03

Jun

Harassment

I’m white, and I’m biased

By R. Makana Risser Chai

As a nice liberal progressive white woman, of course I don't like to think I'm biased. I have spent most of my professional life fighting racism--as an attorney representing victims…

31

Oct

Harassment, HR Law Training & Investigations, Sexual Harassment

Court rules calling women “sensitive flowers” shows gender bias

By R. Makana Risser Chai

A woman in New York City brought a claim of gender discrimination alleging her supervisor insulted and excluded her, concealed information from her, and denied her requests for a raise.…

25

Sep

Harassment, Sexual Harassment

Be Fair to Accused Harassers, Court Rules

By R. Makana Risser Chai

by Rita Makana Risser Chai, originally published on Fair Measures In the #MeToo environment, good employers are committed to giving fair hearings to victims of sexual harassment. But a recent…

03

Jun

Harassment

Employee Wins at SCOTUS

By R. Makana Risser Chai

A new U.S. Supreme Court case, Fort Bend County v. Davis, will allow an employee to pursue her discrimination case in court, even though she did not file a charge…

26

Apr

Harassment

Gay rights = straight rights

By R. Makana Risser Chai

The Supreme Court announced this week it will hear two cases on whether federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The media covered the story as being…

16

Apr

Harassment

What Managers Can Learn from a Political Poll

By R. Makana Risser Chai

What can we learn about work from current political trends and issues? As reported by Politico: roughly 13 percent of Americans think men are “better suited emotionally” than women to…

12

Apr

Harassment

Harassment and aloha

By R. Makana Risser Chai

The other day I facilitated a Train-the-Trainer for experienced sexual harassment trainers. There were people from Hawaii, the continental US, Guam, American Samoa, and Korea. Some of them work in…

02

Apr

Harassment, Sexual Harassment

Is Touching Women’s Hair Sexual Harassment?

By R. Makana Risser Chai

The internet has been buzzing since Lucy Flores, a former candidate for Nevada Lieutenant Governor, recounted an incident with then-Vice President Joe Biden. According to CNN, "Very unexpectedly and out…

19

Mar

Harassment

Harassment Bystander and HR Fail

By R. Makana Risser Chai

In a case decided on March 14, 2019, a woman who worked as a receptionist at a law firm alleged that the owner of the firm, Michael Morse, groped her…