Discrimination

  • January 06, 2026

    4th Circ. Revives Black Ex-Baltimore Cop's Race Bias Suit

    A divided Fourth Circuit on Tuesday revived a Black former Baltimore police officer's suit alleging she was treated less favorably than non-Black officers by being pushed out, saying she offered adequate examples of other officers who received more leniency than she did for alleged misconduct for her race discrimination claim to survive.

  • January 06, 2026

    EEOC Gets Judge's Support For On-Site Visits In Bias Probe

    An Illinois federal judge recommended that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission be allowed to conduct site visits at a packaging company the agency is probing for possible hiring bias, rejecting the company's claim that the visits would be too burdensome.

  • January 06, 2026

    5 Argument Sessions Bias Attys Should Watch In January

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will call on the Eighth Circuit to reopen a harassment case one day before seeking the Second Circuit's help to wind down a longstanding race discrimination suit, while the Tenth Circuit will revisit a hot-button legal battle over diversity training. Here, Law360 looks at five oral arguments discrimination attorneys should keep tabs on in January.

  • January 06, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Christian Ministry Can Reject Gay Applicants

    The Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday that a Christian ministry is constitutionally clear to refuse employment to people based on their sexual orientation, explaining that the First Amendment allows religious ministries to prefer candidates who share their beliefs about marriage and sexuality.

  • January 06, 2026

    Cruz Can't Avoid Firm Harassment Case Subpoena, Court Told

    A former staffer of Stone Hilton PLLC has asked a Texas federal court to compel responses from the office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to a subpoena for information related to the staffer's sexual harassment case against a firm partner who worked for the senator.

  • January 06, 2026

    Staffing Co. Strikes $160K Deal In EEOC Medical Leave Suit

    An Austin, Texas-based staffing nonprofit will pay $160,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging it fired an employee after she requested unpaid medical leave to attend a mental health treatment program. 

  • January 06, 2026

    KFC Inks Deal To End EEOC Sex Harassment Probe

    KFC will pay $200,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation into claims that the company ignored sexual harassment at a Florida restaurant, the EEOC said Tuesday.

  • January 06, 2026

    6th Circ. Backs Nuclear Plant In Fired Worker's ADA Suit

    The Sixth Circuit upheld the dismissal of a suit from a former nuclear power plant worker who claimed he was fired for seeking fewer night shifts to manage his diabetes, saying he failed to discredit the company's position that he was fired for falsifying his time sheets.

  • January 05, 2026

    Kaiser Worker Fights To Keep Job Bias Suit Alive

    A San Francisco Bay Area employee urged a California federal judge to keep his amended lawsuit alleging that Kaiser Permanente denied his request to switch jobs because of his race, arguing that he has met the requirements needed to have his claims move forward.

  • January 05, 2026

    EEOC Would See Funding Drop Under New Spending Package

    Federal lawmakers unveiled a proposed spending package Monday that would cut about $20 million from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's budget, while also limiting the agency from conducting any further workforce changes without lawmaker approval.

  • January 05, 2026

    Fed. Circ. Mulls Value Of Experience In FDIC Pay Bias Suit

    The Federal Circuit grappled Monday with a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. lawyer's push to revive her pay discrimination suit, with a panel of judges trying to pinpoint whether her starting salary was justified by her lack of federal sector legal experience at the time she was hired.

  • January 05, 2026

    Atlanta Shouldn't Escape Age Bias Suit, Judge Says

    A suit from an ex-building inspector against the city of Atlanta alleging his boss denied him a promotion because of his age can continue, a federal judge said, finding that a jury needed to weigh his claim that his boss told him someone younger was wanted instead.

  • January 05, 2026

    2nd Circ. Gives Fired ConEd Atty New Shot At Bias Claim

    The Second Circuit revived Monday part of a former in-house Con Edison attorney's bias suit claiming she faced prejudice from her boss as an older woman, ruling the lower court may not have properly assessed a retaliation claim under New York City law's more liberal standards.

  • January 05, 2026

    Legal Asst., Law Firm Drop Claims In NM Pregnancy Bias Suit

    A New Mexico-based personal injury law firm and a legal assistant agreed to drop retaliation and defamation claims in her lawsuit alleging she was forced to resign after disclosing her pregnancy, according to a federal magistrate judge's order filed in federal court.

  • January 05, 2026

    Ex-CTA Worker Fights New Trial Ordered Over Jury Instruction

    A former Chicago Transit Authority employee who prevailed at trial last year on claims that he was unlawfully fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds is asking an Illinois federal judge to reconsider his decision to order a new trial, after the judge found he'd erred in instructing the jury.

  • January 05, 2026

    Ex-IBM Worker Fired At 61 Despite $7.8M In Sales, Court Told

    A 61-year-old former International Business Machines Corp. sales specialist who worked under multimillion-dollar quotas said his abrupt firing was motivated not by poor performance but by the company's systemic age bias, according to a lawsuit filed in North Carolina federal court.

  • January 05, 2026

    Mich. Construction Co. Seeks To Ax Worker's Race Bias Suit

    A Michigan construction company's decision to fire a union-represented worker was motivated entirely by the fact that he punched his co-worker, the company has told a Michigan federal judge in response to a discrimination suit, saying the worker's race didn't factor into the decision.

  • January 05, 2026

    Federal Workers Fight Gender-Affirming Coverage Rollback

    A group of federal employees has filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, saying the decision to end coverage for certain gender-affirming medical procedures under the workers' health insurance plans amounted to unlawful sex bias.

  • January 02, 2026

    4 EEOC Developments As It Rings In 2026

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has struck deals with two employers worth a combined $135,000 that ended probes into whether pregnant workers were illegally denied accommodations, and asked the White House to sign off on its rollback of a Biden-era workplace harassment guidance. Here, Law360 recaps four notable EEOC developments from 2025's final week.

  • January 02, 2026

    OPM Sets Tight Guardrails On Remote Work In New Guide

    The Trump administration issued new guidance on remote work for federal employees instructing agencies to create policies that ensure government workers are in their offices as much as possible, according to a resource issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

  • January 02, 2026

    8th Circ. Revives Free Speech Suit Over Equity Training

    An en banc Eighth Circuit panel reinstated a suit from two Missouri school district employees who said their free speech rights were violated through an equity training, after determining the workers could have faced an injury when they refrained from openly disagreeing with the session's teachings.

  • January 02, 2026

    Will Smith Accused Of Sex Harassment On Tour By Violinist

    A violinist has sued Will Smith and his touring company in California state court, alleging sexual harassment and wrongful termination stemming from an "intrusion" into his hotel room while on tour with the award-winning actor and musical performer. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Ex-Biden Wage Chief Tapped As Va. Labor Secretary

    Virginia's incoming Democratic governor has chosen a Biden administration-era U.S. Department of Labor appointee who previously led the agency's Wage and Hour Division to serve as the Old Dominion state's next secretary of labor.

  • January 02, 2026

    Casinos Wrongly Fired Dealer After Heart Attack, EEOC Claims

    Casinos in Maryland, including Caesars Entertainment, violated federal disability bias law in firing a dealer after he had a heart attack at work that required surgery and subsequent workplace accommodations, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has alleged in a complaint in federal court.

  • January 02, 2026

    New Jersey Cases To Watch In 2026

    In the coming year, New Jersey litigators will be watching for the outcome of an appeal in a constitutional challenge to school segregation and an employment discrimination case brought by a former Johnson & Johnson attorney. 

Expert Analysis

  • What Trump Admin's Anti-DEI Push Means For FCA Claims

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    President Donald Trump's recent rescission of a 60-year-old executive order imposing nondiscrimination requirements on certain federal contractors has far-reaching implications, including potential False Claims Act liability for contractors and grant recipients who fail to comply, though it may be a challenge for the government to successfully establish liability, say attorneys at Bass Berry.

  • It Starts With Training: Anti-Harassment After 'It Ends With Us'

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    Actress Blake Lively's recent sexual harassment and retaliation allegations against her "It Ends With Us" co-star, director and producer, Justin Baldoni, should remind employers of their legal obligations to implement trainings, policies and other measures to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, say attorneys at Morrison Cohen.

  • What Day 1 Bondi Memos Mean For Corporate Compliance

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    After Attorney General Pam Bondi’s flurry of memos last week declaring new enforcement priorities on issues ranging from foreign bribery to diversity initiatives, companies must base their compliance programs on an understanding of their own core values and principles, says Hui Chen at CDE Advisors.

  • 5 Things For Private Employers To Do After Trump's DEI Order

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    Following President Donald Trump's recent executive order pushing the private sector to narrow, and even end, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, employers should ensure DEI efforts align with their organization's mission and goals, are legally compliant, and are effectively communicated to stakeholders, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • Zuckerberg's Remarks Pose Legal Risk For Meta Amid Layoffs

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    Within days of announcing that Meta Platforms will cut 5% of its lowest-performing employees, Mark Zuckerberg remarked that corporations are becoming "culturally neutered" and need to bring back "masculine energy," exposing the company to potential claims under California employment law, says Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law Center.

  • Preparing For A Possible End To The Subminimum Wage

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    The U.S. Department of Labor's proposed rule to end the subminimum wage for employees with disabilities may significantly affect the community-based rehabilitation and training programs that employ these workers, so certified programs should be especially vigilant about compliance during this period of evaluation and scrutiny, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'Harry Potter' Reveals Magic Of Feedback

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    Troutman Pepper's Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter chat with Wicker Park Group partner Tara Weintritt about various feedback methods used by "Harry Potter" characters — from Snape's sharp and cutting remarks to Dumbledore's lack of specificity and Hermione's poor delivery — and explore how clear, consistent and actionable feedback can transform workplaces.

  • What To Expect From Trump's Deputy Labor Secretary Pick

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    President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Keith Sonderling, has a track record of prioritizing clear guidance on both traditional and cutting-edge issues, which can provide insight into what employers can expect from his leadership, say attorneys at Littler.

  • A Look At Order Ending Federal Contractor Affirmative Action

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    To comply with President Donald Trump's executive order revoking affirmative action requirements in the next 90 days, federal contractors should focus on identification of protected groups, responsibilities of "diversity officer" positions and annual compliance reviews, says Jeremy Burkhart at Holland & Knight.

  • Parsing 3rd Circ. Ruling On Cannabis, Employee Private Suits

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    The Third Circuit recently upheld a decision that individuals don't have a private right of action for alleged violations of New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act, but employers should stay informed as the court encouraged the state Legislature to amend the law, say attorneys at Mandelbaum Barrett.

  • EEOC Wearable Tech Guidance Highlights Monitoring Scrutiny

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent fact sheet on wearable technologies cautions against potential issues with federal anti-discrimination laws and demonstrates growing concern from regulators and legislators about intrusive technologies in the workplace, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 4 Employment Law Areas Set To Change Under Trump

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    President Donald Trump's second term is expected to bring significant changes to the U.S. employment law landscape, including the potential for updated worker classification regulations, and challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion that are already taking shape, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • What Employment Bias Litigation Looks Like After Muldrow

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    Nine months after the U.S. Supreme Court created an undemanding standard for discrimination claims in Muldrow v. St. Louis, Eric Schnapper at the University of Washington discusses how the Title VII litigation landscape has changed and what to expect moving forward.