pregnancy

Laws Requiring Harassment and Discrimination Investigations

By Debra Reilly on June 21, 2012

Posted in Sexual Orientation, Why Conduct Investigation?

Harassment and discrimination investigations in California should be conducted by the employer whenever the alleged victim contends that the wrongful conduct was motivated (at least in part) by the alleged victim being a member of any of the following classes:

Age (40 and over);

Ancestry;

Color;

Religious Creed;

Denial of Family and Medical Care Leave;…

Breastfeeding During Employee’s Rest Break: Hefty Fines if Disallowed

By Debra Reilly on August 31, 2009

Posted in Pregnancy / Breastfeeding, Sex Discrimination

Failure of an employer to allow an employee to breastfeed during her rest break can subject the employer to a sex discrimination lawsuit and hefty damages. Just ask the owner of Acosta Tacos in Los Angeles.

In a "precedential decision" by the Fair Employment and Housing Commission ("FEHC"), which regulates and enforces California’s…

Throughout her 30-year legal career, Debra L. Reilly has conducted over 900 internal workplace investigations for various counties, municipalities (including police departments and fire departments), water districts, sanitation districts, transportation authorities, public and private elementary schools (K-12), private and public colleges and universities, the United States Postal Service (holding a “sensitive” security clearance by the Postal Inspector’s Office), and a multitude of private sector employers . Debra has conducted employment investigations throughout the United States and California. She has testified in depositions, arbitrations, and trial concerning the findings of her investigations. Given her legal training and litigation experience representing both management and employees, Ms. Reilly’s investigations are impartial, objective, and thorough. Ms. Reilly has also testified as an expert witness in Human Resources standard practices in conducting harassment and discrimination investigations, as well as Human Resources standard practices in conducting reasonable accommodation assessments of disabled employees and engaging in the interactive process.