Discrimination

  • October 02, 2025

    American Airlines Tech Says Jury Should Decide Sex Bias Suit

    American Airlines and a transport workers union shouldn't be allowed to escape a technician's lawsuit claiming she was demoted from a crew chief position because of her sex, the worker told an Oklahoma federal court, arguing she'd done enough to send her bias case to trial.

  • October 02, 2025

    No Pay Owed To Flooring Co.'s Fired CEO, 11th Circ. Says

    The Eleventh Circuit won't revive a suit from the former CEO of flooring manufacturer Interface Inc. claiming he was bilked out of a severance package after allegedly going on a drunken tirade at a company function, ruling Thursday that the executive's appeal impermissibly tried to advance a new reading of his contract.

  • October 02, 2025

    Temple Beats Ex-Professor's Bias Suit Over Tenure Denial

    Temple University defeated a former assistant professor's lawsuit claiming he was denied tenure because he's a Chinese man with a chronic neuromuscular condition, as a Pennsylvania federal judge ruled he failed to connect that denial to his race or disability.

  • October 02, 2025

    Ill. Panel Backs Whistleblower's $3.5M Retaliation Verdict

    An Illinois appellate panel on Wednesday affirmed a $3.5 million verdict for a man who claimed he was unlawfully fired from a southern Illinois hospital system for reporting Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse, saying jurors saw evidence he and others faced retaliation when they "called attention to what they believed to be unlawful conduct." 

  • October 02, 2025

    Hegseth's New Whistleblower Memo Draws Criticism

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's memorandum instructing military department heads to work with the agency's inspector general to identify whistleblowers who submit multiple "frivolous" complaints has drawn the ire of a whistleblower group that says the move undermines independent oversight.

  • October 02, 2025

    Dell Accused Of Firing In-House Atty On Maternity Leave

    Dell illegally fired an attorney in the midst of her maternity leave after repeatedly denying her promotion opportunities and handing them to her male colleagues instead, the attorney told a Massachusetts federal court.

  • October 02, 2025

    Legal Aid Attys End Suit Over Palestine Resolution Discipline

    Three legal aid attorneys have settled a labor lawsuit against their union, wrapping litigation in New York federal court that accused the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys of violating the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act by moving to discipline the members for suing to block a pro-Palestine resolution.

  • October 01, 2025

    NYT Wants Justin Baldoni To Cough Up Defamation Suit Fees

    The New York Times on Tuesday sued "It Ends With Us" director and star Justin Baldoni's production company, claiming the company must cover the $150,000 in legal fees and court costs the paper racked up while defending itself in defamation litigation that "had no basis in law or fact."

  • October 01, 2025

    Ex-Akerman Employment Partner Accuses Firm Of Race Bias

    A veteran employment attorney alleges in a California state lawsuit that Akerman LLP treated her less favorably than her non-Latino and male colleagues, including requiring her to deliver bad news to other attorneys' clients and not giving her adequate support staff, before firing her in retaliation for taking medical leave.

  • October 01, 2025

    4 Arguments For Bias Attorneys To Watch In October

    The Second Circuit will tackle tricky questions about the reach of a federal law curbing mandatory arbitration in workplace disputes involving sexual harassment or assault claims, the Third and Ninth circuits will weigh race bias battles and the Eighth Circuit will evaluate a religious discrimination case over COVID-19 testing. Here, Law360 looks at four argument sessions that discrimination attorneys should keep tabs on in the coming month.

  • October 01, 2025

    Ex-Burnham Law Atty Claims Pregnancy Bias Behind Demotions

    A Colorado law firm is under fire from one of its former attorneys who claims her pregnancy led to her receiving two demotions at the firm and eventually being forced out entirely.

  • October 01, 2025

    EEOC Says Roofing Co. Let Sex Harassment Go Unchecked

    A roofing company failed to stop sexual harassment toward a former employee who claimed his boss regularly touched him inappropriately on the job, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in a suit filed in New York federal court.

  • October 01, 2025

    Little Caesars Franchisee Failed To Stop Slurs, EEOC Says

    A Washington state Little Caesars franchisee stood by while two supervisors used racial slurs toward Black employees and fired a worker who spoke out about the harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in federal court.

  • October 01, 2025

    Brinker Beats EEOC Suit Alleging It Allowed Sex Harassment

    An Arkansas federal judge tossed a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit against restaurant company Brinker International, saying the agency failed to show the business should have done more to stop a Chili's Grill & Bar cook from sexually harassing and assaulting teen workers.

  • October 01, 2025

    Napoli Shkolnik Beats Atty's Abandoned Bias Suit

    The former head of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC's personal injury group has lost the bias lawsuit she filed against the firm on procedural grounds, with a federal judge in Manhattan finding the lawyer presented "literally no admissible evidence" backing up her racial discrimination claims.

  • October 01, 2025

    NFL Arbitration In Coaches' Bias Suit Paused During Redo Bid

    The NFL's arbitration process in former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores' racial discrimination dispute will be paused while his motion to reconsider the ruling compelling the arbitration is being decided, a New York federal judge has ordered.

  • October 01, 2025

    EEOC Cases, Mediations On Hold Due To Funding Deadlock

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday that litigation would be frozen and mediations would be canceled during the government shutdown, although it warned that time limits for filing discrimination charges and lawsuits are not suspended while Congress negotiates a spending bill.

  • October 01, 2025

    Ex-Immigration Judge, DOJ Settle Bias Suit

    The U.S. Department of Justice and a former immigration judge agreed Wednesday to settle a lawsuit in Florida federal court alleging she was denied a hardship transfer and reasonable accommodation due to her gender and age.

  • October 01, 2025

    Manufacturer, Staffing Co. Resolve EEOC Pregnancy Bias Suit

    A light bulb manufacturer and a staffing company will pay a combined $285,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming they fired a pregnant woman rather than provide accommodations, according to a filing in California federal court.

  • October 01, 2025

    Meta Pushes Suit Over Sexism Complaints Into Arbitration

    A former Meta employee must arbitrate his suit alleging he was retaliated against for complaining that his female colleagues faced sexist treatment, a New York federal judge said, ruling a law that bars the mandatory arbitration of sexual misconduct disputes doesn't shield his case.

  • October 01, 2025

    Duane Morris Adds O'Hagan Meyer Employment Atty In LA

    Duane Morris LLP is growing its West Coast team, bringing in an O'Hagan Meyer employment litigator as a partner in its Los Angeles office.

  • September 30, 2025

    Ex-Defender Urges 4th Circ. To Revisit Pro Bono Team Exit

    A former assistant public defender asked the full Fourth Circuit to remand or rehear the question of whether her pro bono legal team had good cause to quit on the eve of trial in her sexual harassment lawsuit against the federal judiciary, saying a denial would permit any attorney to decamp from a client's case on the "flimsiest of pretenses."

  • September 30, 2025

    NBA, Former Referee Agree To End Dispute Over Vax Firing

    The National Basketball Association will pay former referee Leroy Richardson nearly $700,000 to resolve his remaining claims regarding his firing for refusing the league's COVID-19 vaccination mandate, the two sides told a New York federal judge Tuesday.

  • September 30, 2025

    EEOC Says Substance Abuse Disorder Cost Nurse Job Offer

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a disability lawsuit against plasma collection giant Grifols on Tuesday, alleging the company yanked a nurse's job offer after learning she required additional oversight from the state because she suffers from alcohol and substance abuse disorders.

  • September 30, 2025

    Coke Bottling Co. Fired Driver Over Disability, EEOC Says

    A Coca-Cola bottling company refused to accommodate a delivery driver with a history of kidney disease that requires dialysis and fired him because of his disability, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told a Louisiana federal court.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Philly Law Initiates New Era Of Worker Protections

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    A new worker protection law in Philadelphia includes, among other measures, a private right of action and recordkeeping requirements that may amount to a lower evidentiary standard, introducing a new level of accountability and additional noncompliance risks for employers, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Justices' Ruling Lowers Bar For Reverse Discrimination Suits

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous opinion in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, lowering the evidentiary burden for plaintiffs bringing so-called reverse discrimination claims, may lead to more claims brought by majority group employees — and open the door to legal challenges to employer diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, say attorneys at Ice Miller.

  • 4 Midyear Employer Actions To Reinforce Compliance

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    The legal and political landscape surrounding what the government describes as unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives has become increasingly complex over the past six months, and the midyear juncture presents a strategic opportunity to reinforce commitments to legal integrity, workplace equity and long-term operational resilience, say attorneys at Krevolin & Horst.

  • Proposed State AI Rule Ban Could Alter Employer Compliance

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    A proposal in the congressional budget bill that would ban state and local enforcement of laws and regulations governing artificial intelligence may offer near-term clarity by freezing conflicting rules, but long-term planning would remain difficult for employers seeking safe, lawful AI deployment strategies, say attorneys at Fisher Phillips.

  • What Employers Can Learn From 'Your Friends & Neighbors'

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    The new drama series "Your Friends and Neighbors," follows a hedge fund firm manager who is terminated after an alleged affair with an employee in another department, and his employment struggles can teach us a few lessons about workplace policies, for cause termination and nonsolicitation clauses, says Anita Levian at Levian Law.