Discrimination

  • July 27, 2026

    Consultant Says Fla. Co., Owner Stole Her Training Model

    A linguist claimed in a Florida federal court that the owner of a job consulting business breached their collaboration agreement and stole a training model she developed, alleging she wasn't given equity in the company as promised and that her copyrighted intellectual property was published in a book without her authorization.

  • July 27, 2026

    EEOC Drops Appeal Of Staffing Co.'s Escape From Bias Suit

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has pulled its Sixth Circuit appeal of a lower court's order allowing a staffing agency to exit a race discrimination suit claiming it and a packaging company unlawfully turned away Black applicants.

  • July 27, 2026

    11th Circ. Nixes Disinfectant-Spraying Worker's ADA Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit refused Monday to reopen a now-deceased Georgia county employee's lawsuit alleging she was fired for taking precautions to protect herself during the COVID-19 pandemic due to her health problems, concluding she was let go for spraying co-workers with disinfectant rather than her disabilities.

  • July 27, 2026

    Seafood Wholesaler To Pay $265K In EEOC Sex Bias Suit

    A Georgia federal judge on Monday signed off on a $265,000 deal reached between a seafood wholesaler and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to end the agency's sex bias suit claiming the business refused to hire women for warehouse positions.

  • July 27, 2026

    Wells Fargo Finance Manager Drops Bias Suit Ahead Of Trial

    A finance manager for Wells Fargo has ended her disability bias suit accusing the bank of discriminating against her after she sought to continue working from home to deal with health issues, cutting short the case ahead of a tentative September trial date.

  • July 27, 2026

    NLRB Judge Says Worker Unlawfully Fired Over Anti-DEI Post

    A financial technology company violated federal labor law by firing a data engineer and suing him for defamation after he complained publicly about company diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, a National Labor Relations Board judge has ruled, saying the company should be ordered to rehire the worker.

  • July 27, 2026

    FedEx Will Pay $900K To End Military Leave Bias Fight

    FedEx agreed to pay $900,000 to close a suit claiming the company didn't compensate its service member employees who took short-term military leave but provided pay for other short-term leave such as jury duty and bereavement time, according to a Georgia federal court filing.

  • July 27, 2026

    Jury Says Hospital Owes $105K In EEOC Sex Bias Suit

    An Arkansas hospital should pay $105,000, a federal jury ruled, after finding in favor of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the agency's suit claiming a male medical assistant was unlawfully barred from assisting with childbirth.

  • July 24, 2026

    2nd Circ. Partly Revives NYC Employee's Disability Case

    The Second Circuit Friday vacated a lower court's dismissal of a New York City employee's suit claiming the city failed to accommodate his disability, although it said the trial court was correct in tossing the employee's discrimination and retaliation claims.

  • July 24, 2026

    Ex-File Clerk Sues Philly Public Defender Office For Bias

    A former file clerk for the Defender Association of Philadelphia sued the organization Friday for discrimination, alleging she faced retaliation for going out on leave to address her parents' health conditions as well as termination because of her age.

  • July 24, 2026

    9th Circ. Revives Ex-Kaiser Worker's Vaccine Bias Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel Friday revived a former Kaiser Permanente employee's discrimination suit accusing The Permanente Medical Group Inc. of unlawfully firing her for refusing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine, ruling that the worker adequately informed the company of the vaccine's conflict with her sincerely held religious beliefs.

  • July 24, 2026

    Tesla Sued For Denying Worker's Accommodation Due To THC

    Tesla Inc. faces a disability discrimination lawsuit from a worker who claims in California state court that it refused to accommodate an ongoing knee disability and disqualified him from transferring to a less demanding role due to his legal medical cannabis usage.

  • July 24, 2026

    DC Prison Exec Must Face Ex-Guard's 1st Amendment Claim

    The D.C. prison system and its director have dodged a former guard's claim that they violated the First Amendment by firing her after she leaked emails and publicized pandemic-era jailhouse conditions, but the system's deputy director must keep facing this claim, a D.C. Circuit panel ruled Friday.

  • July 24, 2026

    Acquired Co.'s Founder Was Fired For Age, Race, Suit Alleges

    An Ohio-based multinational engineering firm fired the founder of a company it acquired because of his age and race just three days after suggesting that he retire, according to a complaint filed in Pennsylvania federal court Friday.

  • July 24, 2026

    Ex-Immigration Judge Says Firing Is Part Of Biased Anti-DEI Push

    A former immigration judge has sued the U.S. Department of Justice in California federal court claiming she was pushed off the bench because she is Black and female, and previously advocated for immigrant clients as an attorney — and saying dozens of similarly situated judges were also fired or denied permanent positions.

  • July 24, 2026

    8th Circ. Backs Builder's Win In Female Worker's Bias Suit

    The Eighth Circuit declined Friday to reinstate a female former construction worker's suit claiming she was forced to resign after her employer failed to curb sex discrimination, ruling her case falls apart because she never explicitly complained that she faced gendered prejudice on the job.

  • July 24, 2026

    EEOC's Pact With Penn Shields Decisive Trial Court Victory

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's decision to drop its subpoena for information on Jewish employees at the University of Pennsylvania may have been a strategic move to preserve a district court decision affirming its broad investigative authority, experts said.

  • July 24, 2026

    Property Co. Fired Director Amid Cancer Diagnosis, Suit Says

    The former director of operations for a property management company has alleged in a federal lawsuit that she was fired in the midst of finding out she had cancer, saying her ex-employer knew she might seek accommodations for her diagnosis and sacked her anyway.

  • July 24, 2026

    Car Dealerships, EEOC Strike $925K Sex Harassment Suit Deal

    A group of Texas car dealerships will pay $925,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging they did nothing to curb managers' rampant harassment of female employees and transferred or fired workers who complained, according to a federal court filing.

  • July 24, 2026

    NY Forecast: NY Judge Hears Claims Of Faulty Tip Class List

    This week, a New York federal magistrate judge will consider a class of restaurant workers' claims that a steakhouse has not provided accurate information necessary to administer an $800,000 settlement that the two sides reached in April.

  • July 24, 2026

    7th Circ. Says Jurors Should Weigh HR Manager's Bias Suit

    The Seventh Circuit reopened a human resources manager's lawsuit accusing a metal castings company of firing her for investigating and documenting workplace harassment, ruling a jury should have a chance to determine whether her termination was connected to her reports.

  • July 24, 2026

    Texas Barber School Settles EEOC Pregnancy Bias Suit

    A Texas barber and hairstylist school has struck a deal to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming it rescinded a job offer to a pregnant applicant because the school already had another pregnant teacher on staff.

  • July 24, 2026

    Calif. Forecast: $24.8M Grubhub Wage Deal Up For Final OK

    In the week ahead, attorneys should watch for a final settlement approval hearing in a worker misclassification suit against Grubhub that went to the Ninth Circuit. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters on deck in California.

  • July 23, 2026

    2nd Circ. Revives Fired Benefit Fund Worker's ADA Suit

    The Second Circuit said Thursday that an ex-employee should get a second shot at his claim that a union benefit fund failed to accommodate his pulmonary embolism complications, stating the lower court needed to weigh disputes about whether his request to change service routes was reasonable.

  • July 23, 2026

    Smithfield Should Face Trial In EEOC Bias Suit, Judge Says

    Meat processor Smithfield Foods shouldn't escape a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it terminated a Georgia-based senior sales employee because she was almost 60, with a federal magistrate judge recommending that jurors decide whether the company included her in layoffs because of her age.

Expert Analysis

  • Challenging A Class Representative's Adequacy And Typicality

    Author Photo

    Recent cases highlight that a named plaintiff cannot certify a putative class action unless they can meet all the applicable requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, so defendants should consider challenging a plaintiff's ability to meet typicality and adequacy requirements early and often, say attorneys at Womble Bond.

  • Age Bias Ruling Holds Harassment Policy Lessons

    Author Photo

    A Kansas federal court's recent decision in Holman v. Textron Aviation, rejecting an employee's assertion that his termination for failing to report harassment was pretextual and due to age bias, provides insight into how courts analyze whether actions are pretextual and offers lessons about enforcing anti-harassment policies, say attorneys at Ogletree.

  • Employer Tips As Deepfakes Reshape Workplace Harassment

    Author Photo

    As the workplace harassment landscape faces the rising threat of fabricated media that hyperrealistically depict employees in sexual or malicious contexts, employers can stay ahead of the curve by tracking new legal obligations, and proactively updating policies, training and response protocols, say attorneys at Littler.

  • How To Balance AI Adoption With Employee Privacy Risks

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    As artificial intelligence transforms the workplace, organizations must learn to leverage AI's capabilities while safeguarding against employee privacy risks and complying with a complex web of regulations, including by vetting vendors, mitigating employee misuse and establishing a governance framework, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

  • How Ending OFCCP Will Affect Affirmative Action Obligations

    Author Photo

    As President Donald Trump's administration plans to eliminate the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which enforces federal contractor antidiscrimination compliance and affirmative action program obligations, contractors should consider the best compliance approaches available to them, especially given the False Claims Act implications, say attorneys at Ogletree.

  • Employer Best Practices For Navigating Worker Separations

    Author Photo

    As job cuts hit several major industries, employers should take steps to minimize their exposure to discrimination claims, information leaks and enforcement challenges, such as maintaining sound documentation, strategic planning and legal coordination, says Mark Romance at Day Pitney.

  • Employer Tips For Responding To ICE In The Workplace

    Author Photo

    Increased immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration has left employers struggling to balance their compliance obligations with their desire to provide a safe workplace, so creating a thorough response plan and training for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's presence at the workplace is crucial, say attorneys at Hanson Bridgett.

  • Handbook Hot Topics: Shifting Worker Accommodation Rules

    Author Photo

    Since President Donald Trump took office, many changes have directly affected how employers must address accommodation requests, particularly those concerning pregnancy-related medical conditions and religious beliefs, underscoring the importance of regularly reviewing and updating accommodation policies and procedures, say attorneys at Kutak Rock.

  • Shifting DEI Expectations Put Banks In Legal Crosshairs

    Author Photo

    The Trump administration's rollbacks on DEI-friendly policies create something of a regulatory catch-22 for banks, wherein strict compliance would contradict established statutory and administrative mandates regarding access to credit for disadvantaged communities, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • Compliance Tips After Court Axes EEOC's Trans Rights Take

    Author Photo

    A Texas federal court's recent decision struck portions of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's 2024 guidance pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity under Title VII, barring their use nationwide and leaving employers unsure about how to proceed in their compliance efforts, say attorneys at Dorsey & Whitney.

  • 5 Insurance Claims That Could Emerge After NCAA Settlement

    Author Photo

    Following the recent NCAA class action settlement that will allow revenue sharing with college athletes, there may be potential management liability for universities, their executive leadership and boards that could expose insurers to tax, regulatory, breach of contract and other claims, says Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty.

  • 8th Circ. Ruling Highlights Complicated Remote Work Analysis

    Author Photo

    The Eighth Circuit’s recent opinion in Kuklenski v. Medtronic USA demonstrates that the applicability of employment laws to remote workers is often a fact-driven analysis, highlighting several parameters to consider when evaluating what state and local laws may apply to employees who work remotely, say attorneys at Vedder Price.

  • Philly Law Initiates New Era Of Worker Protections

    Author Photo

    A new worker protection law in Philadelphia includes, among other measures, a private right of action and recordkeeping requirements that may amount to a lower evidentiary standard, introducing a new level of accountability and additional noncompliance risks for employers, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.