Discrimination

Expert Analysis

• 9th Circ. Ruling Raises Bar For Arbitration Pacts Via Email

  

  The Ninth Circuit's recent holding in Rickes v. Thermo Fisher that the mere delivery of an email doesn't establish an employee's assent to the arbitration agreement underscores that rollout processes should both give employees notice of the agreement and create evidence of their assent, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.

• OpenAI Deal Highlights AI Hiring Risks In PERM Process

  

  The U.S. Department of Justice's recent settlement of allegations that OpenAI discriminated against U.S. applicants for positions connected to the permanent labor certification process underscores that employers providing or using artificial intelligence must align their recruitment practices with their overlapping compliance obligations, say attorneys at Duane Morris.

• How Rogue AI May Shape Corporate Liability, Responsibility

  

  Recent artificial intelligence cyber incidents offer a window into how companies deploying autonomous systems should document risk controls even when systems exceed their intended boundaries, as jurors may treat unexpected AI conduct as foreseeable evidence of inadequate safeguards, says Jorge Monroy at Verdict Insight Partners.

• Meta Layoff Suit Serves As Early Test Of AI Bias Claims

  

  A lawsuit in California federal court alleging that Meta's use of artificial intelligence in recent layoffs negatively affected employees on protected leave provides insight for plaintiffs about what evidence to preserve and how to build these discrimination claims, says Manny Starr at Frontier Law Center.

• Flashpoints In Focus: Minimizing Midterm Politics At Work

  

  With the upcoming midterm elections producing a steady stream of controversy, employers would benefit from planning in advance and developing guardrails to ensure that election-related rifts do not jeopardize the company's culture or results, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

• Navigating Rising AI Use In Pro Se Employment Suits

  

  As federal pro se employment filings climb, largely due to increased use of artificial intelligence, defense attorneys can combat AI misuse by building AI-specific protective order language, screening documents for hidden prompt injections and seeking sanctions over fabricated citations, says Ashley Prickett Cuttino at Ogletree.

• Trending Legal Implications Of Employee Influencer Programs

  

  Employee-generated content is rapidly becoming a popular marketing strategy, as illustrated by Starbucks' new TikTok program, but it raises several legal risks for employers, including wage and hour exposure, federal disclosure obligations, and intellectual property concerns, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

• Flashpoints In Focus: Shifting Workplace Violence Responses

  

  Amid recent threats of violence against artificial intelligence company executives and Jewish-owned businesses, employers can use policies, processes and safety controls to help prevent workplace violence and abate its recognized hazards, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

• EEOC Bias Guidance Rollback Doesn't Negate Employer Risks

  

  Despite the U.S. Department of Justice recently challenging Title VII's disparate impact provisions and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rescinding affirmative action guidance, employers should resist the temptation to restructure employment practices, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

• Post-Ismael Bias Cases Reinforce Familiar Employer Lessons

  

  Despite the Eleventh Circuit's 2025 decision in Ismael v. Roundtree sparking concern that summary judgment could become more difficult for employers in discrimination and retaliation cases, courts continue to examine whether the employer's explanation, decision-making process and contemporaneous record tell a consistent story, say attorneys at Krevolin Horst.

• Workplace Menopause Laws Demand New HR Playbooks

  

  A recent wave of state and local legislation that makes menopause an expressly protected condition in the workplace creates new compliance obligations amid an already ambiguous federal framework, and demands a workplace culture where employees feel safe asking for support, says Elliot Griffin at Ballard Spahr.

• When Leaked Settlement Talks Complicate High-Profile Cases

  

  A recent sexual harassment case involving JPMorgan Chase highlights how leaked settlement offers can affect public perception of litigation, reminding parties that a confidentiality label does not automatically create an enforceable obligation because evidentiary exclusion is limited and purpose-specific, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• Rare DOJ Military Bias Suit Shows Peril Of Co. Admissions

  

  Although the government rarely litigates Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act claims against private employers, Opara v. UV Memory Care demonstrates that it will do so when an employer's own admissions build the case, potentially resulting in significant compliance obligations and long-term consequences, says Bradford Kelley at Littler.