Discrimination

  • March 16, 2026

    Mich. Jury Awards $10M To Med Resident Fired During Leave

    A Michigan state jury has awarded more than $10 million to a former medical student who said she was fired from a hospital's OB-GYN residency program after being forced to take a required licensing exam while on maternity leave.

  • March 16, 2026

    Chicago Female Cops Secure Trials In Sex Bias Suits

    The city of Chicago can't evade trial on three female cops' claims that gender discrimination cost them promotions or got them downgraded to lesser positions, an Illinois federal judge ruled, crediting evidence showing they may have been treated differently due to their sex.

  • March 16, 2026

    Disney Exec's $40M Bias Suit Says HR Tried To 'Dig Up Dirt'

    A Walt Disney Co. gaming executive accused the company Friday in California state court of discriminating and retaliating against him after he complained about a human resources executive contacting his executive coach to "dig up dirt," claiming the poor treatment is because he is Asian.

  • March 16, 2026

    Colorado Pushes For Early Win In Fight Over Sick Leave Law

    An airline trade group advanced only speculative arguments in its efforts to beat Colorado's bid for a pretrial win in the group's suit challenging Colorado's sick leave law, the state told a federal judge.

  • March 16, 2026

    1st Circ. Says Muldrow Can't Save IT Worker's Age Bias Suit

    The First Circuit refused to reopen a former information technology employee's age bias lawsuit, rejecting her argument that the U.S. Supreme Court's Muldrow decision meant that putting her on a performance improvement plan was significant enough to be the basis for a discrimination case.

  • March 16, 2026

    Fired Philly Utility Worker's Bias Suit Clears Initial Hurdle

    A Pennsylvania federal judge trimmed claims from an ex-Philadelphia Gas Works employee's suit alleging the utility fired her days after she sought medical accommodations, but the judge declined to toss the worker's disability bias and sexual harassment claims after finding they were backed up with enough detail.

  • March 13, 2026

    'Swinging Dicks' Dissent Stirs Uproar Across 9th Circ. Bench

    A raunchy dissent in litigation over transgender spa patrons prompted dozens of Ninth Circuit judges to denounce the "vulgar barroom talk" of a colleague, who returned fire by ridiculing his peers for adopting the "fastidious sensibilities of a Victorian nun."

  • March 13, 2026

    Alaska Airlines Pilot's Military Leave Benefits Suit Trimmed

    A Seattle federal judge has narrowed a pilot's class action accusing Alaska Airlines of denying employees sick leave and vacation accrual during military leave, while recognizing in the same Thursday order that a "reasonable jury" could find service members are entitled to certain benefits during absences spanning one to two months.

  • March 13, 2026

    5 Cases To Watch As EEOC Seeks To Undo Trial Court Losses

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lodged two opening appellate briefs Thursday, seeking reinstatement of a sexual harassment suit brought on behalf of teenage Chili's workers and a disability discrimination case alleging that long COVID symptoms cost a worker her job. Here, Law360 looks at these and three other cases that the anti-discrimination watchdog wants appeals courts to revive.  

  • March 13, 2026

    9th Circ. Finds ASU Worker's Bias Claims Met Filing Deadline

    The Ninth Circuit reinstated a race bias and retaliation lawsuit Friday from a Hispanic former Arizona State University worker, faulting a lower court for finding some of his claims untimely in an appeal that won support from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

  • March 13, 2026

    CTA, Ex-Worker Settle Vaccine Bias Dispute Before Retrial

    The Chicago Transit Authority and a former employee who beat the public transit agency in a COVID-19 vaccine bias trial have reached a settlement in principle they expect will call off a redo an Illinois federal judge ordered last year, according to court records.

  • March 13, 2026

    CSX Can't Get Quick Appeal In Fired Worker's FMLA Suit

    CSX can't immediately ask the Eleventh Circuit to take up a former employee's lawsuit claiming he was unlawfully fired for taking medical leave, a Florida federal judge ruled, saying the district court's conclusion that the worker hadn't waited too long to file suit wasn't eligible for a mid-case appeal.

  • March 13, 2026

    HR Services Co. Fired Exec Over Medical Leave, Court Told

    A human resources outsourcing company fired an executive just three days after learning he had applied for Colorado medical leave while he was still recovering from sepsis that led to kidney and lung failure, according to a complaint filed in state court.

  • March 13, 2026

    Reed Smith Is Ignoring Expanded Back Pay Window, Atty Says

    A former Reed Smith LLP attorney who claimed she was unlawfully underpaid told a New Jersey state court on Friday that the firm's bid to limit the window of time for which she's seeking damages is an attempt to roll the case back in time.

  • March 13, 2026

    Baldoni Atty Avoids Sanctions For Blake Lively Comments

    A lawyer for Justin Baldoni will not face sanctions for public comments critical of Blake Lively because they came long enough ago that they are unlikely to influence the feuding Hollywood stars' upcoming trial, a Manhattan federal judge held Friday.

  • March 13, 2026

    Staffing Co. Ends EEOC Suit Over Deaf Worker's Yanked Offer

    A Michigan federal judge signed off on a $60,000 deal Friday between a staffing company and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a suit claiming the business revoked a deaf candidate's job offer, pushing the EEOC's recovery in the case to $107,000.

  • March 13, 2026

    Little Rock Defeats Black Worker's Promotion Bias Suit

    Little Rock, Arkansas, defeated a Black public works employee's suit claiming he was unlawfully denied a promotion, with a federal judge ruling he hadn't provided evidence that an interview panel ranked him lower because of his race.

  • March 13, 2026

    SEIU Must Face Black Ex-Worker's Bias Suit, But Narrower

    A Service Employees International Union unit can't escape a Black former organizer's suit alleging she was paid less than her white, male colleagues and fired for complaining about it, as a Washington federal judge ruled that she backed her bias claims with enough detail.

  • March 13, 2026

    Calif. Forecast: Meta Wants Out Of Whistleblower Suit

    In the next week, attorneys should watch for a hearing on a motion to dismiss a whistleblower retaliation suit against Meta. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters on deck in California.

  • March 13, 2026

    NY Forecast: Judge Weighs Tossing Fired Teacher's Bias Suit

    This week, a New York federal judge will consider the New York City Department of Education's effort to dismiss a former teacher's suit claiming she faced a hostile work environment and discrimination from school leadership due to an anxiety disorder.

  • March 12, 2026

    DreamWorks, NBCUniversal Hit With Bias Suit By Trans Editor

    NBCUniversal and DreamWorks were hit with a civil suit in California state court by a queer trans man hired as a first assistant editor for the animated film "Bad Guys 2" who alleges they were subjected to transphobic behavior by a direct supervisor who forcibly outed, deadnamed and misgendered them.

  • March 12, 2026

    Ex-Dealer's Retaliation Suit Against Harrah's NC Revived

    The Fourth Circuit on Thursday revived employment retaliation claims against Harrah's and Caesars Entertainment by a former table games dealer, finding the lower court abused its discretion by making "speculative assertions" about the need to add as a defendant a related tribal gaming enterprise.

  • March 12, 2026

    Deal Struck In Nonbinary Bias Suit Abandoned By EEOC

    A cosmetics company has reached a tentative settlement with two nonbinary workers who claimed they were sexually harassed, signaling a potential end to a case the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission backed away from following an order from President Donald Trump that recognized only two genders.

  • March 12, 2026

    UBS Whistleblower Suit Ends In Settlement After Retrial Order

    A New York federal judge on Thursday dismissed a fired UBS worker's whistleblower retaliation lawsuit after the parties reached a settlement in principle earlier this week, ending a long-running case that was revived by the U.S. Supreme Court and saw the judge order a retrial last month.

  • March 12, 2026

    Ex-Chartwell Atty Says Firm Fired Her For Gaza Posts

    A former Chartwell attorney claimed she was harassed because she's a Pakistani Muslim and was fired for posting social media statements criticizing military action in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, according to a lawsuit filed in Florida federal court.

Expert Analysis

  • NWSL's $5M Player Abuse Deal Shifts Standard For Employers

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    The National Women's Soccer League's recent $5 million settlement addressing players' abuse allegations sends a powerful message to leagues, entertainment entities and employers everywhere that employee safety, accountability and transparency are no longer optional, say attorneys at Michelman & Robinson.

  • Navigating The Use Of AI Tools In Workplace Investigations

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    Artificial intelligence tools can be used in workplace investigations to analyze evidence and conduct interviews, among other things, but employers should be aware of the legal and practical risks, including data privacy concerns and the potential for violating antidiscrimination laws, say attorneys at Fisher Phillips.

  • How Justices Rule On Straight Bias May Shift Worker Suits

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    Following oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, in which a heterosexual woman sued her employer for sexual orientation discrimination, the forthcoming decision may create a perfect storm for employers amid recent attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • Employer Tips To Navigate Cultural Flashpoints Investigations

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    As companies are increasingly flooded with complaints of employees violating policies related to polarizing social, cultural or political issues, employers should beware the distinct concerns and increased risk in flashpoints investigations compared to routine workplace probes, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • A Path Forward For Employers, Regardless Of DEI Stance

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    Whether a company views the Trump administration's executive orders ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs as a win or a loss, the change rearranges the employment hazards companies face, but not the non-DEI and nondiscriminatory economic incentive to seek the best workers, says Daniel S. Levy at Advanced Analytical Consulting Group.

  • Bias Suit Shows WNBA Growing Pains On Court And In Court

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    A newly filed disability discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the Los Angeles Sparks is the latest in a series of employment discrimination disputes filed by WNBA professionals, highlighting teams' obligation to meet elevated workplace expectations and the league's role in facilitating an inclusive work environment, say attorneys at Michelman & Robinson.

  • 2 Areas Of Labor Law That May Change Under Trump

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    Based on President Donald Trump's recent moves, employers should expect to see significant changes in the direction of law coming out of the National Labor Relations Board, particularly in two areas where the Trump administration will seek to roll back the Biden NLRB's changes, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Justices' Revival Ruling In Bias Suit Exceeds Procedural Issue

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Waetzig v. Halliburton allowed the plaintiff in an age discrimination lawsuit to move to reopen his case after arbitration, but the seemingly straightforward decision on a procedural issue raises complex questions for employment law practitioners, says Christopher Sakauye at Dykema.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'Late Night' Shows DEI Is More Than Optics

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    Amid the shifting legal landscape for corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Troutman's Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter chat with their firm's DEI committee chair, Nicole Edmonds, about how the 2019 film "Late Night" reflects the challenges and rewards of fostering meaningful inclusion.

  • 9 Considerations For Orgs Using AI Meeting Assistants

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    When deciding to use artificial intelligence meeting assistants, organizations must create and implement a written corporate policy that establishes the do's and don'ts for these assistants, taking into account individualized business operations, industry standards and legal and regulatory requirements, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • What's At Stake In High Court Transgender Care Suit

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    The outcome of U.S. v. Skrmetti will have critical implications for the rights of transgender youth and their access to gender-affirming care, and will likely affect other areas of law and policy involving transgender individuals, including education, employment, healthcare and civil rights, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Determining What 'I Don't Feel Safe' Means In The Workplace

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    When an employee tells an employer "I don't feel safe," the phrase can have different meanings, so employment lawyers must adequately investigate to identify which meaning applies — and a cursory review and dismissal of the situation may not be a sufficient defense in case of future legal proceedings, says Karen Elliott at FordHarrison.

  • How EEOC Enforcement Priorities May Change Under Trump

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has already been rocked by the Trump administration's dramatic changes in personnel and policy, which calls into question how the agency may shift its direction from the priorities set forth in its five-year strategic enforcement plan in 2023, say attorneys at Seyfarth.