In This Issue:

“If They Hate You, They Must Hate Me Too” By Greg Ballew (Kansas City)

On February 9, 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit addressed the issue of whether alleged harassment toward African-American employees could support the claim that there was a hostile work environment for two Hispanic employees. The court concluded it could not in the particular case before it, stating that “if the evidence of the workplace environment for the employees of plaintiff’s race does not show frequent, severe and pervasive hostility, then evidence of hostility towards a different racial group is not much support for the plaintiff’s claim.”

As The Economy Struggles, EEOC Charges Increase By Robert McCalla (New Orleans)

The cataclysmic effects of the longest and deepest recession since the 1929 depression will significantly change many aspects of our society for generations. The devastating impact of the recession on large segments of the workforce can be counted as one of the more significant effects. While it remains to be seen how the recession will change the psyche of this generation over the long term, one objective measure showing one aspect of the change is the large increase in EEOC charges as the economy nose dived....

Why Mediation Is A Preferred Method Of Resolving Disputes By D. Albert Brannen (Atlanta)

Mediation is a helpful process for resolving many types of disputes. With its increased use over the past few decades, mediation has proven to be especially beneficial in resolving emotionally-charged disputes in employment and domestic matters. Let’s take a closer look at what it is, and why it works....

OSHA’s Twin Sister Is In Your Backyard By Matthew Korn (Columbia) 1

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who has not heard of OSHA. OSHA’s presence is felt by employers across broad segments of American industry, from construction to food service. What many people don’t realize, however, is the pervasiveness of OSHA’s (older) sister agency, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA...

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