Discrimination

  • June 30, 2025

    Justices Undo Patients' Win In Gender-Affirming Care Fight

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Fourth Circuit decision that preserved access to gender-affirming care under two state-run health plans, telling the lower court to consider a recent decision by the justices that upheld a Tennessee law limiting treatments for young transgender people.

  • June 30, 2025

    Justices Turn Away Fired Teacher's Prehire Speech Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to review a Massachusetts high school teacher's claim that individuals' speech rights should extend to things they say before being hired to a public job, though Justice Clarence Thomas wrote to express dismay with the First Circuit's approach toward controversial political commentary.

  • June 27, 2025

    Trump's Susman Godfrey 'Sword Of Damocles' Order Tossed

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge Friday struck down as unconstitutional President Donald Trump's executive order targeting Susman Godfrey LLP, saying it was issued in retaliation for the firm's representation of clients and causes with which the president disagrees, while hanging "like the sword of Damocles" over the BigLaw firm.

  • June 27, 2025

    DOD's Pot Questions Violate 5th Amendment, Contractor Says

    A former defense contractor who was denied security clearance because he refused to say if he had consumed marijuana during a specific time period is suing the U.S. Department of Defense, alleging it violated his constitutional right against self-incrimination.

  • June 27, 2025

    Midyear Report: 4 Noteworthy Workplace Bias Rulings

    The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that courts can't impose extra legal hurdles on majority-group plaintiffs in workplace bias cases, while the Second Circuit embraced a worker-friendly reading of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Here's a look at these and two other decisions from the first six months of 2025 that employment discrimination attorneys should know. 

  • June 27, 2025

    Crypto Co. CEO Sued Over Alleged Sex Assault, Retaliation

    The CEO of blockchain platform Mask Network has been hit with a suit in New Jersey federal court from a former employee at his affiliated payroll company alleging he sexually assaulted her during a work trip, fired her after she raised concerns about millions in unreported cryptocurrency transactions, and withdrew sponsorship of her U.S. green card.

  • June 27, 2025

    Google Fired Worker For Taking Medical Leave, Suit Claims

    A former Google employee said she was discriminated against and fired for taking approved medical leave, according to a lawsuit filed in Washington state court.

  • June 27, 2025

    Sam's Club Lifting Work Caused Miscarriage, Ex-Worker Says

    Sam's Club has been sued in Georgia federal court by a former employee who is alleging she suffered a miscarriage after the retailer failed to accommodate work restrictions related to her attempt to become pregnant through in vitro fertilization by making her do heavy lifting work.

  • June 27, 2025

    Jury Must Decide Telework Feasibility In EEOC Bias Case

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must take to trial most of its lawsuit alleging a pediatric clinic fired an employee because of her anxiety, a Georgia federal judge ruled Friday, saying jurors should weigh the clinic's evidence suggesting it would've been impractical to let her work remotely.

  • June 27, 2025

    10th Circ. Says Ex-Principal's Bias Suit Needs 2nd Look

    The Tenth Circuit revived Friday part of a Black former principal's race bias suit claiming her contract was not renewed because she complained about facing racism on the job, ruling the lower court needs to reconsider her bias claims after improperly disqualifying a human resources director's testimony.

  • June 27, 2025

    NC Appeals Court Urged To Back Firing Of General Counsel

    North Carolina's body of independent administrative law judges is urging the state appeals court to reject its former general counsel's bid to revive his claims that his politics got him fired, arguing that his position is exempt from certain workplace protections.

  • June 27, 2025

    7th Circ. Says Union Backed Worker Who Claimed Bias

    The Seventh Circuit on Friday affirmed a decision dismissing a Black elevator mechanic's claims that his union mishandled his firing challenge, saying the union treated him fairly by winning his case despite his qualms with its strategy.

  • June 27, 2025

    EEOC Sues Pearson Over Online Access For Visually Impaired

    Educational publisher Pearson Education Inc. violated federal disability law when it failed to ensure visually impaired workers could access trainings and view benefits through online platforms, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told a New Jersey federal court Friday.

  • June 27, 2025

    Walmart Crime Record Checks Harm Black Workers, Suit Says

    Walmart shirked civil rights law by using criminal background checks that screened out Black workers who wanted to be rehired for roles they previously held after the retail behemoth took over management of an Illinois distribution center, according to a new suit filed in federal court.

  • June 27, 2025

    DC Judge Says Teen Health Projects Can 'Shutter' Temporarily

    Five Planned Parenthood affiliates will not be irreparably harmed by changes to federal guidance for teen health programs instructing grantees to demonstrate alignment with executive orders from the Trump administration rejecting transgender identity and diversity programs, a D.C. federal judge has ruled.

  • June 27, 2025

    Conn. Firm Wins Bias Suit Appeal By Fired Legal Assistant

    Connecticut law firm Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC on Friday prevailed in an appeal brought by a former legal assistant who claimed she was wrongly fired for seeking to work entirely from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a three-judge panel holding that her proposed accommodation was not reasonable.

  • June 27, 2025

    Omni Worker Demoted After Seeking Sabbath Off, EEOC Says

    Omni Hotels abruptly revoked a Chicago-based bellhop's ability to take Sundays off to observe the Sabbath and demoted him to part-time work, both in violation of federal civil rights law, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in Illinois federal court.

  • June 27, 2025

    Calif. Forecast: Staffing Co. Wants Discrimination Case Axed

    In the coming week, attorneys should keep an eye out for arguments in a staffing company's renewed attempt to toss a disability discrimination case. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters coming up in California.

  • June 27, 2025

    Insulation Co.'s Owner Sexually Harassed Worker, EEOC Says

    An insulation company's owner sexually harassed an office manager for years by showing her naked pictures of women, spreading rumors about her sex life and touching her inappropriately, according to a suit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

  • June 26, 2025

    Nurse Wins $27M In Retaliation Case Against Dignity Health

    A former chief nursing officer who sued the West Coast hospital system Dignity Health alleging she was illegally terminated for raising serious safety concerns was awarded $27.5 million from a Los Angeles jury, her attorneys announced Thursday. 

  • June 26, 2025

    Ex-Steel Co. Worker Who Won $3 Can't Get New Age-Bias Trial

    A Michigan federal judge on Thursday denied a new trial to a fired steel company human resources director who won $3 on age discrimination claims, saying there is a reasonable interpretation of the jury's decision.

  • June 26, 2025

    SMU Law Professor's Tenure Suit Partly Revived By 5th Circ.

    The Fifth Circuit on Wednesday partially revived a former Southern Methodist University law professor's suit over the denial of her tenure application following a ruling last month by the Texas Supreme Court.

  • June 26, 2025

    Gender Identity Bias Suits Regain Steam After EEOC Retreats

    The gender identity discrimination cases that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission abandoned due to President Donald Trump's order only recognizing two sexes are getting back on course after new legal teams stepped in to represent the workers.

  • June 26, 2025

    Vegas Casino Strikes Deal To End EEOC Religious Bias Suit

    The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas has agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it refused to accommodate employees' religious beliefs for nearly a decade, according to a filing Thursday in Nevada federal court.

  • June 26, 2025

    2nd Circ. Backs FedEx In Fired Driver's Age, Race Bias Suit

    The Second Circuit declined Thursday to revive a suit from a Black worker who said FedEx let him endure on-the-job harassment and fired him for complaining about being mistreated, ruling the former employee failed to show prejudice was what cost him his job.

Expert Analysis

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: July Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy considers cases touching on pre- and post-conviction detainment conditions, communications with class representatives, when the American Pipe tolling doctrine stops applying to modified classes, and more.

  • How To Comply With Chicago's New Paid Leave Ordinance

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    Chicago's new Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance went into effect earlier this month, so employers subject to the new rules should update leave policies, train supervisors and deliver notice as they seek compliance, say Alison Crane and Sarah Gasperini at Jackson Lewis.

  • Big Business May Come To Rue The Post-Administrative State

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    Many have framed the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions overturning Chevron deference and extending the window to challenge regulations as big wins for big business, but sand in the gears of agency rulemaking may be a double-edged sword, creating prolonged uncertainty that impedes businesses’ ability to plan for the future, says Todd Baker at Columbia University.

  • A Timeline Of Antisemitism Legislation And What It Means

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    What began as hearings in the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce has expanded to a House-wide effort to combat antisemitism and related issues, with wide-ranging implications for education, finance and nonprofit entities, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Colo. Ruling Adopts 'Actual Discharge' Test For The First Time

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    After a Colorado court’s recent decision in Potts v. Gaia Children, adopting for the first time a test for evaluating an actual discharge claim, employers must diligently document the circumstances surrounding termination of employment, and exercise particular caution when texting employees, says Michael Laszlo at Clark Hill.

  • It's Time For Nationwide Race-Based Hair Protections

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    While 24 states have passed laws that prohibit race-based hair discrimination, this type of bias persists in workplaces and schools, so a robust federal law is necessary to ensure widespread protection, says Samone Ijoma and Erica Roberts at Sanford Heisler.

  • 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.