Discrimination

  • March 19, 2025

    ACLU Says Biased AI Tech Boxed Out Deaf Intuit Applicant

    Intuit and a human resources technology vendor violated federal and state law by turning away a deaf job applicant after interviewing her using artificial intelligence-based video technology that puts disabled and nonwhite applicants at a disadvantage, the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday.

  • March 19, 2025

    Judge Questions Standing In DEI Executive Orders Challenge

    A D.C. federal judge on Wednesday questioned whether three civil rights nonprofits have standing to block the Trump administration's executive orders ending federal diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs and cutting off funding for groups focused on minority populations.

  • March 19, 2025

    EEOC, DOJ Advise Workers To Look Out For DEI-Based Bias

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission paired with the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday to issue guidance explaining how workers can recognize and report bias tied to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, part of the Trump administration's broader effort targeting the practices across public and private workplaces.

  • March 19, 2025

    Conn. Barber Says She Faced Anti-Polish Bias, Docked Pay

    A former barber at a Greenwich, Connecticut, hair salon has taken her ex-employer to federal court for allegedly discriminating against her for being from Poland, failing to pay overtime, and docking her pay for "house charges" to cover amenities she was never given at work.

  • March 19, 2025

    Trans Worker Looks To Take Over Bias Case After EEOC's Exit

    A transgender woman who claims she was harassed while working at a hog farm told an Illinois federal judge she wants to take over the lawsuit, after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission dropped the case because the federal government stopped recognizing transgender individuals.

  • March 19, 2025

    Abortion Aspect Of PWFA Regs Halted For Christian Nonprofit

    A Christian education foundation won't have to abide by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations requiring workplace accommodations for workers who get abortions, a Missouri federal judge ordered, saying the organization is likely to succeed on its claims that the rule illegally infringes on its religious principles.

  • March 19, 2025

    EEOC Bid For Law Firm DEI Info On Shaky Ground, Attys Say

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent call for law firms to cough up a trove of information about their diversity, equity and inclusion programs lacks statutory authority and may contravene federal law, according to experts from both sides of the aisle.

  • March 19, 2025

    6th Circ. Says Ex-Steel Co. Manager's Conduct Justified Firing

    The Sixth Circuit upheld a steel manufacturer's win in a former manager's suit claiming he was terminated for voicing concerns that white workers were being hired over more qualified Black candidates, saying he couldn't overcome the company's assertion that his abusive supervisory style cost him the job.

  • March 19, 2025

    UMass Medical Execs To Face Retaliation Claim In Vax Dispute

    The medical director at UMass Memorial Medical Center has won dismissal of retaliation claims brought by one of the Massachusetts institution's former compliance executives who declined a COVID-19 vaccine, but two other leaders will have to face claims that the ex-executive's firing was tied to her request for work accommodations.

  • March 19, 2025

    Law360 Announces The Members Of Its 2025 Editorial Boards

    Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2025 Editorial Advisory Boards.

  • March 19, 2025

    UPS Manager Says He Can Sue Union Local He Isn't Part Of

    A UPS manager who accused an Indianapolis Teamsters local of falsely painting him as racist can sue the union even though he isn't a member, he argued in Indiana federal court, saying Title VII of the Civil Rights Act doesn't require people to be union members to sue unions.

  • March 18, 2025

    DC Judge Blocks Trans Military Ban As 'Soaked In Animus'

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from banning transgender people from serving in the military, saying the ban is "soaked in animus and dripping with pretext."

  • March 18, 2025

    9th Circ. Says Nike Bias Suit Docs Can Be Ordered Destroyed

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday ruled that a lower court was allowed to make an Oregon newspaper destroy documents it obtained related to internal workplace complaints at Nike, saying the newspaper became a party to the lawsuit alleging workplace discrimination against female employees when it intervened to get the documents.

  • March 18, 2025

    Full 9th Circ. Mulls Reviving Workers' LA Schools Vax Fight

    Unvaccinated workers urged an en banc Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday to affirm a split decision reviving their proposed class action challenging a since-rescinded Los Angeles Unified School District's employee COVID-19 vaccine policy, while the district's counsel defended the policy as necessary and prudent, but also argued the case is moot.

  • March 18, 2025

    Trans Worker Fights Liberty U.'s Appeal Bid In Sex Bias Suit

    A transgender worker fired from Liberty University said there is no need for the Fourth Circuit to immediately review a district court's order denying the institution's bid to dismiss her suit claiming she was terminated out of sex discrimination, arguing there's no substantial difference of legal opinion at play.

  • March 18, 2025

    6th Circ. Wrestles With Reviving Suit Over Racial Slurs

    The Sixth Circuit grappled Tuesday with reopening two Black truck drivers' race harassment suit against their former employer, with the judges quizzing both sides extensively about the severity of racial epithets and whether sufficient precedent exists that backs the workers' case.

  • March 18, 2025

    3 State AI Bills For Workplace Discrimination Attys To Watch

    Virginia stands poised to join Colorado at the forefront of regulating the creation and use of artificial intelligence, while California and Texas are working on their own sweeping bills to safeguard against AI-related bias. Here, experts offer an overview of three bills with the potential to impact millions of employers.

  • March 18, 2025

    10th Circ. Pokes Holes In Walmart's Defenses In Bias Suit

    A talkative Tenth Circuit panel seemed inclined Tuesday to revive a Walmart employee's lawsuit alleging he was discriminated against for being gay, as the court's chief judge appeared incredulous that evidence of slurs and other derogatory comments being thrown around the workplace weren't enough to sustain his harassment claim.

  • March 18, 2025

    Maynard Nexsen Adds 5 Constangy Employment Attys In LA

    Maynard Nexsen PC has brought a 5-lawyer team from labor and employment firm Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP to its Los Angeles office, bringing on a team that is experienced in management-side employment law and can converse in six languages.

  • March 18, 2025

    NJ Firm Blume Forte Hit With Disability Bias Suit

    New Jersey personal injury firm Blume Forte Fried Zerres & Molinari PC has been hit with a disability discrimination lawsuit in state court by a staffer who claims she was fired after a seizure and other health setbacks.

  • March 18, 2025

    Dem Ex-EEOC Officials Call Law Firm DEI Letters Overreach

    A group of Democratic-appointed former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officials urged acting Chair Andrea Lucas on Tuesday to rescind letters seeking information from 20 law firms about their diversity, equity and inclusion practices, saying she had exceeded the agency's power.

  • March 18, 2025

    11th Circ. Backs Hospital's Win In Black Surgeon's Bias Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit refused to reopen a neurosurgeon's suit claiming a Georgia hospital subjected him to increased scrutiny and fired him because he is Black, finding he couldn't overcome the medical center's rationale that providing the mentorship necessary to fix his performance issues was too burdensome.

  • March 18, 2025

    11th Circ. Nixes College GC Applicant's Age Bias Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit won't revive an attorney's suit claiming she lost out on a general counsel position with a Florida college to someone four decades younger due to age bias, finding she gave up her right to challenge the case's dismissal by not objecting to a lower court decision.

  • March 17, 2025

    Google To Pay $28M On Claim It Favored White, Asian Workers

    Google LLC will pay $28 million to put to rest allegations it pays and promotes certain nonwhite employees less than their white and Asian colleagues, counsel for a class of workers said Monday.

  • March 17, 2025

    Major Lindsey Can't Escape Attorney's Retaliation Suit

    Legal recruiting firm Major Lindsey & Africa LLC must face an associate's lawsuit claiming it unlawfully refused to work with her because she filed a race discrimination suit against Troutman, a Maryland federal judge ruled Monday, saying the attorney had plausibly alleged the events were connected.

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.