Discrimination

  • September 15, 2025

    Tesla Favors Foreign Workers Over US Citizens, Court Told

    Tesla discriminates against American workers by giving a leg up to H-1B visa holders whom the company underpays, according to a suit brought in California federal court by two U.S. citizens who said they unsuccessfully sought jobs at the electric vehicle maker.

  • September 15, 2025

    Calif. Legislators OK Requiring Oversight Of Workplace AI

    The California Senate has approved a bill that would restrict how employers can use tools powered by artificial intelligence to make employment decisions, sending the legislation to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk despite opposition from business groups.

  • September 15, 2025

    Disney Workers Get Final OK On $43M Gender Bias Deal

    A California judge granted final approval Monday of Disney's $43.25 million class action settlement with over 15,000 female midlevel managers over allegations the entertainment giant paid them less than their male colleagues.

  • September 15, 2025

    Cozen O'Connor Picks Up 2 Jackson Lewis Attys In Philly

    Cozen O'Connor is expanding its employment law resources in Philadelphia with the additions of two attorneys who have moved their practices from Jackson Lewis PC.

  • September 15, 2025

    PF Chang's Inks $80K Deal In EEOC Religious Bias Probe

    P.F. Chang's will pay a job applicant $80,000 after a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation found support for the would-be employee's claim that the company didn't hire him because he requested not to work on Sundays, the EEOC said Monday.

  • September 15, 2025

    Ex-Epstein Prosecutor Maurene Comey Sues DOJ Over Firing

    Maurene Comey, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who brought high-profile criminal cases against the likes of Jeffrey Epstein and Sean "Diddy" Combs, sued the Justice Department on Monday alleging her abrupt July firing came "solely or substantially" because she is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, a Trump critic.

  • September 15, 2025

    DC Water Utility Illegally Pushed Out Older Worker, EEOC Says

    The District of Columbia's water utility ran afoul of age discrimination law when it abruptly fired a 54-year-old human resources employee, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a lawsuit.

  • September 15, 2025

    EEOC Fails To Get Court Approval For Pregnancy Bias Deal

    A Pennsylvania federal judge refused for a second time to greenlight a $30,000 settlement between the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a child advocacy organization the agency accused of pregnancy discrimination, expressing concerns about the deal's propriety.

  • September 12, 2025

    Taylor Swift Will Only Sit For 'It Ends With Us' Depo If 'Forced'

    Taylor Swift's counsel at Venable LLP told a Manhattan federal judge Friday that the pop superstar has not agreed to be deposed in actress Blake Lively's defamation case against her "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni, but could do so the week of Oct. 20 "if she is forced."

  • September 12, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Kent State In Prof's Trans Bias Suit

    The Sixth Circuit ruled Friday that Kent State University backtracked on a promotion promised to a transgender professor because of insulting tweets and emails directed at colleagues, not because of their gender identity.

  • September 12, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs University In Ex-HR Director's Retaliation Suit

    The Sixth Circuit on Friday upheld the dismissal of a white former human resources director's lawsuit claiming the University of Toledo fired her for opposing a colleague's promotion, saying the four-month gap between her complaint and termination was too much to support a retaliation suit.

  • September 12, 2025

    Chicago Teachers Union Beats Teacher's Race Bias Suit

    The Chicago Teachers Union won't have to face a lawsuit alleging that it discriminated against a teacher by not pursuing four grievances she filed, an Illinois federal judge ruled Friday, saying she did not put forward evidence connecting the union's inaction to her race or national origin and has "done nothing more than speculate."

  • September 12, 2025

    Employment Lawyers' Weekly DEI Cheat Sheet

    A Fourth Circuit panel appeared reluctant to uphold a Maryland federal judge's injunction that blocked key parts of two executive orders by President Donald Trump targeting workplace diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and newspaper publisher Gannett largely defeated a proposed class action alleging its DEI practices disadvantaged white workers. Here, Law360 looks at notable DEI-related legal developments so far this month.

  • September 12, 2025

    3rd Circ. Backs Philly School In Worker's COVID Leave Suit

    A former Philadelphia school employee resigned rather than being fired, the Third Circuit said Friday, affirming a federal court decision tossing his suit claiming he was discriminated against for refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine because of his religious beliefs.

  • September 12, 2025

    New Orleans Fired Director For Reporting Fraud, Suit Says

    The city of New Orleans fired a workforce director out of retaliation for repeatedly raising concerns that employees were committing payroll fraud and misappropriating cash from a COVID-19 federal aid package, according to her suit filed in Louisiana federal court.

  • September 12, 2025

    Va. City Attorney Tells 4th Circ. He's Immune From FMLA Suit

    A Virginia federal judge erred by allowing a Family and Medical Leave Act suit against a municipal attorney to head to trial, the attorney said Friday, asking the Fourth Circuit to hold that he is immune from suit.

  • September 12, 2025

    Calif. Forecast: Google Wants Worker-Protesters' Suit Tossed

    In the coming week, attorneys should watch for a dismissal bid hearing in a proposed discrimination class action against Google by a group of former employees who staged protests. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters on deck in California.

  • September 12, 2025

    Black Worker Says Trailer Co. Fired Him For Reporting Bias

    A Black salesperson was fired by a trailer company for complaining that a white supervisor excluded him from team meetings, blamed him for colleagues' mistakes and threatened to shoot a Black co-worker for working too slowly, according to a suit filed in Georgia federal court.

  • September 12, 2025

    Lack Of EEOC Quorum Can't Fell Bias Suit, Agency Says

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission doesn't need a quorum to sue a tire manufacturer alleging it fired workers out of disability bias because they took prescribed narcotics, the agency told a Tennessee federal court, urging rejection of the business' motion to dismiss.

  • September 11, 2025

    Industrial Tech Co. Sanctioned For Deleted Texts In Title VII Suit

    A New York federal judge has sanctioned ultrasonic testing company Sonotec after two of its staff members were found to have deleted text messages about a former employee who is pursuing sexual harassment retaliation claims against the company, finding they should have known litigation was imminent at the time they erased the correspondence.

  • September 11, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Hospital In Nurse's Suit Over Vaccine Mandate

    The Sixth Circuit upheld an Ohio medical center's win in a suit claiming it unlawfully placed a Christian nurse on unpaid leave because of religious objections to COVID-19 vaccines and testing methods, ruling Thursday that excusing her from the infection prevention methods would have been too burdensome.

  • September 11, 2025

    UPS Avoids Fired Worker's Age, Gender Bias Suit

    A North Carolina federal judge tossed an ex-UPS worker's suit claiming the delivery company fired him out of age and gender bias and because his retirement benefits were about to vest, ruling he failed to discredit his ex-employer's position that he was terminated for sexually harassing a trainee.

  • September 11, 2025

    Vax Battle Offers Justices Vehicle To Widen Religious Rights

    The U.S. Supreme Court will consider taking up a case brought by a group of religious healthcare workers challenging a New York state vaccination requirement, setting up an opportunity for the high court to broaden workers' ability to secure faith-related job accommodations.

  • September 11, 2025

    AI Co. Employee Says Complaining Of Sex Bias Got Her Fired

    An artificial intelligence software developer fired a data scientist after she complained that colleagues had minimized her contributions, held her to different standards than male co-workers and subjected her to unwanted sexual advances, according to a lawsuit filed in New York federal court.

  • September 11, 2025

    Theater Forced Out Worker With Cerebral Palsy, EEOC Says

    A manager of an AMC Theatres location in Maryland unlawfully rescinded accommodations given to an employee with cerebral palsy, berated him and drastically cut his hours until he was forced out, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged Thursday in federal court.

Expert Analysis

  • How Latest High Court Rulings Refine Employment Law

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    The 2024-2025 U.S. Supreme Court term did not radically rewrite employment law, but sharpened focus on textual fidelity, procedural rigor and the boundaries of statutory relief, say attorneys at Krevolin & Horst.

  • Challenging A Class Representative's Adequacy And Typicality

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    Recent cases highlight that a named plaintiff cannot certify a putative class action unless they can meet all the applicable requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, so defendants should consider challenging a plaintiff's ability to meet typicality and adequacy requirements early and often, say attorneys at Womble Bond.

  • Age Bias Ruling Holds Harassment Policy Lessons

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    A Kansas federal court's recent decision in Holman v. Textron Aviation, rejecting an employee's assertion that his termination for failing to report harassment was pretextual and due to age bias, provides insight into how courts analyze whether actions are pretextual and offers lessons about enforcing anti-harassment policies, say attorneys at Ogletree.

  • Employer Tips As Deepfakes Reshape Workplace Harassment

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    As the workplace harassment landscape faces the rising threat of fabricated media that hyperrealistically depict employees in sexual or malicious contexts, employers can stay ahead of the curve by tracking new legal obligations, and proactively updating policies, training and response protocols, say attorneys at Littler.

  • How To Balance AI Adoption With Employee Privacy Risks

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    As artificial intelligence transforms the workplace, organizations must learn to leverage AI's capabilities while safeguarding against employee privacy risks and complying with a complex web of regulations, including by vetting vendors, mitigating employee misuse and establishing a governance framework, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

  • How Ending OFCCP Will Affect Affirmative Action Obligations

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    As President Donald Trump's administration plans to eliminate the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which enforces federal contractor antidiscrimination compliance and affirmative action program obligations, contractors should consider the best compliance approaches available to them, especially given the False Claims Act implications, say attorneys at Ogletree.

  • Employer Best Practices For Navigating Worker Separations

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    As job cuts hit several major industries, employers should take steps to minimize their exposure to discrimination claims, information leaks and enforcement challenges, such as maintaining sound documentation, strategic planning and legal coordination, says Mark Romance at Day Pitney.

  • Employer Tips For Responding To ICE In The Workplace

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    Increased immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration has left employers struggling to balance their compliance obligations with their desire to provide a safe workplace, so creating a thorough response plan and training for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's presence at the workplace is crucial, say attorneys at Hanson Bridgett.

  • Handbook Hot Topics: Shifting Worker Accommodation Rules

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    Since President Donald Trump took office, many changes have directly affected how employers must address accommodation requests, particularly those concerning pregnancy-related medical conditions and religious beliefs, underscoring the importance of regularly reviewing and updating accommodation policies and procedures, say attorneys at Kutak Rock.

  • Shifting DEI Expectations Put Banks In Legal Crosshairs

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    The Trump administration's rollbacks on DEI-friendly policies create something of a regulatory catch-22 for banks, wherein strict compliance would contradict established statutory and administrative mandates regarding access to credit for disadvantaged communities, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • Compliance Tips After Court Axes EEOC's Trans Rights Take

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    A Texas federal court's recent decision struck portions of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's 2024 guidance pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity under Title VII, barring their use nationwide and leaving employers unsure about how to proceed in their compliance efforts, say attorneys at Dorsey & Whitney.

  • 5 Insurance Claims That Could Emerge After NCAA Settlement

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    Following the recent NCAA class action settlement that will allow revenue sharing with college athletes, there may be potential management liability for universities, their executive leadership and boards that could expose insurers to tax, regulatory, breach of contract and other claims, says Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty.

  • 8th Circ. Ruling Highlights Complicated Remote Work Analysis

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    The Eighth Circuit’s recent opinion in Kuklenski v. Medtronic USA demonstrates that the applicability of employment laws to remote workers is often a fact-driven analysis, highlighting several parameters to consider when evaluating what state and local laws may apply to employees who work remotely, say attorneys at Vedder Price.