High-profile cases involving employee claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination by their employers make headlines on a regular basis. Self-storage businesses are not impervious to this type of trouble. In today’s litigious environment, all employers would be wise to consider employment practices liability coverage to address exposures of this nature.
The most common sources of employment practices complaints consist of the following:
· Sexual Harassment – Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal contact or physical contact or behavior of a sexual nature that is implied or stated to be a condition of employment or that interferes with an individual’s work performance by creating a hostile, offensive, or intimidating environment.
· Discrimination – Termination of an employment relationship, demotion, failure or refusal to hire or promote, differential payment of wages and/or benefits, or other employment actions motivated in whole or in part by the employee’s color, race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or preference, age, religion, creed, disability status (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act), or pregnancy status.
· Wrongful Termination – Termination of an employment relationship in a manner which is in violation of any law or in breach of any employment agreement.
It’s important to work with an insurance agent to obtain employment practices liability coverage. Next week, we’ll review key coverage features.
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Make it a safe day!
Mike Schofield
President & CEO
