Scottsdale Employment Law Blog

Women often continue to work long into their pregnancies and sometimes practically up until they give birth. However, employer discrimination against pregnant women is still widespread in this country.

Pregnant women are often denied promotions, raises and bonuses. Moreover, when they complain, many suffer retaliation, including the loss of their jobs. A New York Times investigation published this year found that even some of America's largest companies "systematically sideline" pregnant employees. The public sector has seen its fair share of pregnancy discrimination claims as well.

One of many disturbing practices that has come to light in the #MeToo movement is the use of confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to settle sexual harassment cases. The victims are given money in a settlement in exchange for signing an agreement that they're told forbids them from disclosing the harassment. These agreements have allowed powerful men to keep their jobs and reputations and continue to harass women.

Movie producer Harvey Weinstein reportedly made use of elaborate NDAs to keep his victims from speaking out. One attorney called an agreement she saw "perhaps the most usurious one I have seen in decades of practice."

Can an employer impose their religious beliefs on their employees? Most people would assume that unless they work for a church or an organization affiliated with a particular religion, their own religious beliefs (or lack of them) are irrelevant.

However, an Oregon man says that he was fired from his job with a construction company because he stopped attending a Bible study class that was a requirement for workers. He is suing the company for $800,000.

Our readers who follow the daily political drama in the nation's capital, have likely seen former White House aide and reality show star Omarosa Manigault Newman on the political talk show circuit discussing her time in the White House and sharing tapes that she surreptitiously made during and after her firing from her position with the Trump administration. One of these is an audio tape of John Kelly, President Trump's chief of staff, dismissing her from her position.

Taping a conversation without the other participant's knowledge is legal in Washington, D.C., where she made the recording, as well as in 38 states, including Arizona. That's known as "one-party consent." However, employment attorneys as well as human resources professionals generally agree that taping workplace interactions isn't wise.