Sexual Harassment Uncovered

I saw North Country last night, a film about the first sexual harassment class-action suit filed in the United States. It's a must see. Be prepared to cringe.

Sexual harassment and discrimination suits rarely make front-page headlines, unless they're class-actions against large companies like Wal-Mart. Most corporations settle out of court to avoid bad publicity.

Here are a few articles about the most recent cases:

Sex discrimination settled against Tucson hotel - AP
A sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the Arizona Attorney General's Office against the Holiday Inn Express has been settled.
In April 2004, a former front desk clerk at the Holiday Inn claimed she had been dismissed days after informing management of her pregnancy. A subsequent investigation by the Attorney General's Office found insufficient evidence to support the reasons provided by the hotel for her firing, according to the suit filed Sept. 1. As part of the settlement, the hotel agreed to pay the former employee $9,500 in back wages. Terms of the Oct. 12 settlement also require the hotel to adopt a policy within the next 30 days prohibiting discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions; train current managers on the new policy within the next 45 days; and pay the Attorney General's Civil Rights Division $1,500 to monitor compliance.

'Working from home' mother wins case - Telegraph
A senior manager at a leading London law firm who wanted to work part-time, including half a day a week from home, after having a baby has won her claim for unfair dismissal. Michelle Langton, 34, claimed unfair dismissal, sex discrimination, victimisation and contravention of part-time workers' regulations against Herbert Smith, a legal practice employing 1,100 lawyers in Europe and Asia. An earlier tribunal found that pressure was brought on Mrs Langton to work fewer hours from home and awarded her almost £40,00.