Discrimination

  • May 27, 2026

    West Point Prof. Wins Speech Injunction Over Approval Rule

    A New York federal court has blocked West Point from requiring civilian faculty to get permission before using their school affiliation in external engagements involving their area of expertise, finding a civilian professor will likely prevail in his First Amendment challenge.

  • May 27, 2026

    Screening Co. Calls EEOC Subpoena Bid 'Fishing Expedition'

    A candidate screening company urged a Colorado federal judge to reject the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's bid to enforce subpoenas seeking information about preoffer assessments for sheriff's office applicants, calling the demand an overbroad "fishing expedition."

  • May 27, 2026

    Colo. Panel Questions Trial Court's Reading Of Wage Laws

    The Colorado Court of Appeals appeared poised Wednesday to revive the retaliation claims of a former human services caseworker against the county department she had worked for, pushing back on a lower court's interpretation of statutes meant to close gender pay gaps.

  • May 27, 2026

    Fla. Judge Strikes Ex-Chartwell Atty's Sanctions Motion

    An attorney who claims Chartwell Law Offices LLP fired her over social media posts about Gaza won't win sanctions against the firm after a Florida federal judge on Wednesday struck her motion as unfounded and said she would consider monetary sanctions over hallucinated AI citations in the motion.

  • May 27, 2026

    7th Circ. Backs Tortilla Co.'s Defeat Of Harassment Suit

    A split Seventh Circuit panel on Wednesday backed a tortilla manufacturer's win over an employee's lawsuit claiming it was slow to act when a male colleague inappropriately touched her on the job, concluding she hadn't shown the company's response was inadequate.

  • May 27, 2026

    Pope's Warning Raises Prospect Of AI, Faith Friction At Work

    Pope Leo XIV's recent call for employers to deploy artificial intelligence humanely is the latest signal that companies should be ready for workers to seek faith-based exceptions to using the technology, experts said.

  • May 27, 2026

    Judge Suggests Calif. Law Applies In Workday AI Bias Suit

    A California federal judge suggested Wednesday that Workday was wrong when it argued California civil rights law didn't apply in a lawsuit alleging its artificial intelligence tools discriminated against job applicants, ordering the company and workers to address her tentative conclusion at a hearing.

  • May 27, 2026

    MGM Knocks Out Most Of Waitress's Footwear ADA Suit

    A Maryland MGM resort largely defeated a former cocktail waitress's lawsuit alleging it unlawfully revoked her request to wear sneakers instead of heels because of her Achilles tendinitis, though a federal judge said the casino must face claims it deterred her from pursuing a promotion because of her disability.

  • May 27, 2026

    NJ Pot Law Lets Workers Sue Over Hiring Bias, Panel Finds

    A New Jersey appeals panel has found that the state's cannabis law grants a private right of action to employees who allege they were fired or denied work solely because of a positive cannabis test, reviving a woman's suit alleging she was denied a job because of her recreational cannabis use.

  • May 26, 2026

    9th Circ. Won't Revive Wash. City Workers' Vax Mandate Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday put an end to city workers' lawsuit challenging Bellingham, Washington's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, ruling that a lower court appropriately dismissed the action and barred the workers from amending their claims.

  • May 26, 2026

    Seattle Hospital Loses Appeal Of Dr.'s $21M Race Bias Verdict

    A Washington Court of Appeals panel Tuesday upheld a $21 million verdict against Seattle Children's Hospital in a Black ex-medical director's lawsuit claiming he faced racism in the workplace and retaliation for complaining about systemic inequities, ruling "substantial evidence" justified the jury's findings and damages award.

  • May 26, 2026

    Judge Says Ex-City Prosecutor's Bias Suit Should Be Tossed

    A Texas federal judge recommended Tuesday that a bias and retaliation suit against the city of Corpus Christi by a former assistant city attorney be tossed because he failed to show that comparable workers were treated better or that the city's performance-based reasons for firing him were false.

  • May 26, 2026

    EEOC, Health System Ink $325K Deal To End Flu Vax Probe

    Northwestern Medical Group will pay $325,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation into whether it unlawfully denied workers' requests for faith-based exemptions from an influenza vaccination policy, the agency announced Tuesday.

  • May 26, 2026

    Ball State President Settles With Worker Fired Over Kirk Post

    A former Ball State University employee will receive $225,000 to end her suit accusing the university's president of violating her constitutional rights by ousting her for a viral social media post about conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk after his killing, the ACLU of Indiana announced Tuesday.

  • May 26, 2026

    9th Circ. Backs Reinstating DEI Grants Nixed By Trump

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday partially upheld a lower court's preliminary injunction and class certification orders in litigation from University of California researchers against President Donald Trump, backing the reinstatement of grants terminated due to presidential orders against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives while reversing the injunction for those grants that were rescinded without explanation.

  • May 26, 2026

    EEOC Says Gas Chain Axed Disabled Worker Over Need To Sit

    Texas-based gas station and convenience store chain Buc-ee's denied a cashier's request to sit on the job because of an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and ultimately fired him, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Tuesday.

  • May 26, 2026

    J&J Strikes Deal To End Ex-Engineer's FMLA Claims

    A former Johnson & Johnson engineer and the company have agreed to end his lawsuit alleging the medical device maker retaliated against him for taking parental and medical leave, according to a Tuesday filing in Massachusetts federal court.

  • May 26, 2026

    Ironworkers Union Local Must Face NJ AG's Bias Suit

    A New Jersey Superior Court judge refused to dismiss the state's discrimination lawsuit accusing an Ironworkers local of systematically passing over Black union members for job assignments, ruling that the claims are not time-barred or preempted by federal labor law.

  • May 26, 2026

    Wage Disclosure Suit Doesn't Trigger Coverage, Judge Says

    A federal judge has sided with a Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. unit in a coverage dispute over a Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act class action, finding that an alleged failure to disclose salary ranges in job postings does not qualify as discrimination under the restaurant operator's employment practices liability insurance policy.

  • May 26, 2026

    5th Circ. Won't Reopen White Ex-News Anchor's Bias Suit

    The Fifth Circuit backed a Mississippi television station's win over a white former news anchor's lawsuit claiming she was fired because of her race, saying she couldn't overcome the company's explanation that she'd used two racially insensitive terms on air within six months.

  • May 26, 2026

    Justices Deny Bishops' Bid For Church Autonomy Review

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to consider broadening religious protections under the First Amendment, turning away a case that could have helped religious organizations avoid lawsuits entirely or get quick appeals on constitutional autonomy rulings.

  • May 26, 2026

    Justices Sidestep Question On NFL Arbitration Process

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to review a Second Circuit opinion finding the National Football League's arbitration process unenforceable, in a case that sought clarity on whether district courts have authority to decide whether an arbitration process is fair.

  • May 22, 2026

    Law360 Reveals Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar

    This past year, 10 lawyers across the country at plaintiffs' firms big and small helped secure millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for their clients, going up against powerful defendants like Google, Monsanto and the Trump administration, earning the attorneys recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2026.

  • May 22, 2026

    1st Circ. Revives Puerto Rico Worker's Political Bias Suit

    The First Circuit reinstated a worker's suit claiming a Puerto Rico municipality sabotaged his success and forced him to quit because his political affiliation differed from that of an incoming mayor, saying he backed his allegations with enough evidence of potential bias.

  • May 22, 2026

    Workplace DEI Recap: NY Times, 10th Circ., NFL

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accused the New York Times of unlawfully rejecting a white male editor for a promotion, the 10th Circuit rejected a suit from a white ex-correction officer over racial sensitivity training, and the NFL is facing a subpoena from Florida's attorney general over its diversity policies. Here's a roundup of the notable diversity, equity and inclusion-related legal developments we've seen so far in May.  

Expert Analysis

  • How The Tide Of EEOC Litigation Rolled Back In FY 2024

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    An analysis of the location, timing and underlying claims asserted in U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission-initiated cases during fiscal year 2024 shows that the commission saw a substantial decrease in litigation activity after a surge last year, but employers should not drop their guard, say Christopher DeGroff and Andrew Scroggins at Seyfarth.

  • The Key Changes In Revised FDIC Hiring Regulations

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    Attorneys at Ogletree break down the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s new rule, effective Oct. 1, that will ease restrictions on financial institutions hiring employees with criminal histories, amend the FDIC's treatment of minor offenses and clarify its stance on expunged or dismissed criminal records.

  • Employer Tips For PUMP Act Compliance As Law Turns 2

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    Enacted in December 2022, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a private space for employees to express breast milk, but some companies may still be struggling with how to comply, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • What To Know About Ill. Employment Law Changes

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    Illinois employers should review their policies in light of a number of recent changes to state employment law, including amendments to the state’s Human Rights Act and modifications to the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act, say attorneys at Kilpatrick.

  • Mich. Whistleblower Ruling Expands Retaliation Remedies

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    The Michigan Supreme Court's recent Occupational Health and Safety Act decision in Stegall v. Resource Technology is important because it increases the potential exposure for defendants in public policy retaliation cases, providing plaintiffs with additional claims, say Aaron Burrell and Timothy Howlett at Dickinson Wright.

  • How States Are Approaching AI Workplace Discrimination

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    As legislators across the U.S. have begun addressing algorithmic discrimination in the workplace, attorneys at Reed Smith provide an overview of the status, applicability and provisions of 13 state and local bills.

  • The Risks Of Employee Political Discourse On Social Media

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    As election season enters its final stretch and employees increasingly engage in political speech on social media, employers should beware the liability risks and consider policies that negotiate the line between employees' rights and the limits on those rights, say Bradford Kelley and James McGehee at Littler.

  • 7th Circ. Rulings Offer Employee Vaccine Exemption Guidance

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    Dawn Solowey and Samantha Brooks at Seyfarth explain how two recent Seventh Circuit rulings in Passarella v. Aspirus and Bube v. Aspirus could affect litigation involving employee vaccine exemptions, and discuss employer best practices for handling accommodation requests that include both religious and secular concerns.

  • Employers Should Not Neglect Paid Military Leave Compliance

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    An August decision from the Ninth Circuit and the settlement of a long-running class action, both examining paid leave requirements under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, are part of a nationwide trend that should prompt employers to review their military leave policies to avoid potential litigation and reputational damage, says Bradford Kelley at Littler.

  • Old Employment Law Principles Can Answer New AI Concerns

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    Despite growing legal and regulatory concerns about how artificial intelligence tools may affect employment decisions and worker rights, companies should take comfort in knowing that familiar principles of employment law and established compliance regimes can still largely address these new twists on old questions, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • NYC Wage Info Bill Highlights Rise In Pay Transparency Laws

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    With New York City the latest to mull requiring companies to annually report employee wage data, national employers should consider adapting their compliance practices to comply with increasingly common pay transparency and disclosure obligations at state and local levels, says Kelly Cardin at Littler Mendelson.

  • Workday AI Bias Suit Suggests Hiring Lessons For Employers

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    As state laws and a federal agency increasingly focus on employment bias introduced by artificial intelligence systems, a California federal court's recent decision to allow a discrimination suit to proceed against Workday's AI-driven recruitment software, shows companies should promptly assess these tools' risks, say attorneys at Williams & Connolly.

  • How Anti-DEI Bill Could Affect Employers' Diversity Efforts

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    Sen. J.D. Vance's recently introduced Dismantle DEI Act would substantially limit employers’ ability to implement and promote workplace diversity, equity and inclusion, but there are still steps employers can take to support a diverse workforce, says Peter Ennis at Cozen O’Connor.