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The Arecibo Observatory is one of the largest single-aperture radio telescopes and is the source of data for SETI@home. You may recognise the telescope from the films Contact (1997) or GoldenEye (1995).
Richardson and Sternke, a married couple in their mid-50s, allege that Schmelz discriminated against them because of their age and because Richardson is legally blind. Soon after Sternke revealed in November 2015 that she planned to file a complaint with the US Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which investigates workplace bias, Universities Space Research Association (USRA) announced that her contract job with Arecibo's education programme would end early. Richardson filed his own EEOC complaint, and in April 2016, USRA terminated his employment as a staff scientist.
The EEOC ultimately found evidence of discrimination and that Sternke and Richardson were terminated in retaliation for their complaints, according to documents provided by the researchers' lawyer. [...] The EEOC report also says that USRA altered the description of the job Richardson wanted "to make it more suitable for another internal candidate to qualify". USRA subsequently promoted an Arecibo staffer in his 30s. [...] In its report on Richardson's case, the EEOC said Schmelz "made direct discriminatory age based comments", writing in her own performance evaluation that she had recruited "a set of effective young leaders".
http://www.nature.com/news/arecibo-observatory-hit-with-discrimination-lawsuit-1.20778
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_Observatory
(Score: 3, Touché) by jmorris on Tuesday October 18 2016, @02:53PM
a set of effective young leaders
This truly is a smoking gun that will unlock a six or seven figure payout. Dumb. Should have wrote "a set of diverse young leaders" and got awards. An organization in <current year> admitting to still be interested in effectiveness might as well have vintage Third Reich dtuff decorating the offices.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Hyperturtle on Tuesday October 18 2016, @04:03PM
Smart people sure can be dumb sometimes.
Just the action of firing these people soon after the charges were filed of discrimination -- how can you not already be walking on eggshells at that point?
I guess living in an ivory tower, or dormant volcano with lower ambient oxygen levels than what people are used to in order to think clearly, has its drawbacks when it comes to proper application of 'soft skills'.
(Score: 2) by arslan on Wednesday October 19 2016, @12:06AM
Smart? Are you sure? This could be the work of the administrative/managerial side of the organization - which typically aren't the knowledge workers with the brains.
However bias and prejudices exists no matter how smart you are. Diversity and Inclusion really should be a topic that is exposed and taught actively.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 19 2016, @03:34AM
Right. Let me tell you a little story about diversity.
Guy in my office. He's from Africa. Like, the dark continent. His family has been there since time immemorial. He just happens to have pretty pale skin. Turns out the romans colonised North Africa at one time, and left some genes behind.
They asked his race for the usual employment forms, and since he has a green card, he put down African-American. Seemed legit.
Then he calls me over to his desk one day, laughing. He has his HR intranet page open. There's his ID picture, and next to it the word: BLACK.
I genuinely don't think he gives a shit at this point (if he ever did), but he did make fun of himself as the concept of the whitest black man in town.
The diversity monkeys can't even keep their own stories (or euphemisms) straight. I mean sure, let's not be dicks to each other, but the reality is that the human landscape is very complex, full of pitfalls, and chock full of exceptions. I could pick up a phone right now and in minutes be talking to a "Native American" who could pass for white, another who could pass for black - and both of them have tribal IDs. This is no fake native american for statistical purposes crap: these people both grew up on the reservations. I could be talking to a coal black dude who's never been to Africa, speaks no african languages and has no desire to be associated with Africa. I correspond regularly, or meet in person, people who are transsexual, intersexed, or plain ol' vanilla het boringsexed. I know people under 1, and over 100. I know people whose broad, spreading family trees were pruned down to a couple of twigs by the holocaust.
I didn't need diversity classes to not-be-a-dick. The crying need for handwringers to have official classes which will somehow convert the KKK good ol' boys into newly accepting world citizens is born out of fantasy, not a real consideration of how people think or act. Any time someone shows up saying "You folks need to have a CLASS in diversity/sensitivity/living, loving and hugging" you know somewhere money is changing hands. Usually, lots of money. And in the real world, after that class? People make fun of it.
"Hey, Bob, are you feeling more diverse?"
"Yeah, but I can't get the hang of this sexual harrassment thing. Maybe I'll be better at that after the class tomorrow."
Good luck changing the world there, buddy Jesus.