During fiscal year 2010, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 99,922 new private sector discrimination charges, the second highest total in 20 years. The EEOC is anticipating significant increases in charges filed in fiscal year 2011—especially involving harassment and retaliation claims. Accordingly, it has been expanding its staff for the first time in nearly a decade.  

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Thompson v. North American Stainless, ruled that a husband’s firing can be retaliation because his wife raised a Title VII claim against their employer. With discrimination charges on the rise and the economy still struggling, every employer must keep its eyes on the employee relations bottom line, where prevention is still paramount. 

Join Larry Besnoff, partner in Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP, as he helps employers minimize exposure to discrimination charges by explaining: 

• What really is sufficiently severe or pervasive enough to be unlawful harassment
• What does “welcomeness” mean and how is it different from “tolerated”
• Why saying “his bark is worse than his bite” just might be setting yourself up for a fall
• Why retaliation is truly the scariest of all discrimination-related claims

Larry Besnoff, Partner, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP

 
Larry Besnoff is a partner with Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP. He is co-chair of the firm’s Labor Relations and Employment Law Department. Mr. Besnoff’s practice is devoted to the representation of management in all phases of employment law. He has extensive experience defending equal employment opportunity and wrongful discharge cases before administrative agencies, and state and federal courts. Mr. Besnoff received his Bachelor of Science degree in humanities and social sciences from Drexel University, Philadelphia. He was awarded his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, where he served as president of the Evening Division.