Leeds Brown Law P.C.

Poconos Golf Course Director Victim of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Discrimination

glmain — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:48:07 +0000

Robyn Pugh is suing Middle Smithfield Township, Pennsylvania, and current and former supervisors for sexual harassment and discrimination, and to be reinstated as the township’s golf course and sewer system director. In her complaint, Pugh states that she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and shortly after the township retaliated by firing her in 2011. Pugh was appointed Country Club of the Poconos Golf Course director, after giving birth to a daughter in July 2010, becoming a $90,000-a-year full-time township employee in September of 2010. Pugh became the victim of offensive comments about her figure and breastfeeding her baby. In addition, when requesting additional staff for specific jobs at the golf course, Pugh was told that the requests would be approved, in return she would have to give sexual favors. Full article.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. Sexual discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of that person’s sex. The law forbids such sexual discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for further information: eeoc.gov.

Leeds Brown Law PC dedicates a large portion of its practice to the area of employment discrimination. The firm has represented individuals throughout Long Island and the New York City area in matters of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. For more information, contact Leeds Brown Law at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation or visit lmblaw.com.

Egypt to Establish Sexual Harassment Hotline

glmain — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:03:30 +0000

In response to an increase of sexual harassment and discrimination claims in Egypt, Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Qandil ordered to set up a hotline to receive complaints against sexual harassment. Qandil instructed the interior ministry to assign female officers to deal with the complaints. There has been a substantial growth in sexual harassment claims since 2011 due to constant protests and deteriorating security. Several marches have been organized by women and anti- harassment activists demanding legal procedures against sexual harassment. Full article.

It is important to not let your voice get lost. If you have been a victim of sexual harassment or sexual discrimination, let your voice be heard. It is important that your story is heard and that your company makes the wrong a right. An experienced employment law discrimination attorney can represent you and support you through this difficult time. The federal law prohibiting sexual discrimination in the workplace is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII applies to private employers, state and local government employers, labor organizations, employment agencies, and joint employer-union apprenticeship programs with 15 or more employees. Harassment can include sexual harassment or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Leeds Brown Law PC dedicates a large portion of its practice to the area of employment discrimination. The firm has represented individuals throughout Long Island and the New York City area in matters of sexual harassment. For more information, contact an attorney at Leeds Brown Law at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation or visit lmblaw.com.

New York TV News Anchor Arrested After Domestic Incident

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:06:13 +0000

Rob Morrison, a New York local TV news anchor, was taken into custody at his Darien, Connecticut home when police responded to a “domestic violence incident” called in by his wife’s mother. Rob Morrison was arrested for allegedly choking his wife, Ashley Morrison, with both hands after becoming “increasingly belligerent…during the course of the evening,” according to the police report. Ashley Morrison is an anchor for CBS MoneyWatch. Officers observed red marks on her neck, but she did not request medical treatment, according to the police department release. Morrison faces second-degree strangulation, second-degree threatening, and disorderly conduct charges. Full article.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. Sexual harassment is the unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment. There are laws against such unwanted sexual harassment that are designed to protect employees from their bosses, co-workers, or customers at work. Sexual harassment is not limited to one gender. It applies to both men and women. Sexual harassment can be harassment from a person of the same or the opposite sex.
Leeds Brown Law PC dedicates a large portion of its practice to the area of employment discrimination. The firm has represented individuals throughout Long Island and the New York City area in matters of sexual harassment. For more information, contact Leeds Brown Law at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation or visit lmblaw.com.

MTA Executive Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against the Agency

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:06:47 +0000

Sherry Herrington, the first female operations head at the Metro-North Railroad, alleges she was singled out and disciplined because she recommended her live-in partner for a job. Herrington maintains she didn’t pull any strings for the woman, who was qualified for the post, according to Herrington. In the complaint, Herrington also says she was paid less than a man in an equivalent work position. In addition, she claims she was subject to inappropriate and offensive comments in the office. The attorneys that represent Herrington filed a sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit in the Manhattan Supreme Court. Herrington claims the MTA has “damaged her reputation, career, physical and emotional well being.” Full article.

Under United States law, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) does not enforce the protections that prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation. To date, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. Many attorneys and lobbyists fight for the equality for all American workers. Although the current laws do not enforce protections that prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, many attorneys and lobbyists expect these laws will change. Please visit the EEOC’s website for further information: www.eeoc.gov.

Leeds Brown Law PC dedicates a large portion of its practice to the area of employment discrimination. The attorneys at the law firm have represented individuals throughout Long Island and the New York City area in matters of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. For more information, contact Leeds Brown Law at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation or visit lmblaw.com.

Abercrombie & Fitch Settles Corporate Pilot’s Age-Discrimination Lawsuit

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:45:55 +0000

Abercrombie & Fitch, the trendy clothing retailer, has settled the age-discrimination lawsuit brought by a former pilot of the company’s corporate jet. The lawsuit brought in Philadelphia federal court by corporate pilot Michael Stephen Bustin, who is now 55, claimed he was unfairly fired “with the express intention of hiring younger pilots who were more in keeping with the defendant’s corporate image … which emphasized a ‘youthful, all-American style.” Handwritten notes from A&F’s former director of procurement, Scott Mayer notes “may well offer compelling proof that Matthew Smith, the life partner of Abercrombie CEO Michael Jeffries, allegedly acting at Jeffries’s direction, illegally ordered Plaintiff’s termination because of Plaintiff’s age,” federal judge Paul Diamond wrote in a Nov. 8 order. The age discrimination suit details, among other examples, a flight manual defining a mandatory dress code on board the airplane of boxer briefs, jeans below the waist, and a “spritz” of Abercrombie cologne.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) specifically prohibits employment discrimination directed at anyone who is 40 or over. At Leeds Brown Law, PC, our employment law attorneys fight age discrimination in the workplace. If you have been discriminated against in the workplace or have questions regarding ADEA, an experienced employment lawyer can help you protect your rights and legal interests. Everyone should have the option to retire, but retirement should never be forced upon you when you are still capable and willing to work.

Leeds Brown Law, PC has extensive experience with employment law claims, including age discrimination and ADEA claims. Our efforts have resulted in millions of dollars in monetary and nonmonetary compensation for employees throughout Long Island and New York. For any questions concerning discriminatory matters, contact an attorney at the Leeds Brown Law P.C. firm for a free consultation at 1-888-585-4658.

Man in Long Island Fakes Death to Leave Wife

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:47:55 +0000

It is being reported that a man in Long Island, Raymond Roth, faked his own death to get away from his wife and get life insurance money. The wife discovered he was discovered because the man had been exchanging emails with their son. He told his son not to let the woman know he was alive, and that he would disappear while swimming at Jones Beach, referring to the woman as an “A—hole”. He left behind his clothes and cell phone on the beach for the woman to the find. The man was stopped for speeding on I-95 in South Carolina, and it is not yet clear as to whether charges will be filed against him or anyone else. He had withdrawn all monies from the woman’s accounts. The woman had noted that the man engaged in suspicious behavior before this incident back in January where he had increased his insurance policy, revised his will, and gotten in trouble at work. Read more

Under New York Domestic Relations Law, if a couple seeks divorce under the cause of action of abandonment, certain requirements must be met. The Elements for divorce based on abandonment are: A spouse’s intent not to return to the marital home; the abandonment continues for one or more year; and the defendant spouse’s departure was unjustified and without the abandoned spouse’s consent. Constructive abandonment consists of when one of the spouses doesn’t actually leave but repeatedly and unjustifiably ceases and refuses to have sex with the other spouse for one continuous year or more.

Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. seeks to obtain divorce judgments which will be most favorable to their clients. For any questions, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-585-4658. Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s divorce website is located at www.lbdivorcelaw.com.

Number of Interracial Couples in U.S. Reaches All-Time High

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:58:52 +0000

The most recent Census data shows that the number of interracial couples in the United States has reached an all-time high. The Census data provides that one in every 10 American opposite-sex married couples reports they’re of mixed races. In 2000, that figure was about 7%. The rate of interracial partnerships also is much higher among the unmarried, the 2010 Census showed. About 18% of opposite-sex unmarried couples and 21% of same-sex unmarried partners identify themselves as interracial. The study defines interracial as members of a couple identifying as of different races or ethnicities. Read More.

Despite the growing number of interracial couples in America, there remain much harassment and racially charged comments to interracial couples and their children. When it comes to racial or ethnic slurs, sexually inappropriate language or ageist remarks, there is no denying that it continues to thrive in the workplace. There is an overwhelming amount of reports of what is referred to as “water cooler banter.” Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Offensive conduct that rises to the level of harassment in the workplace is unlawful. This may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance. For more information: EEOC Website

Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC dedicates a large portion of their practice to the area of employment law. Our firm has had considerable success in matters of employment discrimination throughout Long Island and the New York City area. For more information, contact Leeds, Morelli and Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation.

Marymount Manhattan College Sued by EEOC for Age Discrimination

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:50:21 +0000

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed an age discrimination lawsuit against Marymount Manhattan College. Marymount refused to hire a choreography instructor for a tenure-track assistant professorship because of her age. According to the EEOC’s suit, Marymount initially selected a 64-year-old choreography instructor and two other applicants as finalists for an assistant professorship in dance composition. Although Marymount had determined that the 64-year-old was the leading candidate, the EEOC said, Marymount’s search committee expanded its search to include a less qualified, 37-year-old applicant as a fourth finalist. The complaint alleges that Marymount included the younger applicant because the college considered her to be “at the right moment of her life for commitment to a full-time position.” The lawsuit charges that Marymount passed over the 64-year-old applicant and instead hired the 37-year-old applicant because of age. Full article.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The ADEA’s protections apply to both employees and job applicants. Under the ADEA, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his/her age with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments, and training. The ADEA permits employers to favor older workers based on age even when doing so adversely affects a younger worker who is 40 or older.

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C., dedicate a large amount of their practice to discrimination claims. For any questions, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658. Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s website is located at www.lmblaw.com.

Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin state senator: Women Make Less Because ‘Money is More Important for Men’

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:00:47 +0000

Glenn Grothman, a Republican Senator of Wisconsin, has sparked a heated debate in the gender war over men and women’s salaries. The Senator argued wage differences did not result from discrimination but because men care more about money. The remarks followed GOP Governor Scott Walker’s recent decision to repeal his state’s equal pay law, a move that makes it more difficult for victims of wage discrimination to file lawsuits for lost earnings and back wages. Grothman stated that whatever wage gap exists is because women are more focused on raising children. Full article.

New York’s General Industry Minimum Wage Act states that all employees in New York State, including most domestic workers, must be paid at least $7.25 per hour. The basic rate may be modified by certain requirements set under regulations known as “wage orders.” These provisions of the minimum wage law cover jobs in the restaurant, hotel, and building service industry, and miscellaneous industries and occupations. They set an hourly rate plus overtime and allowances in four General Industry Wage Orders, based on meals and lodging supplied by an employer. Some industries make allowances for tips; thus they set a lower hourly rate. For example, food service workers may earn $4.65 per hour because their total compensation includes expected tips. When required uniforms are maintained by the worker, certain allowances also apply. Other service workers have a minimum rate of $5.50 per hour. There are also allowances for meals and lodging supplied by an employer.

Victory for Gay Discrimination Appeal

Leeds Morelli & Brown — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:10:26 +0000

A recent Court of Appeal ruling has found that hotel owners directly discriminated against a gay couple. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has defended the appeal. In the case, Mr. and Mrs. Bull appealed a county court decision in which it was found that they should not have refused lodging to Mr Preddy and Mr Hall in their hotel. The owners held that they had a hotel rule in which based on their Christian faith they were not allowed to lodge unmarried couples to share a double room. The Court of Appeals agreed with the lower court’s decision in that the hotel’s rule directly discriminated against civil partners. As such, they were found to be treated differently because of their sexual orientation. Read More

Currently, discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation is not protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but this law does makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. Additionally, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) does not enforce the protections that prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information.

It is challenging and stressful when people are subjected to racism or discrimination, especially in a nation that was created on premises such as equal rights for all. The lawyers at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC, located in Nassau County, New York, have fought against discrimination for over two decades with much success. If you have been a victim of discrimination because of your age, gender, race, or sexual orientation, call 1-800-585-4658 to schedule an appointment for free consultation.