Sexual Harassment

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President Biden recently signed the Speak Out Act, the latest in a set of bills focusing on workplace sexual harassment and sexual assault. According to the legislative findings of the Act, 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment or sexual assault throughout their lifetime, one in three…

The #Metoo movement and high profile sexual harassment allegations involving prominent Americans has influenced provisions of the new tax reform law.  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed by President Trump on December 20, 2017, limits the deductibility settlements paid on sexual harassment claims where the settlement agreement contains nondisclosure provisions.  Section 13307 of the…

Another legislative session ended with few changes affecting Texas employers on the labor and employment law front.  One bill that did become law is one that prohibits the sexual harassment of unpaid interns.  The law creates an offense if the employer’s agents or supervisors know or should have knowledge of conduct constituting sexual harassment was…

I have already written about the Herman Cain story and won’t opine further on it here except to say, I have no idea who is telling the truth in the he-said-she-said (and she-said; and she said) story.  The headlines do remind me about what little rights the accused harasser has when, as Herman Cain claims, a false complaint of harassment has been made.   And before you start sending me the hate mail over this HSO, read the remainder of this post.Continue Reading What Rights Does the Accused Have in Response to a False Harassment Complaint?

The Fifth Circuit held today that a spouse of a successful Title VII plaintiff cannot maintain a legal claim for loss of consortium (i.e., loss of spousal services) under state and federal law.  In Barker, Tracey Barker was a civilian worker employed by Halliburton (aka KBR).  She claimed she was subjected to sexual harassment, retaliation and…