Landmark Compliance EEOC Ruling
In 2002, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Eastern Division recorded a court order in the case of Isom-McDaniel vs. Bob Watson Chevrolet, Inc., an IL Corporation. This decision became the lead case involving sexual harassment and the critical need to train temporary workers to minimize company exposure to litigation.
Employers’ Defense for Employee Liability Lawsuits
One of the most significant sectional rulings stated in this landmark McDaniel vs. Watson Chevrolet case is found in the injunctive relief section of the First Order, Subsection 9b. Presiding U.S District Court Judge, the Honorable Joan B. Gottschall wrote the court’s final opinion for Subsection 9b as summarized here:
“At defendant’s expense and on Defendant’s company time, all employees of Defendant (whether temporary or permanent, and whether management level or staff), shall complete the customized, computer-based training regarding harassment in the workplace in the format developed by Comply America*, a sample of which is available at www.complyamerica.com….”
This is a lead case involving the sexual harassment of temporary employees and the critical need to train temporary workers on company policies for companies to avoid litigation. The National Law Journal concluded in its June 2002 review of the case that “the lesson for employers from such cases is that communication is important. To avoid liability, employers need to be sure that temporary workers are aware of internal policies and procedures and know whom to talk to in the event of problems.”
*Comply America, while an operating entity today, is being folded into its successor and parent, EPRMA
Pioneer Training Paves Way for Formation of EPRMA
In 2002, conventional wisdom was that “onsite training” would never fully address this sensitive harassment issue due to the transitory nature of temporary employees. The original Comply America online training program provided substantial legal protection owners and management of U.S. companies. It has been reviewed, endorsed and used by the EEOC, the Practicing Law Institute and Chicago Lawyers Committee of Civil Rights Under the Law, Inc. (CLC), endorsed this innovative online training. In fact, the CLC demonstrated their approval by requiring EPRMA’s Comply America training as a condition of settlement in this highly publicized Isom-McDaniel vs Bob Watson Chevrolet, Inc. case.
To learn more about this Landmark Compliance Ruling, Click Here to view the final court order.