One deterrent that prevents managers from violating federal employment laws is the fact that under some laws managers can be held personally liable for violations. That means the plaintiff can sue his/her manager directly in addition to the company. Therefore, it is possible that any monetary penalties derived from a guilty verdict can be taken from the manager's own bank account. (This begs the question: If the company must to spend money on its own defense, how likely is it going to pay the manager's personal attorney fees?) Many of my managers are surprised by this fact during corporate training.
Questions to the Class:
1. Under which federal employment laws can a manager be held personally liable for violations?
2. What are examples of the penalties?