Archive for the ‘Hostile environment’ Category

Why a Cry Baby, a Spoiled Child and a Trouble Maker Lost Their Discrimination Case

Authored By: Stephen W. Lyman


Complain, Complain, Complain…

Two African-American nurses for some time had complained about working conditions, race discrimination and unfair treatment at their hospital.  They filed a petition with Human Resources that alleged Filipino nurses were treated better than the African-American nurses.  It was investigated but could not be corroborated.  They complained that other nurses were sleeping on the job, that their unit was unprofessional and that work assignments were unequal and unfair.  They also complained that changes weren’t made as they had requested and that they were being constantly ignored, “not listened to” and always got the “cold shoulder” from management.  Finally, they claimed “harassment” when one of them was called a “trouble maker,” a “cry baby” and a “spoiled child” during a meeting.  They each filed race discrimination and retaliation charges with the EEOC and then filed a lawsuit.  They lost, and here’s why… (more…)

Physician’s Harassment Claim Fails – Only a Personality Conflict

Authored By: Stephen W. Lyman


Complaints of harassment don’t always result in liability for an employer.  Here’s a case in point.

A Syrian born Muslim physician employed at Stroger Hospital in Cook County wrote letters and lodged formal complaints over the years about his treatment by a female coworker who was also a physician in the same department.  The physician complained of the “friction that exists” between him and his coworker, her “domineering attitude,” her “creating a private practice atmosphere” and her “overflowing her clinic with patients.”  Later he wrote another letter stating that he had been “discriminated against,” “disrespected,” and that she “created an atmosphere of confusion and chaos.”  Another letter then asserted that the conduct of the department head in failing to prevent the harassment was a form of “favoritism, harassment and feeling of grandiosity.”  Ultimately he wrote a letter to the president of the medical staff complaining of “frank discrimination” by his coworker and the department head.  (more…)