Discrimination

  • July 08, 2026

    Ex-Worker Says KPMG Fired Him For Resisting Easter Work

    Accounting giant KPMG LLP fired a manager for complaining that his supervisors fabricated negative performance feedback to justify an unwarranted performance improvement plan after he objected to working on religious holidays, according to a lawsuit filed in Georgia federal court.

  • July 08, 2026

    McDonald's Ends Suit Alleging Rampant Sex Harassment

    McDonald's has struck a deal with two workers to end their proposed class action claiming the fast food giant allowed sexual harassment to go unchecked in its restaurants, prompting an Illinois federal judge to formally shutter the case.

  • July 07, 2026

    Entrepreneur Can't Sue Over Ex-Worker's Hill Testimony

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday nixed a multimillionaire executive's defamation suit against a former employee whose testimony to Congress helped secure passage of a law barring the arbitration of sexual assault and harassment claims, litigation that also sought to undo an arbitral award favoring the former employee.

  • July 07, 2026

    9th Circ. Appears Icy Toward Calif. Captive Meeting Law

    The Ninth Circuit seemed hesitant Tuesday to unblock a 2-year-old California law that prohibits employers from punishing workers for skipping what are commonly known as captive audience meetings in which companies convey views about political or religious topics, with two judges suggesting that the statute infringes on employers' free speech rights.  

  • July 07, 2026

    Vape Co. Accused Of Racial Bias Toward Black Manager

    A retail marketing manager for a high-end maker of cannabis vape products, Puffco, claims she was subjected to daily race- and gender-based harassment, functionally demoted after taking medical leave and then retaliated against after complaining to HR, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County court.

  • July 07, 2026

    6th Circ. Revives Pilot's Disability Claims In Vaccination Row

    In an unpublished opinion issued Monday, a Sixth Circuit panel revived some disability claims brought against Kalitta Air LLC by a cargo pilot after he was fired for refusing to get a second COVID-19 vaccine because he suffered a severe reaction from the first dose.

  • July 07, 2026

    Mayo Sacked Research Director For Flagging Flaws, Suit Says

    Mayo Clinic retaliated against and eventually terminated its director of research operations after she brought up concerns about security, safety and privacy regarding the medical center's use of artificial intelligence and other protocols, according to a lawsuit filed in Minnesota federal court on Monday.

  • July 07, 2026

    11th Circ. Upholds Block of Fla. 'Stop WOKE' Law

    The Eleventh Circuit upheld a lower court's preliminary injunction on a Florida law that restricts classroom discussion of race and gender, finding on Tuesday that the law violates the First Amendment's free speech protections. 

  • July 07, 2026

    Health Corp. Worker Says Leave, ADA Requests Got Her Fired

    A Michigan healthcare system denied a worker's requests for breaks and later shifts in order to manage her mental health disability and then fired her shortly after she took leave to get treatment, the former employee alleged in a new suit filed in federal court.

  • July 07, 2026

    EEOC Says Exxon's Delayed Disclosures Warrant Sanctions

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said ExxonMobil held onto critical information until the last minute in a lawsuit alleging the company didn't properly handle the discovery of nooses in an oil refinery complex, urging a Louisiana federal court to bar the company from using the eleventh-hour materials.

  • July 07, 2026

    Cannabis Co. Says Worker's Suit Belongs Before NLRB

    A former employee of a New Jersey cannabis company should have brought his wrongful firing claims to the National Labor Relations Board and the fact that he didn't dooms his lawsuit in New Jersey federal court, the company said in a motion to dismiss the litigation.

  • July 07, 2026

    EEOC Tells 5th Circ. Trial Court Used Obsolete ADA Standards

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission urged the Fifth Circuit to revive a former English instructor's lawsuit alleging that she was fired by a New Orleans charter school because of debilitating back pain, arguing that a trial court used outdated disability law standards to nix the case.

  • July 07, 2026

    Coke Bottler Escapes Fired Worker's Medical Leave Bias Suit

    A Tennessee federal judge threw out an ex-worker's suit claiming a Coca-Cola bottling company failed to hold her job open after she took several months of medical leave, ruling that once she exhausted her 12-week leave allotment, the business wasn't obligated to return her to her old job.

  • July 06, 2026

    Insurer Looks To Knock Out Expert In Employment Trial

    An annuity salesperson whose hostile work environment claim against Jackson National Life Insurance Co. was revived by the Tenth Circuit urged a Colorado federal judge Monday not to bar from trial a damages expert the company says the plaintiff denounced.

  • July 06, 2026

    ConEd Partners Exploit Foreign Workers, Suit Claims

    Two companies partnered with Con Edison targeted immigrants from the country of Georgia and required them to work 50- to 90-hour weeks under conditions "tantamount to human trafficking" for far less than minimum wage, according to a proposed class action filed in New York federal court Monday.

  • July 06, 2026

    PWFA, Guidance Rollbacks Highlight New EEOC Reg Agenda

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission plans to float a revision of its Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations and scrap decades-old guidance pertaining to sex and national origin bias by the end of the year, according to an updated regulatory agenda unveiled by the Trump administration.

  • July 06, 2026

    Kasowitz Sued Over College Antisemitism Settlement Fees

    A group of Columbia University students who reached a settlement with the school over alleged antisemitism on campus accused Kasowitz LLP of wrongfully taking over $6 million from the deal and engaging in "self-dealing and misappropriation."

  • July 06, 2026

    Paralegal Says NC Law Firm Fired Her Out Of Disability Bias

    North Carolina law firm Whitaker & Hamer PLLC fired a paralegal after she asked to bring her service dog to work and for additional time off to manage flare-ups of her disability, according to a Monday lawsuit the former employee filed in federal court.

  • July 06, 2026

    Workday Can't Get Quick Appeal In AI Bias Suit

    Workday can't ask the Ninth Circuit to immediately review a ruling allowing job applicants to bring disparate impact claims under federal age bias law in a suit alleging the company's artificial intelligence tools discriminated against them, a California federal judge ruled, saying a midcase appeal would not advance the litigation.

  • July 06, 2026

    After Tense Terms, Hints Of High Court Harmony With Circuits

    Following several U.S. Supreme Court terms teeming with reversals and rebukes of lower appeals courts, the justices this term found fault less often with rulings by circuit judges, who are likely becoming better attuned to the conservative supermajority, attorneys say.

  • July 06, 2026

    The Moments That Shaped The Monsanto Decision

    U.S. Supreme Court justices forged unusual alliances when they ruled a federal statute preempts claims Monsanto failed to warn consumers its Roundup weed killer may cause cancer. Oral arguments provided insights on the 7-2 outcome, highlighting issues the jurists were grappling with and showcasing rationales that found their way into the opinion.

  • July 06, 2026

    The Funniest Moments Of The Supreme Court's Term

    When one of the U.S. Supreme Court's most talkative members suddenly struggled to speak, the atmosphere at oral arguments grew increasingly anxious — until the justice deadpanned that it was an advocate's golden opportunity to avoid a grilling.

  • July 06, 2026

    NJ Bank Defeats Ex-Manager's Bias Suit Tied To Security Lapse

    A New Jersey appeals court ruled Monday that a bank was justified in firing a longtime branch manager who failed to ensure employees followed security protocols, rejecting her claims that the termination was motivated by age discrimination or retaliation.

  • July 06, 2026

    3rd Circ. Backs BNY In Ex-Portfolio Manager's Bias Suit

    The Third Circuit on Monday upheld Bank of New York Mellon's win in a Black former portfolio manager's race bias and retaliation suit, finding he failed to show his firing was racially motivated or that a reorganization masked retaliation for his complaints.

  • July 06, 2026

    Contractor Says Former Exec's Gender Bias Claim Belongs In Va.

    A defense contractor urged a Colorado federal court to toss a female former executive's gender bias claim alleging she was fired for reporting a male manager's $1.9 million fraud scheme, arguing the claim belongs in Virginia because her employment stemmed from that state and the company is based there.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Philly Law Initiates New Era Of Worker Protections

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    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.

  • Justices' Ruling Lowers Bar For Reverse Discrimination Suits

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous opinion in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, lowering the evidentiary burden for plaintiffs bringing so-called reverse discrimination claims, may lead to more claims brought by majority group employees — and open the door to legal challenges to employer diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, say attorneys at Ice Miller.

  • 4 Midyear Employer Actions To Reinforce Compliance

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    The legal and political landscape surrounding what the government describes as unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives has become increasingly complex over the past six months, and the midyear juncture presents a strategic opportunity to reinforce commitments to legal integrity, workplace equity and long-term operational resilience, say attorneys at Krevolin & Horst.

  • Proposed State AI Rule Ban Could Alter Employer Compliance

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    A proposal in the congressional budget bill that would ban state and local enforcement of laws and regulations governing artificial intelligence may offer near-term clarity by freezing conflicting rules, but long-term planning would remain difficult for employers seeking safe, lawful AI deployment strategies, say attorneys at Fisher Phillips.