Discrimination

  • September 17, 2025

    Judges Pan Chris Cuomo's Arbitrator Bias Claim On Appeal

    A majority of the justices on a New York appellate court panel voiced skepticism of ex-CNN anchor Chris Cuomo's arguments that the arbitrator was biased against him in his $125 million wrongful termination case against the news network.

  • September 17, 2025

    11th Circ. Judge Calls Ga. School Racism Defense 'Ridiculous'

    The Eleventh Circuit appeared unlikely Wednesday to let Georgia school officials escape accusations they violated a settlement requiring their district to hire more Black educators, with one judge slamming as "ridiculous" the notion they could plead ignorance over whether the agreement was binding on them.

  • September 17, 2025

    Ex-Law Student's Bias Suit In Wrong Forum, 4th Circ. Told

    A Black former student at Washington University School of Law shouldn't be able to revive claims that she was suspended from campus and lost her scholarship after complaining about a professor's race bias because she filed the suit in the wrong state, the law school told the Fourth Circuit.

  • September 17, 2025

    Dems Urge DOL To Probe Exodus Of Women From Workforce

    The Democratic Women's Caucus asked the U.S. Department of Labor to further probe why women are leaving the workforce in droves, after recent job data showed that over 330,000 women have left the workforce since January.

  • September 17, 2025

    Boston Mayor Accused Of Firing Staffer To Shield Ally

    The former chief of staff for Boston's police accountability office alleged in a lawsuit launched in state court Wednesday that Mayor Michelle Wu wrongfully fired her last spring to protect a key political ally from accusations of sexual harassment.

  • September 17, 2025

    Ga. City, Ex-Court Admin Seek Quick Wins In Retaliation Case

    A Georgia city and its former municipal court administrator have each asked a federal judge for wins in a whistleblower suit the administrator brought alleging she had been unlawfully fired in retaliation for reporting a city council member's attempt to pressure the court for a favor.

  • September 17, 2025

    Coaches Ask For Lower Court Redo On 'Sham' NFL Arbitration

    Arguing that a recent Second Circuit ruling supports their position that arbitration overseen by the NFL commissioner cannot be impartial, three former NFL coaches have asked the district court judge who sent part of their proposed racial discrimination class action to arbitration two years ago to again reconsider that decision.

  • September 17, 2025

    Defense Co. Says Worker Fired For Harassment, Not Religion

    Defense contractor L3Harris fired an engineer for his mistreatment of non-Christian colleagues, not because he is a Christian, the company told a Texas federal court as it urged the toss of the former employee's bias suit.

  • September 17, 2025

    7th Circ. Hints Trans Officer's Facebook Post Undercuts Suit

    The Seventh Circuit appeared disinclined Wednesday to reinstate an Illinois officer's lawsuit accusing a police department and training academy of outing her as transgender, with one judge calling it "very problematic" that the cop tried to hide a Facebook post where she had shared her gender identity.

  • September 17, 2025

    Kimberly-Clark Settles Black Worker's Bias, Retaliation Suit

    Consumer goods company Kimberly-Clark has resolved a suit filed by a Black manufacturing employee who said she was denied a promotion and unfairly disciplined for complaining she was being paid less than colleagues, according to a filing in Alabama federal court.

  • September 17, 2025

    Calif. Winery Strikes Deal To End EEOC Sex Harassment Suit

    A California winery has agreed to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit alleging it stood by while female employees were subjected to sexual touching and comments on the job and then retaliated against them for speaking up about the mistreatment.

  • September 16, 2025

    UC Groups Sue Trump Admin Alleging Free Speech Violations

    A coalition of faculty, staff and unions affiliated with the University of California system sued the Trump administration in federal court Tuesday, arguing the suspension of $584 million in research projects along with threats to terminate billions more violates the law and is an attempt to violate their free speech.

  • September 16, 2025

    White House Fights Seattle's Bid To Block DEI Grant Rules

    The Trump administration on Tuesday called on a Washington federal judge to let it proceed with federal grant conditions forcing recipients to drop efforts related to diversity and "gender ideology," contending that Seattle is challenging the terms based on mere speculation that the city may one day be targeted for "hypothetical noncompliance."  

  • September 16, 2025

    Federal Court Reporter Beats Transcript Omission Claim

    A court reporter for an Illinois federal judge Tuesday defeated a lawsuit brought by a pro se plaintiff alleging she failed to transcribe part of a hearing and left out statements that would be damaging to the judge in an underlying employment dispute.

  • September 16, 2025

    7th Circ. Judge Wary Of Pilots' Bid To Amend Vax Bias Claims

    A Seventh Circuit judge on Tuesday pushed counsel for two United Airlines pilots to address how the lower court abused its "very broad" discretion in refusing to allow them to file a third amended complaint accusing the airline of religious discrimination, after they were placed on unpaid leave despite religious exemptions from the airline's COVID-19 vaccination mandate.

  • September 16, 2025

    Ill. Hospital Nonprofit Must Face Tobacco Fee Suit

    An Illinois federal judge refused to toss the bulk of a proposed class action from an Illinois hospital worker who claimed a fee on the employee health plans of tobacco users was discriminatory and breached fiduciary duties under benefits law, finding most allegations sufficiently backed up to survive dismissal.

  • September 16, 2025

    EEOC Claims Miss. Restaurant Illegally Axed Pregnant Server

    A Mississippi breakfast restaurant fired an employee just days after she was hired because it learned she was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in federal court.

  • September 16, 2025

    Freight Co. Forced Pregnant Driver To Take Leave, EEOC Says

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday accused a freight shipping company of unlawfully placing a pregnant employee on unpaid leave rather than accommodating her requests for a limited work schedule and a restriction on lifting.

  • September 16, 2025

    Dems Renew Push To Ban Credit Checks In Hiring

    Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation that would bar employers from requiring job applicants to disclose their credit history as part of the hiring process, saying the bill would remove a barrier that disproportionately hurts women and minority workers.

  • September 16, 2025

    DOJ Calls Rhode Island Teacher Loan Aid Program 'Racist'

    The U.S. Department of Justice alleged in a federal lawsuit Tuesday that the Rhode Island Department of Education discriminates against white teachers by supporting a student loan repayment program that hands out awards only to teachers of color.

  • September 16, 2025

    Airline Staffing Co. Must Face Most Of Breastfeeding Bias Suit

    A company providing staff and support to airlines at Pittsburgh International Airport must face most of a former agent's claims it retaliated against her for seeking time to pump breast milk at work, a Pennsylvania federal judge ruled Monday.

  • September 16, 2025

    5th Circ. Won't Reinstate IT Workers' $70M Race Bias Verdict

    The Fifth Circuit on Tuesday refused to bring back a $70 million jury award for a group of former telecommunications workers in a race discrimination suit, saying a trial court judge rightly concluded that the evidence didn't back it up.

  • September 16, 2025

    EEOC Says Assisted Care Co. Illegally Fired Pregnant Worker

    An assisted living facility wrongfully terminated an employee because she asked to avoid lifting anything on the job that was over 20 pounds while she was pregnant, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claimed in Illinois federal court.

  • September 15, 2025

    Ousted Public Defender's Bias Suit Meets Skeptical Judge

    A Connecticut judge on Monday seemed skeptical of a former chief state public defender's challenge to her ouster, questioning whether the lawyer could support her claim that the Public Defender Services Commission should have called live witnesses to testify during an administrative hearing that led to her termination.

  • September 15, 2025

    Trans Hog Farm Worker Settles Bias Suit That EEOC Dropped

    An Illinois federal judge officially closed the book on a sexual harassment dispute between a transgender former hog farm worker and the business on Monday, approving a court clerk's judgment acknowledging the parties' settlement following employment regulators' exit from the case.

Expert Analysis

  • After Chevron: EEOC Status Quo Will Likely Continue

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    As the legal landscape adjusts to the end of Chevron deference, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s rulemaking authority isn’t likely to shift as much as some other employment-related agencies, says Paige Lyle at FordHarrison.

  • After Chevron: Various Paths For Labor And Employment Law

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    Labor and employment law leans heavily on federal agency guidance, so the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to toss out Chevron deference will ripple through this area, with future workplace policies possibly taking shape through strategic litigation, informal guidance, state-level regulation and more, says Alexander MacDonald at Littler.

  • FIFA Maternity Policy Shows Need For Federal Paid Leave

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    While FIFA and other employers taking steps to provide paid parental leave should be applauded, the U.S. deserves a red card for being the only rich nation in the world that offers no such leave, says Dacey Romberg at Sanford Heisler.

  • What 2 Rulings On Standing Mean For DEI Litigation

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    Recent federal court decisions in the Fearless Fund and Hello Alice cases shed new light on the ongoing wave of challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, with opposite conclusions on whether the plaintiffs had standing to sue, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Eye On Compliance: A Brief History Of Joint Employer Rules

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    It's important to examine the journey of the joint employer rule, because if the National Labor Relations Board's Fifth Circuit appeal is successful and the 2023 version is made law, virtually every employer who contracts for labor likely could be deemed a joint employer, say Bruno Katz and Robert Curtis at Wilson Elser.

  • Top 5 Issues For Employers To Audit Midyear

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    Six months into 2024, developments from federal courts and regulatory agencies should prompt employers to reflect on their progress regarding artificial intelligence, noncompetes, diversity initiatives, religious accommodation and more, say Allegra Lawrence-Hardy and Lisa Haldar at Lawrence & Bundy.

  • Tailoring Compliance Before AI Walks The Runway

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    Fashion industry players that adopt artificial intelligence to propel their businesses forward should consider ways to minimize its perceived downsides, including potential job displacements and algorithmic biases that may harm diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, say Jeffrey Greene and Ivory Djahouri at Foley & Lardner.

  • Where Anti-Discrimination Law Stands 4 Years After Bostock

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    On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Bostock ruling, Evan Parness and Abby Rickeman at Covington take stock of how the decision, which held that Title VII protects employees from discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, has affected anti-discrimination law at the state and federal levels.

  • Politics In The Workplace: What Employers Need To Know

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    As the 2024 election approaches and protests continue across the country, employers should be aware of employees' rights — and limits on those rights — related to political speech and activities in the workplace, and be prepared to act proactively to prevent issues before they arise, say attorneys at Littler.

  • What High Court Ruling Means For Sexual Harassment Claims

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    In its recent Smith v. Spizzirri decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a district court compelling a case to arbitration is obligated to stay the case rather than dismissing it, but this requirement may result in sexual harassment cases not being heard by appellate courts, says Abe Melamed at Signature Resolution.

  • 5 Steps For Gov't Contractor Affirmative Action Verification

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    As the federal contractor affirmative action program certification deadline approaches, government contractors and subcontractors should take steps to determine their program obligations, and ensure any required plans are properly implemented and timely registered, say Christopher Wilkinson at Perkins Coie and Joanna Colosimo at DCI Consulting.

  • New OSHA Memo Helps Clarify Recordkeeping Compliance

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    Based on recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidance on whether musculoskeletal disorders are recordable injuries under the agency's recordkeeping regulation, it appears that OSHA may target active release techniques and stretching programs during its inspections, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Cos. Must Stay On Alert With Joint Employer Rule In Flux

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    While employers may breathe a sigh of relief at recent events blocking the National Labor Relations Board's proposed rule that would make it easier for two entities to be deemed joint employers, the rule is not yet dead, say attorneys at ​​​​​​​Day Pitney.