Discrimination

  • July 29, 2026

    Fla. Panel Rules Against Firefighter Over Medical Cannabis

    A Florida appellate court on Wednesday sided with a county for terminating a firefighter-paramedic who tested positive for cannabis in a random drug screen, saying he wasn't entitled to a workplace accommodation for having a medical marijuana card.

  • July 29, 2026

    A Summer Reading List For Employment Discrimination Attys

    As the clock starts ticking on the final month of summer, discrimination lawyers taking time off for rest and relaxation may want to dig into a book that keeps them in touch with their practice. For attorneys eager to keep learning while soaking up sun, here are five to consider.

  • July 29, 2026

    9th Circ. Revives Biotech Worker's Pension Plan Suit

    The Ninth Circuit reopened a former Calbiotech Inc. scientist's lawsuit claiming the company unlawfully hid the existence of a pension plan, saying a trial court erred in concluding that a document specifying who was eligible to participate in the plan was legitimate.

  • July 29, 2026

    U Mich. Health-West Resolves Fired PA's Religious Bias Case

    University of Michigan Health-West has agreed to overhaul its religious accommodation policies, train employees and pay $410,000 to resolve a suit brought by a physician assistant who alleged she was fired for refusing, based on her Christian beliefs, to use certain patients' preferred pronouns or participate in gender transition-related care. 

  • July 29, 2026

    DOL Says Beekeeper Underpaid, Endangered H-2A Workers

    The U.S. Department of Labor sued a beekeeping business and its owner in Washington federal court Wednesday, alleging they underpaid H-2A workers, housed them in a rat-infested trailer and pressured an employee to conceal a workplace injury that nearly cost him a finger.

  • July 29, 2026

    Senior Living Co. To Pay $250K In EEOC Harassment Suit

    A Christian senior living facility has agreed to pay $250,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming the business didn't do enough to stop residents from sexually harassing its female staff, according to an Arizona federal court filing.

  • July 29, 2026

    Segal McCambridge Settles Fired Secretary's Age Bias Suit

    Law firm Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney Ltd. has struck a deal to end a New York federal court suit from a former secretary who said her colleagues mistreated her because of her age, according to a Wednesday court filing.

  • July 29, 2026

    Tech Company Gets Sex Bias Suit Kicked To Arbitration

    A California federal judge said an ex-Tencent worker must arbitrate her claims that the company fired her after she complained that a male colleague sexually harassed her, ruling that the behavior she protested wasn't sufficiently severe or sexual in nature to trigger a law that could have kept her case in court.

  • July 29, 2026

    Insurer Says It Won't Cover $10M Bias Award Against HR Org.

    An insurance company urged a Virginia federal judge to rule that it doesn't have to cover a $10 million award won by a former Society for Human Resources Management employee who sued the association for race bias, arguing the applicable policy doesn't cover punitive damages based on deliberate actions.

  • July 29, 2026

    Judge Says Jet Co. Should Escape Sex, Pay Bias Claims

    A former private jet company executive failed to plausibly allege that she was denied a promotion, underpaid, subjected to a hostile workplace or forced to resign because she is a woman, a North Carolina federal magistrate judge said in recommending dismissal of her federal claims.

  • July 29, 2026

    Digital Textbook Co. Resolves EEOC Disability Bias Probe

    A North Carolina-based education software provider will pay $150,000 to end an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission into a worker's claim that she was fired because she requested medical leave, the agency said Wednesday.

  • July 28, 2026

    Baldoni's Studio Owes NYT $170K For Failed Defamation Suit

    "It Ends With Us" director and star Justin Baldoni's production company must pay The New York Times more than $170,000 after it defeated the studio's defamation claims, a New York state judge has ruled, saying the newspaper is entitled to recoup its legal fees.

  • July 28, 2026

    Ortho Practice Owes More Damages After Sex Bias Verdict

    A Pennsylvania-based orthopedic practice and a group of five female employees who accused the healthcare provider and its related entities of sex discrimination came to an agreement Tuesday on how much back and front pay should be awarded to the plaintiffs months after a federal jury awarded them $4.35 million.

  • July 28, 2026

    Union Pacific Won't Hire Drivers Using Opioid Meds, Suit Says

    Union Pacific Railroad Co. refuses to hire train drivers who take certain medications for opioid use disorder without evaluating their cases individually, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a proposed class action filed in Wisconsin federal court.

  • July 28, 2026

    7th Circ. Shuts Down Trans Cop's Bias Suit

    The Seventh Circuit declined Tuesday to reinstate a transgender police officer's bias suit claiming she was outed by her colleagues, ruling her allegations lack teeth given that leadership only disclosed her gender identity when discussing ways to accommodate and protect her on the job.

  • July 28, 2026

    Miss. Blues Club Settles EEOC Sex Harassment Suit

    A Mississippi blues club will pay $35,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging it fired an assistant manager after she complained that a co-owner made sexual comments and groped her, the parties told a federal court.

  • July 28, 2026

    Delta, EEOC Seek Approval For Pregnancy Bias Suit Deal

    Delta Air Lines Inc. will pay nearly $17,000 to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging it unlawfully revoked a job offer from a worker who was prevented from completing a physical screening because she was pregnant, according to a filing in New York federal court.

  • July 28, 2026

    1st Circ. Skeptical That JPMorgan AI Tool Broke Mass. Law

    A First Circuit panel appeared doubtful Tuesday that an artificial intelligence-powered applicant screening tool used by JPMorgan Chase & Co. constituted the kind of lie detector test that Massachusetts law bars employers from using in interviews. 

  • July 28, 2026

    8th Circ. Backs Quartz Co. In FMLA Firing Suit

    The Eighth Circuit affirmed a quartz-surface manufacturer's win in a former process engineering technician's suit alleging he was unlawfully fired while on medical leave, finding Tuesday the employer eliminated his position because production was slowing and he had less seniority.

  • July 28, 2026

    EEOC Illegally Froze Fed Workers' Class Cases, Suit Says

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has unlawfully directed administrative judges to halt pending class action complaints filed by federal employees, the American Federation of Government Employees claimed in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in D.C. federal court.

  • July 28, 2026

    Med Center To Pay $200K To End EEOC Disability Bias Probe

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Tuesday that a California medical center has agreed to pay $200,000 to wrap up an investigation into a nurse's claim that it violated disability bias law by firing her instead of letting her transfer to another role.

  • July 28, 2026

    EEOC Wins Bid To Wrest DEI Info From Northwestern Mutual

    Northwestern Mutual must give the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission information about its diversity, equity and inclusion policies and workplace trainings after a Wisconsin federal judge backed an agency subpoena stemming from a white ex-employee's bias allegations.

  • July 27, 2026

    Former JPMorgan Banker Levels Race Bias, Harassment Suit

    A former JPMorgan Chase employee filed a race discrimination and sexual harassment suit against the investment bank in Manhattan federal court Monday, on the heels of dropping a similar state court complaint that triggered an ongoing defamation case from his former boss. 

  • July 27, 2026

    Hyundai Unit Beats Disability Bias Suit Over Cannabis Use

    A Hyundai subsidiary defeated a former temporary employee's lawsuit alleging she was denied a permanent position because she used medical marijuana to manage her PTSD, with a Connecticut federal judge finding she hadn't shown she was disabled under federal law.

  • July 27, 2026

    Religious Health Workers Ask Justices To Revisit Vax Battle

    A group of religious healthcare workers told the U.S. Supreme Court that recent circuit court rulings in vaccination-related cases have heightened the need for the justices to review their legal battle over a pandemic-era New York state inoculation policy.

Expert Analysis

  • How Latest High Court Rulings Refine Employment Law

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    The 2024-2025 U.S. Supreme Court term did not radically rewrite employment law, but sharpened focus on textual fidelity, procedural rigor and the boundaries of statutory relief, say attorneys at Krevolin & Horst.

  • Challenging A Class Representative's Adequacy And Typicality

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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.