Discrimination

  • May 27, 2025

    Upcoming State And Local Wage Laws To Watch

    Washington employers will get some reprieve from steep penalties for pay transparency violations, and workers in Los Angeles County will have the benefit of predictive scheduling. Here, Law360 explores a sampling of new developments employers should keep in mind in the coming weeks.

  • May 27, 2025

    Energy Cos. Ink $700K Deal To End EEOC Harassment Suit

    Two oil and gas exploration services companies have agreed to pay nearly $700,000 to close a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming they allowed sexual comments and racial slurs in the workplace and fired workers who spoke up about the harassment.

  • May 27, 2025

    Congress Needed For Major Changes To Workplace Vax Rules

    The Trump administration is exploring changes to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's stance on workplace vaccine mandates, but legal experts say an act of Congress would be necessary to bring about significant change in this arena.

  • May 27, 2025

    ArentFox Schiff Says Workers' 'Antics' Should Get Suit Tossed

    An Illinois federal judge handling age discrimination claims from two longtime former ArentFox Schiff LLP information technology contractors should permanently dismiss their lawsuit as a consequence for routinely destroying case evidence and discarding their mobile phones while the litigation has been pending, the firm says.

  • May 27, 2025

    Auto Co. Seeks Judge's Recusal For Pushing Bias Settlement

    A Pennsylvania magistrate judge has been improperly pushing an automotive dealership to settle a former manager's suit claiming she faced daily sexual advances and inappropriate comments from her boss, the company said, arguing the judge needs to step aside before an upcoming trial.

  • May 27, 2025

    Vice Media VP Rejoins Ogletree In NYC

    A seasoned BigLaw attorney who left Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC five years ago to move into an in-house legal position at Vice Media has rejoined the labor and employment law firm Tuesday as a shareholder.

  • May 23, 2025

    Law360 Reveals Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar

    This past year, a handful of attorneys secured billions of dollars in settlements and judgments for both classes and individual plaintiffs against massive companies and organizations like Facebook, Dell, the National Association of Realtors, Johnson & Johnson, UFC and Credit Suisse, earning them recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2025.

  • May 23, 2025

    Employment Lawyers' Weekly DEI Cheat Sheet

    Jenner & Block LLP convinced a Washington, D.C., federal judge to invalidate an executive order by President Donald Trump targeting it in part for its diversity, equity and inclusion practices as unconstitutional, and the U.S. Department of Justice announced the formation of an initiative to use the False Claims Act to quell discrimination by federal funding recipients tied to their DEI programs. Here, Law360 looks at notable DEI-related legal developments over the past week.

  • May 23, 2025

    Service Members' COVID Vax Claims Sent To Military Boards

    A Court of Federal Claims judge said an executive order directing the reinstatement of service members discharged over a COVID-19 vaccine mandate warranted sending the claims of 10 people who refused to comply with the mandate to military records boards for consideration.

  • May 23, 2025

    Car Dealership Can't Swerve Around EEOC Firing Suit

    An Arkansas federal judge declined Friday to toss a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming a car dealership fired a Black worker for complaining that a co-worker called him a "monkey," stating the business couldn't overcome a "Catch-22" it presented the employee before canning him.

  • May 23, 2025

    NJ Panel Revives Ex-Nursing Director's Discrimination Suit

    A New Jersey appeals court panel on Friday revived a former Capital Health nursing director's suit alleging the state nurses association discriminated against her for receiving treatment for alcoholism, finding that the trial court could hear her complaint.

  • May 23, 2025

    Insurer Accused Of Firing Worker Out Of Pregnancy Bias

    An insurance company reneged on its promise to provide its benefits adviser with paid maternity leave and then fired her not long after she raised several concerns about unpaid commissions, according to a lawsuit removed to North Carolina federal court.

  • May 23, 2025

    Pest Co. Seeks To Stamp Out Workers' Tobacco Fee Case

    Global pest control company Rentokil urged a Pennsylvania federal court to toss a proposed class action claiming it unlawfully charged tobacco users more for health benefits without providing a reasonable way to avoid the fee, arguing it's not the company's fault the workers refused to quit the habit.

  • May 23, 2025

    NY Forecast: 2nd Circ. Hears Speech Therapist Race Bias Suit

    This week, the Second Circuit will consider a New York speech therapist's attempt to revive her lawsuit claiming she was discriminated against on the basis of her race when her school district fired her in 2022. Here, Law360 looks at this and other cases on the docket in New York.

  • May 23, 2025

    Mo. Says Starbucks Lacks Grounds To Escape DEI Bias Suit

    The state of Missouri urged a federal judge to reject Starbucks' bid to dismiss its suit claiming its diversity policies discriminate based on race and gender, arguing it has put forward enough evidence showing how the company's practices have harmed its citizens to keep the case in court.

  • May 23, 2025

    DOL Picks New Acting Leaders For Wage Compliance Unit

    The U.S. Department of Labor announced Friday a new acting administrator as well as four policy advisers to serve in the agency's division tasked with ensuring employers pay their employees in line with federal minimum wage and overtime laws.

  • May 23, 2025

    EEOC's Acting Chair Eyes Federal Sector Program Revisions

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told federal agencies they will no longer face monetary penalties for disobeying orders during administrative proceedings and warned that workers shouldn't immediately lose opportunities when they're accused of bias, moves the EEOC framed as opening efforts to remold its federal sector program.

  • May 23, 2025

    Cooley Hires 'Next-Gen' Boston Labor & Employment Partner

    A Choate Hall & Stewart LLP partner has joined Cooley LLP's labor and employment practice and global litigation department in Boston.

  • May 23, 2025

    Ruby Tuesday Fired Bartender On Medical Leave, Court Told

    Ruby Tuesday fired a bartender while she was out on medical leave recovering from a broken hip that she sustained in a car accident and refused to let her return to her former role, she said in a suit filed in North Carolina federal court.

  • May 23, 2025

    Southwest Flight Attendant Fights To Revive Nixed Sanctions

    A flight attendant urged the Fifth Circuit to reconsider its move to axe a contempt order against Southwest Airlines in her wrongful termination suit, arguing it shouldn't be scrapped just because the panel took issue with court-ordered religious liberty training for Southwest attorneys.

  • May 23, 2025

    Ex-Immigration Judge Fights To Keep Fla. Bias Suit Alive

    A former immigration judge has urged a Florida federal court to reject U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's bid for an early win against her disability bias claims, arguing she was denied a hardship transfer and reasonable accommodation due to her gender and age.

  • May 22, 2025

    California City Cleared In Employment Discrimination Trial

    A Los Angeles jury cleared the city of Baldwin Park, California, of liability on Thursday in a wrongful-termination suit by a former longtime employee who claimed that she was forced to resign after complaining about race and gender bias and misuse of federal housing funds.

  • May 22, 2025

    Levi Strauss Calls For Sanctions Against Boies Schiller

    Levi Strauss is seeking more than $15,000 from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and training for the firm's litigation attorneys in the proceeding over a former executive's sex discrimination claims, telling a California federal judge that Boies Schiller flouted deadlines and refused to meet with opposing counsel.

  • May 22, 2025

    Tire-Maker Axed Workers Over Prescription Drugs, EEOC Says

    A specialty tire manufacturer violated federal disability law when it terminated employees who lawfully took narcotics, opioids and other prescription medications to manage pain, even after multiple doctors cleared them to work, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in Tennessee federal court.

  • May 22, 2025

    Medical Pot Patient's Bias Suit Against Penske Can Proceed

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has refused to dismiss a discrimination case brought by a medical marijuana patient alleging a unit of Penske Corp. unlawfully rescinded his job offer.

Expert Analysis

  • 2 Areas Of Labor Law That May Change Under Trump

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    Based on President Donald Trump's recent moves, employers should expect to see significant changes in the direction of law coming out of the National Labor Relations Board, particularly in two areas where the Trump administration will seek to roll back the Biden NLRB's changes, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Justices' Revival Ruling In Bias Suit Exceeds Procedural Issue

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Waetzig v. Halliburton allowed the plaintiff in an age discrimination lawsuit to move to reopen his case after arbitration, but the seemingly straightforward decision on a procedural issue raises complex questions for employment law practitioners, says Christopher Sakauye at Dykema.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'Late Night' Shows DEI Is More Than Optics

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    Amid the shifting legal landscape for corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Troutman's Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter chat with their firm's DEI committee chair, Nicole Edmonds, about how the 2019 film "Late Night" reflects the challenges and rewards of fostering meaningful inclusion.

  • 9 Considerations For Orgs Using AI Meeting Assistants

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    When deciding to use artificial intelligence meeting assistants, organizations must create and implement a written corporate policy that establishes the do's and don'ts for these assistants, taking into account individualized business operations, industry standards and legal and regulatory requirements, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • What's At Stake In High Court Transgender Care Suit

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    The outcome of U.S. v. Skrmetti will have critical implications for the rights of transgender youth and their access to gender-affirming care, and will likely affect other areas of law and policy involving transgender individuals, including education, employment, healthcare and civil rights, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Determining What 'I Don't Feel Safe' Means In The Workplace

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    When an employee tells an employer "I don't feel safe," the phrase can have different meanings, so employment lawyers must adequately investigate to identify which meaning applies — and a cursory review and dismissal of the situation may not be a sufficient defense in case of future legal proceedings, says Karen Elliott at FordHarrison.

  • How EEOC Enforcement Priorities May Change Under Trump

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has already been rocked by the Trump administration's dramatic changes in personnel and policy, which calls into question how the agency may shift its direction from the priorities set forth in its five-year strategic enforcement plan in 2023, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • Handbook Hot Topics: Back To Basics After Admin Change

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    Having an up-to-date employee handbook is more critical now than ever, given the recent change in administration, and employers should understand their benefits and risks, including how they can limit employers’ liability and help retain employers’ rights, say Kasey Cappellano and Meaghan Gandy at Kutak Rock.

  • What Axed Title IX Gender Identity Rule Means For Higher Ed

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    Following a Kentucky federal court's recent decision in State of Tennessee v. Cardona to strike down a Biden-era rule that expanded the definition of Title IX to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, institutions of higher education should prepare to reimplement policies that comply with the reinstated 2020 rule, say attorneys at Venable.

  • A Path Forward For Cos. Amid Trump's Anti-DEIA Efforts

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    Given the Trump administration’s recent efforts targeting corporate diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs — including threatening possible criminal prosecution — companies should carefully tailor their DEIA initiatives to comply with both the letter and the spirit of antidiscrimination law, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Workforce Data Collection Considerations After DEI Order

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    Following President Donald Trump's executive order targeting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, employers should balance the benefits of collecting demographic data with the risk of violating the order’s prohibition on "illegal DEI," say Lynn Clements at Berkshire Associates, David Cohen at DCI Consulting and Victoria Lipnic at Resolution Economics.

  • How DOGE's Severance Plan May Affect Federal Employees

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    President Donald Trump's administration, working through the Department of Government Efficiency, recently offered a severance package to nearly all of the roughly 2 million federal employees, but unanswered questions about the offer, coupled with several added protections for government workers, led to fewer accepted offers than expected, says Aaron Peskin at Kang Haggerty.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

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    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.