Discrimination

  • April 30, 2024

    Welch's Says Worker Should Stay Fired In Dispute With Union

    Welch Foods Inc. on Tuesday said a Pennsylvania magistrate judge is wrong to say the company should be forced to rehire a Teamsters-represented worker it fired for making vulgar comments to a female co-worker, saying the words the ex-employee used should be construed as sexual harassment.

  • April 30, 2024

    Georgia EMS Co. Rife With Harassment And Abuse, Suit Says

    An Atlanta-based EMS provider was hit with a lawsuit by a former paramedic who says in under one year with the company, she faced a workplace rife with sexual harassment, domestic abuse, medical malpractice, retaliation and white supremacist affiliations.

  • April 30, 2024

    Restaurant Inks $60K Deal To Close EEOC Gay Bias Suit

    A Memphis, Tennessee, restaurant will pay up $60,000 to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit alleging it failed to step in when a gay employee said he was harassed with homophobic comments and then fired him for complaining about the mistreatment.

  • April 30, 2024

    Atty Sanctioned Over Missed Depo During Solar Eclipse Trip

    A Florida lawyer whose client missed his own deposition while the attorney was solar eclipse viewing has been ordered to pay related attorney fees incurred by AAA as the business fights a gender discrimination lawsuit.

  • April 30, 2024

    EEOC Says High Court Ruling Supports Ex-Worker's ADA Suit

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission urged the Tenth Circuit to reinstate a worker's disability bias suit claiming she was fired from a Kansas health system for refusing mental health counseling, arguing that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling shows her case was improperly tossed.

  • April 30, 2024

    Senior Care Co., EEOC Strike Deal To End Age Bias Suit

    A Georgia senior living community will pay $78,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit alleging it pressured a receptionist in her 70s to retire and then fired her because she was hospitalized for high blood pressure, according to a federal court filing.

  • April 30, 2024

    School Knocks Out Religious Bias Suit Over Pronoun Policy

    An Indiana federal court Tuesday dismissed a suit from a Christian former teacher who objected to using gender-affirming names for trans students, ruling that letting him refer to students by last names only would be asking too much under a standard articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court in June.

  • April 30, 2024

    Logistics Co. Strikes Deal To Exit EEOC Retaliation Suit

    A logistics company will pay $60,000 to resolve a suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing it of forcing a staffing agency to rescind a worker's employment there after he complained that the facility refused to hire Hispanic workers.

  • April 29, 2024

    6th Circ. Reopens Disability Bias Suit Against Kroger

    The Sixth Circuit on Monday reinstated a Kroger employee's lawsuit alleging her supervisor micromanaged her and pushed her out after revealing she had breast cancer, saying a jury could find the retail company refused to allow her to take it easy after she returned from surgery.

  • April 29, 2024

    Diddy Calls 1991 Rape Claim 'False, Offensive And Salacious'

    Sean "Diddy" Combs has asked a New York court to trim one of the multiple sexual assault suits he is facing, calling plaintiff Joi Dickerson-Neal's allegations of a 1991 rape "false, offensive and salacious."

  • April 29, 2024

    Trans Patients In NC, W.Va. Prevail In 4th Circ. Health Fight

    The Fourth Circuit on Monday affirmed two lower court decisions ordering North Carolina and West Virginia to end discriminatory exclusions for coverage of gender-affirming medical care for transgender people in both states, finding the lower courts properly struck down the policies as "textbook sex discrimination."

  • April 29, 2024

    6th Circ. Revives Black Truck Driver's Race Bias Suit

    The Sixth Circuit reinstated a Black truck driver's race bias suit claiming he was dealt a steeper punishment than white drivers for allegedly driving recklessly on two occasions, stating he put forward enough detail to cast doubt on his employer's position that he was sacked over safety concerns.

  • April 29, 2024

    GSA Guides Agencies On Responsible Generative AI Buying

    The U.S. General Services Administration on Monday issued guidance to federal agencies for buying generative artificial intelligence services and related hardware, intended to ensure that emerging technology is used "responsibly and effectively."

  • April 29, 2024

    Ex-Manager Accuses Hallmark Of Retaliation For Wage Claims

    A former manager said he was illegally let go for speaking up about Hallmark's alleged violations of a minimum wage ordinance, telling a California state court Monday that the greeting card giant terminated him for supposedly saying an expletive when profanity use is "embedded in Hallmark's culture."

  • April 29, 2024

    9th Circ. Backs Raytheon Defeat Of Religious Vaccination Suit

    The Ninth Circuit refused to revive a lawsuit alleging Raytheon Technologies Corp. unlawfully harassed and forced out employees who received religious exemptions from its COVID-19 vaccination policy, finding Monday that companywide reminders about inoculation and other preventative measures weren't based on religion.

  • April 29, 2024

    EEOC To Challenge Texas' PWFA Blockade At 5th Circ.

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told a Texas federal judge that the agency will ask the Fifth Circuit to upend his order blocking the EEOC from enforcing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act against the state.

  • April 29, 2024

    Amtrak Wants Out Of Black Conductor's Bias Suit

    Amtrak is urging a Connecticut federal judge to let it out of a Black conductor's lawsuit alleging she was passed over for union committee assignments in favor of less experienced white men and harassed by a superior after she complained, saying her gripes should be directed solely at the union.

  • April 29, 2024

    DOL Issues Guidance On Using AI In The Workplace

    The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance Monday on how employers can carefully use artificial intelligence, saying a lack of human eyes could create a domino effect and lead to violations of federal wage and leave laws.

  • April 29, 2024

    Japanese Space Co. Settles White Ex-CEO's Bias Suit

    The U.S. arm of a Japanese space company and its former CEO told a Colorado federal court they have agreed to end the executive's suit alleging he witnessed frequent "anti-foreigner" bias at the company and was ultimately fired because he's white.

  • April 29, 2024

    NC Law Firm Ends Fired Paralegal's Pregnancy Bias Suit

    A real estate law firm agreed to end a former worker's suit claiming she was fired from her paralegal job only 12 days after she notified her bosses that she was pregnant and needed maternity leave, according to a North Carolina federal court filing.

  • April 29, 2024

    EEOC Guidance Addresses Telework, Shields LGBTQ Workers

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday unveiled the final version of its enforcement guidance on workplace harassment, updating the agency's advice to factor in developments such as the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Bostock decision and the rise of remote work.

  • April 29, 2024

    Justices Skip Atty's Race Bias Suit Over Paid Suspension

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to wade into a former congressman's case alleging a nonprofit legal aid firm violated Title VII's ban on race discrimination when it suspended him with pay, passing on the chance to apply a newly crafted high court standard addressing what kinds of workplace actions can sustain a bias lawsuit. 

  • April 29, 2024

    Justices To Weigh RICO Injury Scope In CBD Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case brought by a trio of CBD companies asking the justices to establish whether a plaintiff can bring a personal injury claim under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

  • April 26, 2024

    Law360 Reveals Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar

    In the past year, plaintiffs have won settlements and judgments for millions and billions of dollars from companies such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Fox News, with many high-profile cases finally wrapping up after years of fighting. Such cases — involving over-the-top compensation packages, chemical contamination, gender discrimination and data mining — were led by attorneys whose accomplishments earned them recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2024.

  • April 26, 2024

    HHS Finalizes Bolstered Sexual Orientation Bias Protections

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday unveiled a final rule designed to beef up protections against discrimination in healthcare, in particular protecting access to healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community as well as for other vulnerable populations.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Watch As Justices Take Up Title VII Job Transfer Case

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    With its recent decision to hear Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether an involuntary job transfer can count as employment discrimination under Title VII — an eventual ruling that has potential to reshape workplace bias claims nationwide, says Adam Grogan at Bell Law Group.

  • Parsing EEOC Guidance On Accommodating Low Vision

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    Employers need to examine recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance on provisions for employees who are blind or partially sighted, particularly on the consequences of terminating an employee with blindness or low vision without meeting obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, says Amy Epstein Gluck at FisherBroyles.

  • 5 Tips For Employers Handling Generative AI Privacy Risks

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    Employers should carefully consider the privacy implications of using generative artificial intelligence tools, and employ steps to mitigate the risks, such as de-identifying data, providing notice and identifying data flows, say Zoe Argento and Amy Kabaria at Littler.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'The Bear' Serves Up Advice For Managers

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    Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs at Troutman Pepper chat with Ernst & Young’s Laura Yehuda about Hulu's "The Bear" and the best practices managers can glean from the show's portrayal of workplace challenges, including those faced by young, female managers.

  • Recalling USWNT's Legal PR Playbook Amid World Cup Bid

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    As the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team strives to take home another World Cup trophy, their 2022 pay equity settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation serves as a good reminder that winning in the court of public opinion can be more powerful than a victory inside the courtroom, says Hector Valle at Vianovo.

  • Mass. Age Bias Ruling Holds Employer Liability Lessons

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    The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s recent ruling in Adams v. Schneider Electric — upholding a laid-off employee’s age discrimination claim — is an important reminder that employers may face liability even if a decision maker unknowingly applies a discriminatory corporate strategy, say attorneys at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • Regulating AI: Litigation Questions And State Efforts To Watch

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    In view of the developing legal and regulatory framework for artificial intelligence systems in the U.S., including state legislation and early federal litigation, there are practical takeaways as we look toward the future, says Jennifer Maisel at Rothwell Figg.

  • Regulating AI: An Overview Of Federal Efforts

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    The U.S. has been carefully managing a national policy and regulatory ecosystem toward artificial intelligence, but as AI technology continues to expand into our everyday lives, so too has its risks and the need for regulation, says Jennifer Maisel at Rothwell Figg.

  • Justices' Job Transfer Review Should Hold To Title VII Text

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis should hold that a job transfer can be an adverse employment action, and the analysis should be based on the straightforward language of Title VII rather than judicial activism, say Lynne Bernabei and Alan Kabat at Bernabei & Kabat.

  • Employer Tips For Fighting Back Against Explosive Verdicts

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    Massive jury verdicts are a product of our time, driven in part by reptile tactics, but employers can build a strategic defense to mitigate the risk of a runaway jury, and develop tools to seek judicial relief in the event of an adverse outcome, say Dawn Solowey and Lynn Kappelman at Seyfarth.

  • Handbook Hot Topics: Changing Status Quo In A Union Shop

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    A recent administrative law decision concerning a dispute between Fortune Media and the NewsGuild of New York is an important reminder to employers with unionized workforces to refrain from making unilateral updates to employee handbooks that will change the terms and conditions of employment, says Jennifer Hataway at Butler Snow.

  • What EEOC's 2023 Stats Mean For Future Enforcement

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    The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s unusual burst of spring lawsuits and its new Democratic majority should cue employers and HR personnel to expect EEOC enforcement activity to ramp up to pre-pandemic rates, especially in regions where filings are on the rise and in those areas the agency appears to be targeting, such as workplace discrimination, say Andrew Scroggins and James Nasiri at Seyfarth Shaw.

  • Eye On Compliance: A Shift In Religious Accommodation Law

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    The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Groff v. DeJoy is making it more difficult for employers to deny religious accommodations, and there are three takeaways employers should keep in mind, say William Cook and Matthew High at Wilson Elser.