Here's a strange little case for ya . . .

A loss prevention manager for a major retail store chain -- we'll call her "Loretta" -- had some performance issues in the past but was only five days away from the satisfactory completion of a performance improvement plan. She and a male loss prevention partner were called to investigate a sexual harassment complaint. During the investigation ...

Ah, February! The month of love! Of course, if you're a lawyer, you see the worst of humanity and never get to hear about true, faithful, honorable, self-sacrificial love -- sexual harassment is as close to "love" as we ever get. (See, you thought lawyers were just jerks - now you feel sorry for us!)

So, in honor of St. Valentine's Day, this is the best I can do. Here are two recent sexual ...

It's been another zany week or so in the world of labor and employment law, rivalling Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo. Here are a few items that jumped out at me. (Each subhead is a line from a Marx Brothers movie or the title of a Marx Brothers movie. Answers at the end.)

"Hurry up, or you'll be late for jail!" Pepsi Beverages (formerly Pepsi Bottling Co.) agreed to a pre-litigation settlement ...

What a year, am I right or am I right? Here is a catalog of the major employment and labor law developments from 2011. And, just to keep it entertaining, I've started off each month with a weird but true off-topic story that was in the news that month. Many thanks to Drudge Report archives for the strange stuff. Thanks also to Esquire magazine's annual Dubious Achievement Awards (sadly ...

DISCLAIMER: Today's post has absolutely nothing to do with Veterans Day. But thank you, veterans!

Last week, I was pretty hard on Herman Cain and his response to allegations of sexual harassment. Since then, two women have come forward publicly, and all I can do is quote from my partner John Doyle:

*shrugs shoulders and sighs* "Well, you don't get your witnesses from Central Casting."

Poor Herman Cain.

Or, poor young women who used to work for him.

Right now, I'm not sure which because the allegations are murky and anonymous. OK, I do have an opinion, but I'm going to keep it to myself until we get more specifics.

This is not going to be a political post. It's about sexual harassment in the workplace and what employers can learn from Cain's problems, which he brought on ...

UPDATED 9/13/11 (see below):

And, more importantly, what is it with The Price Is Right? It's a regular Peyton Place, for cryin' out loud.

Everyone is probably familiar with the sexual harassment allegations from a few years ago against game-show icon and former TPIR host Bob Barker. Barker wisely admitted to a consensual affair, and the harassment case went away.

Now another ex-TPIR ...

"It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others."

A politico and a priest in the news this week have much to teach men* who are accused of sexual harassment. Former head of the International Monetary Fund and French presidential hopeful Dominique Strauss-Kahn may not be guilty of sexual assault, after all. Meanwhile, a popular TV priest has put his foot in it ...

Between "Weinergate," the indictment of John Edwards, and the relatively old news about Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Arnold Schwarzenegger, it is obvious that issues related to sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, are not going away. How can you, as an employer, know when a sexual harassment case is a "dog"? Here are five signs that you might want to answer "yes, please, and ...

Happy Memorial Day weekend, everybody! Top stories this week:

When are employers liable for the bad behavior of their customers? The sexual assault charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund, who allegedly attacked an African-immigrant maid in his hotel room in New York City, have spurred some interesting discussion about female ...