Legal Information » Employment Law

Chick-fil-A Cashier Fired For Using Offensive Names

Michele — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:50:41 +0000

Irvine, CA –A Chick-fil-A restaurant cashier was fired because she put offensive names on two Asian customer’s receipts instead of taking down their names. The incident occurred at the restaurant at UC Irvine. The cashier wrote “Ching” and “Chong” as the names on the customer’s orders. The incident was reported by the customers to the management and the employee was terminated. Chick-fil-A said that the employee made a mistake and it was bad judgement on her part. Chick-fil-A has been criticized lately about being anti gay and this just adds fuel to the fire. But, this was a mistake made by one employee and hopefully not a reflection on the company as a whole.

Man With Autism Wins Disability Discrimination Settlement

Michele — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 02:08:48 +0000

San Diego, CA — A San Diego hotel clerk with autism won a settlement from Comfort Suites regarding his disability discrimination lawsuit on Monday. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claimed that the clerk was denied a reasonable accommodation and was fired in 2008 due to his disability. Comfort Suites Mission Valley Hotel agreed to pay $132,500 to settle the suit. The clerk had worked at a different hotel previously and earned a positive review. When he was hired by Comfort Suites, he asked for a free job coach from the state to help him learn to master his job by using autism-specific training techniques. Comfort Suites did not allow him to have a job coach and later fired him. The EEOC filed suit on behalf of the clerk in September of 2010 in U.S. District Court in San Diego, alleging that the company violated the Americans With Disabilities Act. Tarsadia, the parent company of Comfort Suites, agreed to the monetary settlement and to revise its policies regarding workers with disabilities.

Two Teachers Are Overcome With Fumes At An Elementary School

Michele — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:16:12 +0000

Burbank, CA –Two teachers from Dunsmore Elementary School were overcome by chemical fumes that permeated their classrooms and are on medical leave. Kindergarten teacher Karen Nagao and kindergarten-first grade teacher Debbie Kramer have undergone numerous medical tests and will see a pulmonologist. On Sept. 20 the staff at the school smelled a foul odor on campus and maintenance workers determined it was a rotting animal under a set of cement stairs. The maintenance staff poured an industrial strength solution down the hole and the next day the fumes overwhelmed the classroom and seriously irritated the teachers’ eyes, throat, and sinuses. Students did not enter the classroom and were relocated to alternative classes. The teachers will remain on leave until they are cleared to return to work. If you have suffered a workplace injury and need legal help, please contact ilawyersource.com today.

Carbon-monoxide Leak Sickens 8 in Anaheim

Michele — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 02:56:51 +0000

ANAHEIM, CA – Employees were evacuated and eight were transported to the hospital when an apparent carbon-monoxide leak occurred at L&L Foods in Anaheim. Firefighters responded to a call at the 300 block of North Euclid Way after officials of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration discovered high readings of carbon monoxide. A hazardous-materials team was sent to investigate. None of the employees sent to the hospital were thought to have life threatening injuries. L&L Foods is a food processing plant.

If you are a loved one have suffered a work place injury contact a lawyer at ilawyersource.com.

Man Fired For Being Obese

Michele — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 01:43:14 +0000

Defense contractor BAE Systems is being sued by the U.S. government alleging that an employee was fired because he was morbidly obese which was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ronald Kratz II had worked for BAE manufacturing in Houston since 1994. Kratz who weighed over 600 pounds was fired in October 2009. Kratz says in the suit that the HR department told him he could no longer do his job as a material handler because of his weight and he was being terminated. They also told him he could not transfer to another position. Kratz said most of his job involved typing on a computer and he counted and wrapped parts for storage. He also drove a forklift. Kratz requested a seat belt extender for the forklift, but he never received one. Since he lost his job, Kratz has been on unemployment, but his benefits ran out a month ago. He has not been able to find another job. His wife is supporting him and his three daughters.

The EEOC became involved after Kratz filed a discrimination suit after he was fired. The EEOC is demanding back wages, other “affirmative relief necessary to eradicate the effects of the unlawful employment practices to which he was subjected,” compensatory damages for past and future losses from emotional pain and suffering, and punitive damages for BAE’s “malicious and/or reckless conduct.”

BAE Systems Inc. believes it acted lawfully in this matter and denies any wrongdoing.

Employees Work Under Extreme Conditions at Amazon Warehouse

Michele — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:25:19 +0000

At one of Amazon’s Pennsylvania shipping facilities, employees were working in 100 degree heat inside the warehouse. During one day in June, 15 employees collapsed in one day. Employees were experiencing symptoms of being lightheaded and unable to breath. Some employees said that paramedics were waiting in the parking lot.

Due to the tight job market, men and women are careful not to leave a job, and these employees were afraid of getting terminated if they complained. Employees working under these types of conditions should talk to an employment law attorney about their rights.

The holiday season is approaching which is one of Amazon’s busiest times of the year. During its peak day last year on Nov. 29, Amazon customers worldwide ordered more than 13.7 million items -– or 158 items per second. Pressure will be put on employees to work harder and faster. If you believe you are working under harsh conditions, get the advice of an attorney today.

Houston Overtime Lawyer

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:11:38 +0000

Are you an employee who is not being paid for overtime in Houston, Texas? You may need a Houston unpaid overtime lawyer to help you. Unpaid overtime is a growing problem and it makes up 5.7 per cent of the gross payroll among the 130 mid-to large-size companies that responded to a recent survey. While some choose to pay overtime premiums rather than increasing their workforce, they run into problems if they don’t take some basic steps, such as developing overtime policies that conform to relevant labour legislation.

Not paying overtime to employees is a terrible way to do business and cheat employees out of money that they deserve. Don’t let illegal employer tactics like this stop you from getting the money you deserve.

Executive Fired Over Hair Removal Product

Michele — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:47:31 +0000

Ex-executive Robert Spetner of an Australian company with U.S. headquarters in Garden Grove claims in a lawsuit that he was fired because he was a whistle blower.

While Spetner was president of a company that sells Nad’s hair removal products, he blew the whistle on more than 30,000 boxes of defective body strips. The faulty strips did not work, but they were still being sold to major retailers such as Walmart, Target, CVS, and Safeway.

Spetner sent a letter to the federal Food and Drug Administration and reported the company to the Attorney General.

The owners of the company, Sue Ismiel and daughters, refused a wholesale recall of the product, saying it would not cause any harm. They handled complaints on an individual basis.

Spetner, who pushed for a wholesale recall of the product, now is seeking $500,000 in damages.

The lawyer for Sue Ismiel, Eric Schneider, said Spetner was not fired for being a whistleblower, but for being insubordinate and for poor sales performance.

Former LAUSD Cop Convicted

Michele — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:11:54 +0000

Los Angeles — Jeff Stenroos was found guilty of four felonies –insurance fraud, workers’ compensation fraud, preparing false documentary evidence and planting false evidence on Monday. He was also found guilty of falsely reporting an emergency, a misdemeanor. He will sentenced on December 14.

On January 19 Stenroos lied about being shot near El Camino Real High School in the San Fernando Valley. His lie resulted in a 10-hour lockdown and a manhunt for a shooter who didn’t exist.

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy released a statement Monday: “Mr. Stenroos is a disgrace to the Los Angeles School Police Department, and this District. Since he has been found guilty of five of six counts in a court of law, our legal team can proceed more quickly with the required processes needed to end the officer’s employment.”

9 people dead and 2 wounded in shooting in Connecticut

kellym — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:02:51 +0000

According to a Connecticut official nine people have died and two were wounded in a shooting at a beer distribution warehouse in Connecticut.

Manchester Police Lt. Joe San Antonio stated the gunman is identified by police as Omar S. Thornton, whose body was found inside the warehouse where the shooting took place.

Police say the two wounded individuals were transported the Hartford Hospital are expected to survive.

Reports are stating that the shooting may have been racially motivated, and that Thornton reportedly told his girlfriend that he had been discriminated against, and that a supervisor did nothing.

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. at the Manchester facilities of Hartford Distributors, one of the state’s largest beer and wine distribution companies. During this time there were about 35 or 40 people in the office and warehouse according to Brett Hollander, director of marketing, whose family founded and owns the company. Reports state that Steve Hollander, another member of the family, was one of the wounded.

John Hollis, a Teamsters Union official, described Thornton as Thorton as a recent hire who worked as a driver. Hollis stated that “the union was bringing him in to meet with the company to remedy” a “disciplinary problem.”

“He started shooting,” Hollis told the newspaper, adding that he wasn’t sure if the meeting had taken place before the shooting started.

Brett Hollander said most of the workers were in a building across the street when police entered the warehouse where the gunman was located.

San Antonio said that to his knowledge, no officers discharged their weapons.

Rebecca Stewart, spokeswoman from the Hartford Hospital, said the hospital received three victims of the shooting. One was in critical condition, one in fair, and third was dead.

Shortly after the shooting, a thick column of black smoke could be seen coming from the building. It later turned to white, then stopped as firefighters were on the scene.

According to the State Firearms Bureau reports show that a man named Omar Thornton purchased two firearms in January.