by Race in the Workplace special correspondent Erica

Annapolis firefighter loses reverse discrimination suit - HometownAnnapolis.com
A white firefighter consistently ranked near the top of the list for a promotion to lieutenant, but two minority candidates were picked over him. The judge ruled that the fire chief “exercised permissible discretion.” (via stereohyped)

How to Get a Job on Craigslist - Guy Kawasaki
Mostly normal job hunting advice, but there is some added context around how Craigslist works. If you want dibs on that $20 coffee table, you’ve got to respond first and respond best (i.e., show up first, preferably with cash). Same goes for a job. Respond quickly, and respond well (but don’t offer cash).

Suspended NFL Players Sue Under ADA - Workplace Prof Blog
The two players claim their suspensions violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. “This is an interesting dispute as the ADA has very specific language when it comes to treating alcoholism as a disability. Those currently abusing alcohol are not covered by the ADA, while those who have a record of alcoholism and have received treatment are considered disabled for purposes of the ADA. So whether Thurman and Cox are successful will largely depend on whether they are still currently abusing alcohol or whether they are in rehabilitation mode. There is also a subsidiary issue about how long you must be off alcohol before being consider to no longer be a current abuser. Some cases requires two months or more and if these NFL Players were recently suspended for failing a test, they might be out of luck.”

But You Look So Good! and 7 Other Things NOT to Say to a Person With a Non-Visible Disability - DiversityInc.com
“Ninety-six percent of illnesses are invisible to the average person… [L]ooking good and feeling good are two very different things—and the impact of a disability or illness is as much psychological as it is physical. From the glares people with non-visible disabilities get after parking in a handicapped spot to the ‘You’re so lucky you get to stay in bed all day’ comments, the ignorance of the limitations of life with a chronic illness or disability can hurt as much as the actual pain.”

Bush Nominee for EEOC Bitterly Withdraws - DiversityInc.com
“Eight former DoJ officials wrote a letter opposing [David] Palmer’s confirmation, accusing him of poor leadership and ineffective management during his tenure that undermined the mission of the department…. Most alarming are the alleged discrimination complaints against Palmer himself. The letter claims that Palmer treated co-workers with ‘disdain and contempt,’ and was ‘at least once’ the subject of a discrimination complaint, which arose after he allegedly tried to get a woman with whom he had been romantically involved fired from federal service.”

Recommended Reading is a weekly feature where we link to some of our favorite workplace-related blog posts and articles. If you would like to suggest a link to Erica, please email tips@raceintheworkplace.com