Business Management Daily (03/18/12)

Having a witness during any employee meetings involving bias complaints can help protect the company during potential litigation.

In a recent case, Johnson v. Labor Force, Ronald Johnson, an African-American employee who worked for a temporary staffing firm, alleged that he was paid less than employees who were not African American. He asked for a meeting with the company owner and said he told the owner about his suspicions and informed the owner that he planned to file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Johnson was allegedly told that he did not need to return to work, so he sued.

The owner said a conversation about discrimination or equal employment opportunity complaints never took place. The court said a jury should determine who was telling the truth.