When there are allegations of employment law violations in California and across the nation, there is a knee-jerk reaction to automatically think that the employer is in the wrong. Behaviors like sexual harassment, discrimination, a toxic work environment and other types of mistreatment are easy to categorize as being perpetrated by the employer or those in positions of power at the workplace. However, simply because these assertions are made does not automatically mean they are true. Employers must be aware of how to lodge a defense when they are confronted with these accusations.
Tabloid website employees say they were mistreated
Former employees at TMZ have made various claims that they were subjected to a variety of employment law violations while working for the company. According to more than 20 former workers, they were discriminated against, harassed and bullied. Executives are said to have abused their position and allowed a toxic work environment. The founder of the site was directly named for his behavior with yelling and berating commonplace while on the job. Sexual harassment and gender discrimination happened frequently. Females were especially targeted. Men were favored over women and the input of female workers was routinely minimized or outright disregarded. For his part, the site’s founder believes that the former workers are exaggerating and seek financial compensation they are not entitled to.
Employers have the right to a strong defense when accused of employment violations
It is easy to automatically label the employer as in the wrong when former employees make claims of workplace wrongdoing. These assertions are not always true and they can be exaggerated. For example, if a person was disciplined for a workplace issue, it does not mean their employee rights were violated provided the discipline was done in accordance with the law.
There are fundamental requirements for employees to have a viable case against employers. Discrimination must be long-lasting and pervasive. There must be a certain level of severity that it negatively impacts the person’s job and prospects. Management must have known what was happening and done nothing to stop it. If these criteria are not met, there may not be a case. For employers who are facing claims from employees based on labor and employment law, it is imperative to have a strong defense. Calling a firm that specializes in employer defense is vital.