Jon Allison’s Monday Blog
The Atlanta Police Department has a policy that requires all officers to be clean-shaven. Some on the force say they should be allowed an accommodation because of a condition called Folliculitis which results in painful bumps that can get puss-filled and bleed. One officer has been off work without pay for months for not complying with the policy. He is not allowed to return to work, including to a desk job, unless he shaves. He questions why the Police Department won’t accommodate someone with a medical condition, particularly when a doctor has advised that he not shave. A beard does not impact his ability to do his job. Furthermore, he believes interacting with the public with a clean-cut beard is preferable to doing so with a bumpy, puss-filled, and/or bloody face. The officer has retained an attorney and is seeking to return to work. Follow this link for more on this story.
Sexual Harassment Against Both Females And Males Results In Large Settlement
VXI Global Solutions, which provides call center services for large companies, agreed to pay $600,000, hire an equal employment opportunity consultant, and provide training to employees among other terms, to resolve a lawsuit filed in 2014 alleging widespread sexual harassment and retaliation against both female and male employees. According to the lawsuit, both female and male employees were subject to sexual harassment by at least 13 supervisors. The females were
subjected to touching and groping, propositions for sex, and sexual comments by male supervisors. Male employees were likewise subjected to groping, lap dances, and propositions for sex. This went on for over 5 years. Complaints about the harassment were ignored. A number of those who complained were eventually terminated. That prompted the filing of the lawsuit. Additional information can be found here.
