clients in South Jersey and throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

How to Fight a Racist Work Environment?

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Represent Clients Experiencing Racial Discrimination and Equality at Work.

Racial discrimination is an ongoing global issue affecting every area of life, including the workplace. The problem of workplace racism can be addressed if corporate leaders commit to identifying and correcting racial discrimination within the policies, processes, leadership, and staff, among other avenues. As organizations are making conscious efforts to improve diversity, equality, and inclusion, eliminating racism is a crucial starting point.

What Does Racism Look Like in the Workplace?

Racism in any environment can take many forms, including in the workplace, but some overall examples of workplace racism include:

  • Direct: Racial discrimination directly at one individual specifically due to their race, resulting in unfair treatment, demoted or denied promotions, not being allowed to interface directly with clients, and more.
  • Indirect: Racial discrimination through the employer’s policies or decisions that put individuals of a particular race at a disadvantage, specifically due to their race. Discrimination in those form could be policies such as a ban on certain types of headwear or hairstyles that directly affect employees of certain races.
  • Harassment: Derogatory comments, insults, threats of physical harm or employment consequences, and any other comments and behavior directed at a worker due to their race, creating a hostile work environment. This can be on behalf of the employer, supervisors, managers, coworkers or clients and frequently disrupts the targeted employee’s ability to successfully complete their work tasks.
  • Retaliation: Unfair or hostile treatment, demotion or denial of promotion, or unlawful termination in retaliation for submitting a race-related complaint or violation against an employer, coworkers, supervisors, or others.
  • Discipline: Non-white races of workers receiving more rules or more frequent or increased disciplinary actions, and scrutiny or criticism than their white counterparts.

What Are Some Ways to Combat Racism in the Workplace?

Excellence in leadership cannot be accomplished without proactively addressing racism in the workplace. Addressing diversity, equality, and inclusion can be complex and challenging, but must be handled properly and swiftly.

Tackling racism in the workplace benefits not only workers of any race, but business owners and businesses in general. Institutionalized racism is intertwined into organizations, processes, and systems that today that require ethical businesses to scrutinize and ultimately make true and positive changes. Actions toward eliminating racism in the workplace include:

  • Analyze and gather data: To begin making changes, businesses first need to investigate, analyze, and understand the forms of racism prevalent in the workplace and to the ethnicities disproportionally affected. Such diversity data should include the ethnicity of disciplined workers, ethnic make-up of teams at every level of seniority, and the pay gaps of different ethnicities and genders.
  • Be accountable: Approach racism with a commitment toward making positive change, which includes business owners and leaders holding themselves accountable and transparent, and conveying that to staff.
  • Examine processes: Revisit policies and processes regularly, and especially following a racist incident and what aspects of the culture permitted the incident. For many businesses, recruitment and line management tend to have discrimination and bias aspects, conscious or unconscious, that can be corrected, along with management education on unconscious bias.
  • Educate and train: Educating and training all staff members to understand and recognize racism is crucial to the success of removing it from the workplace and processes. Management teams must understand and apply equality, diversity, and inclusion in their everyday experiences and be able to educate and tackle racism within their teams.
  • Study systemic racism: Racist incidents at work often fall on the shoulders of the employee blamed. However, culpability typically falls on others within the business or the business itself, such as what policies or processes allowed the incident to happen in the first place. Racism in the workplace should be viewed as a symptom of the systems in place, and therefore change the systems.
  • Query the staff: One of the best methods of understanding what forms of racism exist in the workplace is to listen to the groups who are experiencing discrimination, do not disregard complaints, and ask employees how they can be better supported.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Represent Clients Experiencing Racial Discrimination and Equality at Work

If you are experiencing racial discrimination in your place of employment, our knowledgeable and experienced Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. will help you fight for the equality you deserve and hold your employer accountable for the incidents of racism. Call us at 215-574-0600 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation. We are located in Philadelphia and serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Can An Employer Force Me To Take A Drug Test To Apply for A Job?

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Help Applicants and Employees Who are Treated Unjustly.

Applying and interviewing for a job can be a harrowing process, but before you are hired you may be asked to complete another task: taking a drug test. While an applicant may accept the possibility that employers may choose to do this, but is the process actually legal?

Are There Federal and State Drug Testing Laws?

When it comes to federal laws, there are few limits for employer drug testing. Unless the company works in a safety-centric industry like commercial truck and transport drivers, the Department of Defense, aviation, NASA contractors or transportation, federal laws do not require or prohibit drug tests. This is the province of state and local laws, and many do have ones that regulate or restrict employers’ rights to require the testing.

Pennsylvania does not have any laws that apply to drug testing for private employers unless it violates other laws. Drug testing is not usually illegal, whether it is done pre-employment, if there is reasonable suspicion that an employee is under the influence, for other mitigating circumstances, or when it is done at random. The testing may be done through blood, hair, or urine samples, and there are no regulations as to the kinds of substances that can be tested for.

In Philadelphia, a new city ordinance prohibiting pre-employment marijuana drug testing took effect earlier this year. Under the ordinance, employers, labor organizations, employment agencies, or related agents can no longer legally require prospective employees to submit to pre-employment marijuana-screening as a condition of employment. The same does not apply to current employees, however, nor prohibits the employer from disciplinary actions for employees in the possession, or under the influence, of marijuana during work hours.

Employment positions that have a direct impact on the health and safety of others are exempt from Philadelphia’s ban on pre-employment marijuana screening, including:

  • Law enforcement officers and positions
  • Employment positions requiring commercial driver’s licenses
  • Job positions requiring supervision of medical patients, disabled, children, or other vulnerable individuals

The city ordinance further states that employers must continue pre-employment marijuana screening if required by a federal or state regulation, statute, or order, a federal contract requirement, or if specified as part of a valid collective bargaining agreement.

What if My Drug Test Was Illegal?

Even though the state does not limit workplace drug testing, employees may still have recourse if they feel that a test was illegal. One reason to support this theory could be disability discrimination. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ACA), applicants and employees who are taking medications for disabilities may be exempt from positive results: some drugs that are illegal when not legitimately prescribed by a physician may be necessary for disabled individuals. If an applicant’s medication was legally prescribed for their disability and the employer turned them down for a positive drug test, that company might be held liable. This does not apply if the drug in question is marijuana.

Another reason to claim that an employer carried out illegal drug testing is defamation. This could occur if the result was a false positive and the employer acted in bad faith, and was aware/should have been aware that the test results were wrong. Invasion of privacy another possible claim; this can happen when employers violate an applicant’s or employee’s privacy by conducting the test in inappropriate or embarrassing circumstances, like having to provide a sample in front of other workers.

Applicants and employees who believe they were singled out for drug testing can also challenge potential and current employers for discrimination. Companies cannot single out specific groups of employees (by gender, race, religion, age, and other protected categories) for drug testing, and doing so could lead to a discrimination claim.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Help Applicants and Employees Who are Treated Unjustly

If you think that an employer has treated you unfairly with a drug test, our experienced Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. may be able to help. For a confidential consultation, complete our online form or call us at 215-574-0600. We are located in Philadelphia and serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Uphold Worker Rights.

Many people think of sexual harassment as occurring between a man and a woman. HR departments most frequently hear reports of sexual harassment caused by males.

Many instances of same-sex sexual harassment also occur. The instances generally are less frequent, but are just as harmful as opposite-sex sexual harassment. Job providers also are just as liable when it occurs.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws against workplace sexual harassment. Victims of workplace sexual harassment could file complaints that the EEOC will review. When harassment is confirmed, the victim can file a federal lawsuit against the employer and anyone involved in the harassment.

Common Reasons for Same-Sex Harassment

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 defines sexual harassment as unwelcome behaviors or actions that are sexual in nature and create a hostile work environment. It also is illegal to demand sexual favors in exchange for employment or job assignments.

Sexual harassment is not necessarily done to obtain sexual favors. Harassers often do it to intimidate the target and cause that person to be distressed. Same-sex harassment is no different.

Many times, the harassment is done to:

  • Coerce and threaten an individual
  • Degrade and demean someone
  • Make the target quit a job

A single incident does not automatically qualify as sexual harassment. An offensive comment or general teasing does not amount to sexual harassment, but it likely would violate workplace rules.

The activity rises to the level of sexual harassment when it is done to obtain sexual favors or creates a hostile work environment. Seeking sexual favors is a fairly simple concept, but a hostile work environment is more complicated.

A harasser could create a hostile work environment in many ways.

The individual might tell offensive jokes of a sexual nature or make generally offensive comments about your appearance. The harasser might circulate pornographic content or partially or fully nude photos.

Even ridiculing a person for not conforming to an expected standard of behavior could qualify as sexual harassment. For example, a male coworker might continually refer to another male as a “girl” or use degrading terms based on that person’s perceived sexual preferences.

No matter the reason, when sexual harassment occurs, your employer is responsible for putting an end to it.

Reporting Same-Sex Sexual Harassment and Other Offenses

If you are subject to sexual harassment from the same sex or anyone else, your employer is responsible for correcting the matter. You should be able to report the problem to your supervisor and investigate the matter.

If your supervisor is the cause of the harassment, someone with authority over that individual should correct the problem. That person might be the owner or another highly placed individual.

At all times, your employer is responsible for maintaining a safe work environment. When sexual harassment of any sort creates a hostile work environment, ignoring it or retaliating against a worker for reporting the problem is against the law.

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Uphold Worker Rights

Victims of sexual harassment from the same sex or anyone else can get help from our experienced Philadelphia employment lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green P.C. Call us at 215-574-0600 or contact us online to schedule a consultation at our Philadelphia law office. We represent clients in South Jersey and throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.