Discrimination

  • July 16, 2025

    EEOC Pick Echoes Trump's Stances On DEI, Agency Limits

    President Donald Trump's pick to join the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission indicated support Wednesday for the administration's opposition to workplace diversity, equity and inclusion programs and for its limited view of the commission's authority.

  • July 16, 2025

    Fast Food Workers Settle Trans Bias Case Dropped By EEOC

    Three former workers for a Culver's franchisee agreed to settle claims that the business fired them for opposing the harassment of a transgender employee, resolving a Michigan federal court case that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission abandoned because of Trump administration orders.

  • July 16, 2025

    Paramount Fired VP For Return-To-Office Concerns, Suit Says

    Paramount fired an executive for raising concerns that the company's return to in-person work during the COVID-19 pandemic put her at risk because of her autoimmune condition and then replaced her with a less experienced man, she said in a disability and gender bias suit filed in California state court.

  • July 15, 2025

    Trump Admin Seeks Win In Harvard $2B Funding Freeze Case

    The Trump administration urged a Massachusetts federal judge Monday to grant it summary judgment in Harvard University's lawsuit challenging the government's effort to freeze $2.2 billion in funding, arguing the dispute is a contract fight that belongs in the Federal Claims Court and the allegations fail on the merits.

  • July 15, 2025

    Feds Urge Calif. Judge To End Suit Over Border Patrol Sweep

    The U.S. government moved Tuesday to end a proposed class action alleging Border Patrol agents conducted race-based stops and warrantless arrests of people who appear to be farmworkers, arguing the government has required agents to evaluate flight risks and reasonable suspicion for stops, which renders the suit's claims moot.

  • July 15, 2025

    9th Circ. Backs United Airlines In Worker's Diabetes Bias Suit

    The Ninth Circuit upheld United Airlines' win over a lawsuit claiming it refused to accommodate a diabetic employee's restriction barring her from operating a jet bridge, ruling Tuesday that the airline wasn't required to modify the worker's duties to meet her needs.

  • July 15, 2025

    Ex-Navistar Worker Sues Over Tobacco Health Fee

    A former employee sued International Motors LLC, formerly Navistar, in Illinois federal court Monday, saying it imposes "discriminatory and punitive health insurance surcharges" on workers who smoke without offering an alternative that would allow them to recoup the additional $600 they pay annually.

  • July 15, 2025

    Pa. Judge Updates Damages In School District Pay Bias Case

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Tuesday adjusted the amount of back pay two female teachers should receive after a jury handed them a win on their claims that a Pennsylvania school district paid them less than men, and also signed off on liquidated damages.

  • July 15, 2025

    Harrah's Accused Of Firing Supervisor Over Health Issues

    A housekeeping supervisor said Harrah's Resort Atlantic City used flimsy reasoning to fire her after she sought time off for multiple health problems in a complaint filed in New Jersey federal court.

  • July 15, 2025

    11th Circ. Backs $50K Verdict In Ex-Koch Nurse's Assault Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday let stand a $50,000 verdict in favor of a former Koch Foods nurse against two human resource managers at a food plant whom she accused of assault and battery, saying jurors reached a viable conclusion.

  • July 15, 2025

    Kroger, Union Shouldn't Face Disability Bias Suit, Judge Says

    Kroger and a United Food and Commercial Workers local shouldn't have to face a lawsuit alleging they unlawfully refused to let a family member accompany a disabled grocery clerk during a disciplinary appeal, a Georgia federal magistrate judge recommended, saying accommodations weren't required after the worker was terminated.

  • July 15, 2025

    Michigan Cases To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2025

    Michigan's courts are gearing up for a busy second half of the year, with high-profile prosecutions of Chinese scientists accused of smuggling, the state's top court tackling arbitration and automotive contracts, and revisions to the professional conduct rules for lawyers and judges all on deck.

  • July 15, 2025

    J&J Demands Sanctions Over Atty's 'Frivolous' Bias Suit In NJ

    Johnson & Johnson has blasted a former in-house data privacy attorney's discrimination suit against the company as "baseless and defamatory" and demanded sanctions against the ex-employee in New Jersey federal court.

  • July 15, 2025

    NJ Equal Pay Law For Temps Caught In The Crosshairs

    With an ongoing legal challenge and pushback from businesses, New Jersey's landmark temp worker bill of rights, which requires equal pay for equal work, shows the difficulty of modernizing wage and hour law, attorneys say.

  • July 15, 2025

    Law Curbing Arbitration Keeps AutoNation Bias Suit In Court

    AutoNation Inc. can't arbitrate a former sales associate's lawsuit claiming supervisors treated her differently because she's an older Black woman and made sexual comments in the workplace, a California state appeals court ruled, saying her case is shielded by a federal law prohibiting mandatory arbitration of sex harassment cases.

  • July 15, 2025

    4th Circ. Finds No Evidence Of Bias In HVAC Worker's Suit

    The Fourth Circuit backed the dismissal of a Black former HVAC worker's suit claiming he was placed on leave and disciplined by a Maryland school board out of racial bias, ruling he failed to counter evidence that he lost his job for threatening a supervisor and clashing with co-workers.

  • July 15, 2025

    UnitedHealth, Optum Accused Of Pregnancy Discrimination

    Optum Care Inc. and parent company UnitedHealth Group fired a care team supervisor while she was on maternity leave without a tangible reason, according to a suit lodged in California state court.

  • July 15, 2025

    Public Sector Labor Policy Expert Joins Fox Rothschild

    A longtime government attorney with years of experience in labor law and policy has jumped into the private sector, coming aboard Fox Rothschild's Washington, D.C., office as of counsel in the firm's labor and employment department.

  • July 14, 2025

    7th Circ. Upholds Exxon's Win In Ex-Lab Tech's Sex Bias Suit

    The Seventh Circuit on Monday refused to revive a former ExxonMobil Corp. employee's sex discrimination suit against the major oil and gas company, saying the woman failed to prove she was treated less favorably than male colleagues in the lead-up to her termination.

  • July 14, 2025

    CWA Was Not Biased Against White Member, Judge Says

    A New York federal court should find that the Communications Workers of America did not racially discriminate against a white Verizon worker by declining to arbitrate his firing grievance, a magistrate judge said, concluding evidence shows the union did not think it would win.

  • July 14, 2025

    Mich. Judge Claims Watchdog's Process Violates Due Process

    A Michigan judge accused by the state's judicial watchdog of creating a "climate of fear" among court staff is fighting the accusations, saying interpersonal issues were related to her "desire for accurate records, professionalism and respect" and calling the commission's pursuit of charges "misdirected and unfair."

  • July 14, 2025

    Judge Suggests Pruning Ex-Turner Sports Worker's Bias Suit

    A Georgia federal magistrate judge said Monday that the court should trim a former Turner Sports human resources employee's lawsuit claiming she was denied severance benefits when she quit following the merger of Discovery Inc. and WarnerMedia, saying the worker couldn't support allegations that an executive's statements caused her harm.

  • July 14, 2025

    Ga. Contractor Denies Harassment Claims In EEOC Lawsuit

    A Georgia construction contractor has denied claims from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that a former employee of the company faced years of sexual harassment and groping from its owner and CEO.

  • July 14, 2025

    9th Circ. Keeps Alive Part Of Prof's DEI Free Speech Fight

    A California professor can continue to sue his community college district over its enforcement of certain state regulations proscribing diversity and inclusion practices because they press on his free speech rights, the Ninth Circuit said, but stopped short of reviving the entire lawsuit.

  • July 14, 2025

    Ga. County Wants 11th Circ. To Nix Trans Deputy's Health Win

    A Georgia county urged the Eleventh Circuit to reverse a transgender sheriff's deputy's trial court win on claims that denying coverage for a vaginoplasty constituted discrimination in violation of Title VII, arguing the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision upholding a Tennessee state ban on gender-affirming care for minors supported its appeal.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • 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.