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HOUSTON, Texas. According to the New York Times, California has become the first state to require publicly-held companies to have women on their boards. The new law may have an impact on hundreds of companies, with companies that do not comply facing violations of up to $300,000. The New York Times reports that as many as 25% of companies do not have women on their boards. California is home to many major tech companies, so the immediate impact of the law might be to encourage technology companies to increase diversity at their highest levels. The tech industry has faced major criticism in recent years for its lack of diversity. [Read more…] about California Requires Publicly-Held Companies to Include Women on their Boards

HOUSTON, Texas. According to NPR, Walmart was recently sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly discriminating against pregnant workers. The lawsuit claims that the company failed to provide accommodations for its workers’ pregnancy-related medical needs. When it comes to accommodating pregnant workers, companies must provide their employees with similar accommodations that they provide to other temporarily disabled workers, or to workers with disabilities. [Read more…] about Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Files Lawsuit Against Walmart

HOUSTON, Texas. It happened on national television. She was a celebrity pop star. He was a pastor. She was performing at the funeral of a major singer. By now, we don’t need to name names. CNN writes about the moment the pastor wrapped his arm around the pop star’s waist, grabbing her breast on national television. The pop star appears visibly uncomfortable. She smiles, but doesn’t make a scene. For so many women, when this scenario plays out at work, women often face a tough decision. Should she rock the boat and report it, running the risk of backlash from fellow employees and even her own employer? Or should she brush it off as a lapse in judgement? [Read more…] about Sexual Harassment at Funeral

HOUSTON, Texas. According to QZ, approximately 1 in 5 college women will experience some form of sexual violence or sexual harassment during their college years. These acts of violence can have a major impact on women’s lives. Women may suffer psychological illness and physical illness stemming from sexual assault and harassment, leading to increased health costs. Yet, the cost of health care alone is not the only price that women pay when they suffer sexual harassment.  [Read more…] about Campus Sexual Assault and Harassment Costs Victims, Too

HOUSTON, Texas. Texas oil companies operate in states like Wyoming where there may be few protections for workers against retaliation from their employers. In fact, Wyoming is one state where workers are not able to sue their employers for unpaid wages until they no longer work for the company they want to sue. According to the Casper Star Tribune, there is nothing in Wyoming law that protects workers from retaliation when they make claims for unpaid wages. This means that workers can make a complaint and then be fired for doing so and still have no recourse. Wyoming law assumes that workers would quit their jobs if they were not paid properly, but the reality is far more nuanced than that. [Read more…] about Oilfield Unpaid Overtime and Employer Retaliation

HOUSTON, Texas. A recent motion by inmates across the country has garnered media attention. According to Vox, prisoners across the country plan to go on strike, and in some cases, go on hunger strikes between August 21 and September 9. Prisoners are going on strike to protest what many consider to be exploitatively low pay. Vox reports that prisoners in California were paid only $1 an hour plus $2 a day to fight the state’s wildfires, in some instances. [Read more…] about Prisoners Go on Strike for Fairer Wages