Discrimination

  • April 28, 2025

    AT&T Cites EO On Disparate Impact In EEOC Obesity Bias Suit

    AT&T urged a Louisiana federal judge to toss a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming it discriminated against obese workers through a weight-limit safety policy, pointing to a recent presidential executive order doing away with the disparate impact legal theory underpinning the case.

  • April 28, 2025

    'Give Me A Break': Judge Questions DOJ On Jenner Order

    The Department of Justice on Monday argued for the dismissal of Jenner & Block LLP's lawsuit against the federal government over an executive order targeting the law firm for its selection of clients, with the judge on the case commenting "Give me a break" at one point during the DOJ's turn to speak.

  • April 28, 2025

    Tech Exec Says Littler's 'Unlawful' Advice Led To Suspension

    Littler Mendelson PC shouldn't be allowed to escape a tech executive's lawsuit claiming that she was suspended and ultimately fired for complaining about her boss' sexist comments, the employee told a New York federal court, arguing that the firm's advice directly led to her employer's retaliation.

  • April 28, 2025

    Trucking Co. Settles Firing Suit Over Scantily Clad Co-Worker

    A trucking company agreed to settle a former driver's suit in North Carolina federal court claiming she was fired for filing a sexual harassment complaint against a co-worker whom she saw in a truck yard wearing only his underwear and penny loafers.

  • April 25, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Fired Clorox Worker's Gender Bias Claim

    A Ninth Circuit panel on Friday revived a gender discrimination claim brought by a former employee of The Clorox Co. in Washington who alleged he was wrongfully fired during a reorganization, but the panel ruled against the worker on his race and age discrimination claims.

  • April 25, 2025

    19 AGs Sue Trump Admin Over Anti-DEI School Funding Threat

    Nearly 20 state attorneys general sued the U.S. Department of Education in Massachusetts federal court Friday accusing it of embarking on efforts to withhold funding from educational institutions that engage in vague, undefined, "illegal" diversity, equity and inclusion practices through an agency action passed earlier this month.

  • April 25, 2025

    Boston Consulting Group Hit With Pregnancy Bias Suit In Ga.

    The Boston Consulting Group was hit with a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit Friday from a former payroll worker who alleges her boss told her she "conned" the company by taking parental leave early on in her tenure, only to fire her after she complained about the workplace mistreatment.

  • April 25, 2025

    Harvard Can't Escape Ousted Ice Hockey Coach's Bias Suit

    A Massachusetts federal judge refused to nix a former Harvard University ice hockey coach's sex bias suit alleging she was paid less than her male colleagues, issuing an order Friday that agreed with a magistrate judge's report rejecting Harvard's argument that her claims were filed too late.  

  • April 25, 2025

    Judge Asks How Ed Dept. Can Fulfill Mandates Without Staff

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Friday appeared skeptical of arguments by the Trump administration that it can continue delivering legally mandated services without reinstating hundreds of U.S. Department of Education employees who were fired last month.

  • April 25, 2025

    Employment Lawyers' Weekly DEI Cheat Sheet

    Harvard University sued the government over its threat to yank billions in funding unless the elite institution undertakes reforms including shuttering diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and three federal judges threw up roadblocks to the U.S. Department of Education's effort to eliminate DEI in public schools.

  • April 25, 2025

    2nd Circ. Says Withdrawn Application Dooms Age Bias Suit

    The Second Circuit refused to reopen a sleep doctor's lawsuit claiming a hospital refused to consider him for a job because he was 66 years old, saying his decision to turn down an interview after receiving a misaddressed email doomed his case.

  • April 25, 2025

    What's Behind The Wider Pay Gap Amid Equal Pay Innovation

    Equal pay laws have evolved at a rapid clip in recent years, yet the pay gap widened, illustrating the lingering impact of COVID-19 on the workforce and the importance of continued innovation, attorneys say.

  • April 25, 2025

    Calif. Forecast: Workday AI Bias Suit Up For Class Cert.

    In the coming week, attorneys should watch for arguments regarding conditional collective certification in a discrimination suit against Workday Inc. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters on deck in California.

  • April 25, 2025

    'Computer Glitch' Can't Save Race Bias Suit, 8th Circ. Says

    The Eighth Circuit backed the dismissal of a Black ex-healthcare system worker's suit claiming she was fired out of race bias and for taking medical leave, rejecting her defense Friday that a "computer glitch" pushed her complaint eight minutes past the filing deadline.

  • April 25, 2025

    J&J Unit Sees Claims Trimmed In Engineer's Bias Suit

    A Johnson & Johnson-owned prosthetics company does not have to face claims that an engineer filed his lawsuit, alleging violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act, too late, a Massachusetts federal judge ruled Friday, but determined some of the allegations are timely and can proceed.

  • April 25, 2025

    BigLaw Partners, Judges Back Susman Godfrey In EO Suit

    Hundreds of BigLaw partners and former judges on Friday threw their support behind Susman Godfrey LLP's lawsuit in D.C. federal court over President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the firm, warning that if "the independent bar is cowed into submission" it will threaten "the rule of law itself."

  • April 25, 2025

    Teachers Union Blocks Feds From Freezing Funds Over DEI

    The federal government can't revoke funding from schools associated with the National Education Association and two other educator groups because of the institutions' diversity, equity and inclusion policies, a New Hampshire federal judge ruled, saying the organizations will likely succeed in their suit claiming government guidance was unlawfully vague.

  • April 25, 2025

    NJ Firm Says Worker's Discovery Failures Doom Wage Suit

    A former employee of a personal injury law firm has failed to respond to its discovery requests in her lawsuit alleging she was paid less than men and harassed while she was pregnant, and her case should therefore be thrown out, the firm told a New Jersey state court.

  • April 25, 2025

    NY Forecast: 2nd Circ. Hears Suit Over Contract Translation

    This week, the Second Circuit will consider whether to revive a lawsuit brought by a former New York City day care center worker who claims he was denied overtime pay under state and federal law.

  • April 25, 2025

    Wells Fargo Looks To Upend $22M Disability Bias Loss

    Wells Fargo is turning to the Fourth Circuit to challenge a $22.1 million verdict in an Americans with Disabilities Act case claiming the banking giant fired an investment director for requesting telework, according to a North Carolina federal court filing.

  • April 24, 2025

    1st Circ. Revives Honeywell Ex-Manager's Bias Suit

    The First Circuit on Thursday revived a former Honeywell Aerospace manager's employment discrimination claims against the aircraft manufacturer, ruling in a published opinion that a federal court in Puerto Rico erroneously tossed the former employee's case for being untimely.

  • April 24, 2025

    Christian Groups Aim To Back Trump On EEOC Member's Suit

    Two Christian organizations asked a D.C. federal judge Thursday to consider their concerns on ex-EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels' suit challenging President Donald Trump's decision to remove her from the agency, arguing the Democrat's potential reinstatement and support for certain policies could harm their religious freedom.

  • April 24, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Sealy Factory Worker's Sex Harassment Suit

    The Ninth Circuit reopened a lawsuit Thursday accusing mattress giant Sealy Inc. of not properly addressing a manager's unwelcome sexual advances toward a Washington state factory worker, saying the former employee adequately alleged the company didn't keep a close enough eye on the supervisor.

  • April 24, 2025

    Trump Spurning Disparate Impact Marks Sharp Turn For EEOC

    President Donald Trump's recent executive order repudiating the concept of disparate impact discrimination will change the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's enforcement outlook, but its impact on private litigation will likely be limited, experts say.

  • April 24, 2025

    Mich. Judge Won't Halt Atty's State Cases For Retaliation Suit

    An attorney pursuing a sexual harassment suit against her former boss and mentor should ask the Michigan state court to stay allegedly retaliatory actions pending there, a Michigan federal judge has ruled, denying the lawyer's request to step in under the All Writs Act to pause the related actions.

Expert Analysis

  • Anticipating The Impact Of 2 Impending New Title IX Rules

    Author Photo

    Two major amendments to Title IX — which the U.S. Department of Education is expected to finalize next month — would substantially alter the process schools must use for sexual discrimination complaints and limiting student participation in athletics based on gender identity, says Rebecca Sha at Phelps Dunbar.

  • Despite Regulation Lag, AI Whistleblowers Have Protections

    Author Photo

    Potential whistleblowers at companies failing to comply with the voluntary artificial intelligence commitments must look to a patchwork of state and federal laws for protection and incentives, but deserve comprehensive regulation in this field, say Alexis Ronickher and Matthew LaGarde at Katz Banks.

  • FCRA Legislation To Watch For The Remainder Of 2023

    Author Photo

    If enacted, pending federal and state legislation may result in significant changes for the Fair Credit Reporting Act landscape and thus require regulated entities and practitioners to pivot their compliance strategies, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • A Closer Look At Another HBCU Race Bias Suit Against NCAA

    Author Photo

    The National Collegiate Athletic Association's Academic Performance Program has become a lightning rod for scrutiny, as seen in the recently filed class action McKinney v. NCAA — where statistics in the complaint raise questions about the program's potential discriminatory impact on student-athletes at historically Black colleges and universities, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • Employer Defenses After High Court Religious Bias Decision

    Author Photo

    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Groff v. DeJoy — which raised the bar for proving that a worker’s religious accommodation presents an undue hardship — employers can enlist other defense strategies, including grounds that an employee's belief is nonsectarian, say Kevin Jackson and Jack FitzGerald at Foley & Lardner.

  • Where Employers Stand After 5th Circ. Overturns Title VII Test

    Author Photo

    The substantial impact of the recent holding in Hamilton v. Dallas County means employers in the Fifth Circuit can now be liable under Title VII for a whole range of conduct not previously covered — but the court did set limits, and employers can take tangible steps to help protect themselves, say Holly Williamson and Steven DiBeneditto at Hunton.

  • Gauging The Scope Of NYC's New AI Employment Law

    Author Photo

    Although employers have received some guidance on the requirements of New York City's new restriction on the use of automated employment decision tools, there are many open questions to grapple with as Local Law 144 attempts to regulate new and evolving technology, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Eye On Compliance: Women's Soccer Puts Equal Pay In Focus

    Author Photo

    As the U.S. Women's National Team returns from World Cup, employers can honor the fighting spirit of the athletes — which won them a historic gender pay equality settlement in 2022 — by reviewing federal equal pay compliance requirements and committing to a level playing field for all genders, says Christina Heischmidt at Wilson Elser.

  • Inflexible Remote Work Policies Can Put Employers In A Bind

    Author Photo

    As made clear in the recent decision by a Pennsylvania federal court in Oross v. Kutztown University, employers need to engage in individualized assessments of all requests for exemptions or accommodations to return-to-work policies to avoid potentially violating the Americans with Disabilities Act or Rehabilitation Act, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper. 

  • Congress Should Ban Employee Body Size Discrimination

    Author Photo

    New York City's recent enactment of a law that bans employers from discriminating against applicants and employees because of their height or weight should signal to Congress that now is the time to establish federal legislation that would prohibit such harmful practices, says Joseph Jeziorkowski at Valiant Law.

  • Why Employers Should Heed High Court Web Designer Ruling

    Author Photo

    While not an employment law ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in the First Amendment case 303 Creative v. Elenis raises serious questions for employers that constitute public accommodations and have related anti-discrimination policies, says Tanner Camp at Foley & Lardner.

  • What To Expect From The EEOC's Proposed Pregnancy Law

    Author Photo

    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act require accommodations for many conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, and while the final rule won't be published until the public comment period expires in October, employers should act promptly, says Amy Gluck at FisherBroyles.

  • Employer Best Practices For Pay Transparency Compliance

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    With conflicting pay transparency and disclosure laws appearing across the country, employers must carefully develop different strategies for discussing compensation with employees, applicants, and off-site workers, disclosing salaries in job ads, and staying abreast of new state and local compliance requirements, says Joy Rosenquist at Littler Mendelson.