Welcome back to “This Week in Employee Relations,” your fast-scan digest of the employee relations headlines shaping policy, culture and compliance. Catch up in five minutes; walk into the week with the context—and the talking points—your organization expects.
🔎 HR Brew Spotlights Record-High Internal Misconduct Claims in HR Acuity’s Benchmark Study
A recent HR Brew blog post is shining a light on findings from our Ninth Annual Employee Relations Benchmark Study, and the numbers should be a wake-up call for all of us in ER.
Claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation shot up to 14.7 per 1,000 employees in 2024, the highest we’ve seen in the nine years we’ve been tracking this data.
→ ER Insight: Your ER data is your early warning system. When issues like harassment or retaliation are bubbling under the surface, you can bet they’ll hit the headlines sooner or later. The bottom line? We can’t afford to sit back and wait. Early, proactive action isn’t just good practice—it’s your strongest shield against risk.
🛑 New Research Shows Workplace Mistreatment Hurts Everyone—Including the Witnesses
Fast Company just highlighted new research from the Journal of Applied Psychology showing that workplace mistreatment doesn’t only harm those directly targeted—it hits the people watching too. Observers often judge the perpetrator and feel empathy for the victim.
→ ER Insight: When misconduct goes unchecked, the damage ripples far beyond the immediate parties. Employees are watching how we handle these situations, and that shapes how they see our culture and leadership. If we want to protect trust and keep our culture strong, we’ve got to show up—visibly and consistently—to prove that everyone, not just those speaking up, is safe and supported.
🚨 EEOC Announces Slew of Settlements in Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuits
Let’s face it—the EEOC has been busy. Over the past few weeks alone, they’ve announced several significant settlements tied to harassment, discrimination and retaliation, and it’s a clear sign that legal and reputational risks are only growing for employers.
Here’s what stood out:
- Starlite Station paid $100,000 to settle claims of sexual harassment and retaliation
- Waste Pro of Florida agreed to a $1.4 million settlement tied to race and national origin discrimination
- Bob’s Tire Co. will pay $250,000 after allegations of harassment based on sex, race and national origin
→ ER Insight: These aren’t random blips on the radar—they’re flashing warning signs. Across industries, employees are speaking up about serious concerns. When those concerns are brushed aside or mishandled, retaliation claims and lawsuits aren’t far behind. We need to be ready to respond with speed, consistency and transparency. Acting early isn’t just a good idea—it’s how we protect our people and our organizations.
And in the spirit of early action, I’m signing off for the holiday next week—see you back here after July 4th!
We’re tracing the trends so you can lead with clarity—and keep your organization aligned with people and purpose.
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