Half a Million Dollars for Pregnancy Discrimination Claim Against Chipotle

the situation One of your employees announces she is pregnant. Not long after, she complains that ever since she announced her pregnancy, her manager has been treating her differently, including not allowing her to take bathroom breaks. What sort of exposure do you have?

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Tidewater Arts Outreach Appoints President

The organization appointed the following officers to serve for 2016-2017:   Steven Stancliff (Crenshaw, Ware & Martin PLC), president; Osman Lambiro (Sentara Life Care), vice president; Jennifer Bonsiewich (Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP), treasurer; Bonnie Lane (Goodman, Allen and Donnelly), secretary; and directors Paul Aravich (Glennan Center for Geriatrics & Gerontology, EVMS), ex officio; Brian Friedman (American […]

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I Found My Employee’s Resignation Notice on Her Desk—Is This Considered Notice?

the situation You have an employee who has been acting somewhat disgruntled.  One night, after hours, you come across an envelope on her desk with your name on it that contains a letter saying that she is resigning and her last day will be in two weeks. She shows up in the morning and you […]

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Use of Staffing Companies and Joint Employer Status

the situation Your company has a contract with a staffing company whereby the staffing company provides you with employees for particular positions.  These contract employees enter into employment agreements with the staffing company.  These employment agreements specifically state that if a company contracting with the staffing company to provide services asks that the employee be […]

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W. Ryan Snow to Serve as Vice Chair of Norfolk Botanical Garden

Norfolk Botanical Garden announced that Ryan Snow will serve as Vice Chair of the Norfolk Botanical Garden Board of Trustees.  Ryan has served on the board since 2012 and has also served on the board of directors for the Norfolk Botanical Garden Foundation since 2013.

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Court quashes arbitration of claims that were outside arbitration agreement

Arbitration clauses in contracts are enforceable, but if a contract allows only certain claims to be arbitrated, then the party desiring arbitration has to prove that it has such a claim.  And in Virginia, the party has to prove it to a judge, not the arbitrator.  CWM attorneys represented the owner when both of these […]

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Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars and Agreement to Provide Future Training To Settle One of EEOC’s First Sexual Orientation Discrimination Lawsuits

the situation One of your supervisors regularly makes jokes about the sexual orientation of one of your female employees—along the lines of how he would like to turn her back into a woman and how she would look good in more feminine attire.  She complains about the supervisor’s comments.  If she is subsequently fired, could […]

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Norfolk’s Youngest Voices Soar in a Collection of Writings

For over sixty years, Crenshaw, Ware & Martin has served as general counsel to Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (the “Authority” or “NRHA”).  Our work with the Authority supports its commitment to provide quality housing choices to households of all incomes, and to create a healthy physical and social environment for residents of its communities.  […]

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Jezebel Comment Leads to Hostile Work Environment Claim

the situation During the interview of a prospective new employee, one of your male supervisors comments on a female employee’s attractiveness.  After the employee is hired, the same supervisor repeatedly and frequently comments on the employee’s appearance and attire.  The supervisor then begins calling her a Jezebel.   She quits, citing the problem with the supervisor […]

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Watch Out-Steeper Civil Penalties Up Ahead

the situation You can face civil penalties if the DOL determines that you have violated any of the laws that its departments help to enforce—including, for example, OSHA and the FLSA.  Some of these penalties have stayed at the same amount for the last twenty years (or even longer).  But recently, as a result of […]

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