Discrimination

  • October 16, 2024

    Columbia Prof Says Firm Abandoned Her During Israel Probe

    A Columbia Law School professor accused plaintiffs employment firm Outten & Golden LLP of abruptly dropping her as a client amid the school's investigation into her comments on campus tensions tied to Israel's attack on Gaza, saying on X Wednesday that the firm's alleged conduct prompted her attorney to resign after nearly 24 years as a partner there.

  • October 16, 2024

    New Orleans Saints, Pelicans Settle Worker's Vaccination Suit

    The NFL and NBA teams in New Orleans informed a Louisiana federal judge that they have settled a lawsuit with a former employee who claimed she was wrongfully fired after refusing a COVID-19 vaccine because of medical and religious reasons.

  • October 16, 2024

    Fla. Waste Co. Inks $1.4M Deal To End EEOC Race Bias Suit

    A waste company agreed to hand over $1.4 million to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit filed in Florida federal court alleging it failed to step in when Black and Haitian employees were called racial slurs on the job.

  • October 16, 2024

    DLA Piper Says 'Sloppy' Work Cost Pregnant Associate Job

    DLA Piper urged a New York federal court to throw out a former associate's lawsuit alleging that she was fired after requesting maternity leave, saying her work performance was "shockingly poor" during her one year with the firm.

  • October 16, 2024

    Duquesne University Beats Ex-Gift Officer's Age Bias Suit

    Duquesne University defeated a former gift officer's suit claiming he was fired for complaining that his boss reassigned work to a younger employee because he was in his 60s, with a Pennsylvania federal judge ruling that he failed to identify a comparable colleague who was treated better.

  • October 16, 2024

    Dermatology Practice Can't Escape Fired Doctor's Bias Suit

    A Pennsylvania federal judge refused Wednesday to toss a sex and age discrimination suit from a dermatologist who said she was unlawfully fired by the private equity-backed practice that bought her business, ruling she put forward enough details to keep her claims in play.

  • October 16, 2024

    What Employers Can Learn From DOJ Disparate Impact Suits

    A string of recent U.S. Department of Justice enforcement activity targeting state and local governments with claims of bias in hiring tests for first responders reflects a broader governmental focus on disparate impact and holds important lessons for private sector employers, experts said.

  • October 16, 2024

    Ashland U. General Counsel Joins Ogletree In Ohio

    The general counsel of Ashland University, a private university in Ohio, has made the move to private practice at Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC.

  • October 15, 2024

    Combs Hit With Slew Of Assault Suits Dating Back To 1995

    Sean "Diddy" Combs was hit with six new lawsuits in Manhattan federal court Monday, alleging that for decades the hip-hop mogul sexually assaulted women, men and minors at parties and other events, including one woman who says he raped her at a promotional party for a Notorious B.I.G. music video.

  • October 15, 2024

    EEOC Tells 6th Circ. To Take Harassment Suit Slurs Seriously

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission urged the Sixth Circuit to revive claims brought by two Black former workers that they faced racist harassment at a transportation company, arguing the lower court minimized that they were regularly called slurs on the job.

  • October 15, 2024

    Fired Attorney Says Legal Aid Has Racist Environment

    The New York City nonprofit Legal Aid Society did nothing to address complaints that white employees regularly treated Black colleagues disrespectfully, including by excluding them from professional opportunities and using offensive language, a Black former staff attorney told a federal court.

  • October 15, 2024

    Military Leave Still Seen As Outcast Amid Leave Reforms

    As states and cities across the country expand paid leave policies into new areas, military leave still gets the cold shoulder even as the legal landscape around short-term military leave has evolved, attorneys say.

  • October 15, 2024

    California's Intersectional Bias Law Is A 'Game Changer'

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill making the Golden State the first to enshrine intersectionality in its anti-discrimination laws, a move experts said will have a tangible impact on how cases are litigated. Here are three changes to watch for.

  • October 15, 2024

    Waste Removal Cos. Ink $3.1M Deal In EEOC Gender Bias Suit

    Four waste removal companies have agreed to pay $3.1 million to shutter a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit in Georgia federal court alleging they passed over female applicants for truck driver positions.

  • October 15, 2024

    4th Circ. Won't Revive Ex-Development Director's Bias Suit

    A North Carolina city's win over a former development director's discrimination and wage suit will stay in place, the Fourth Circuit ruled Tuesday, finding no error in a lower court's decisions.

  • October 15, 2024

    Healthcare Co. Can't Escape EEOC Promotion Denial Suit

    HCA Healthcare can't escape a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it refused to promote a researcher because he was an Asian man in his 50s, a Tennessee federal judge ruled, saying the agency plausibly alleged that the medical company was his employer.

  • October 15, 2024

    WWE Accuser Ties Conn. Physical Therapist To Alleged Abuse

    A former legal staffer accusing World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. and former leader Vince McMahon of sex trafficking has linked a physical therapist, who she referenced in her federal complaint, with a Connecticut doctor and medical practice she is pursuing in state court for information about her treatments.

  • October 15, 2024

    Chicago Workers Can't Pursue Vax Policy 'Fishing Expedition'

    An Illinois state appellate panel has backed a trial court's decision to toss a group of Chicago employees' lawsuit accusing the city of illegally adopting its COVID-19 vaccination policy, agreeing the workers have no legal basis for their claim.

  • October 15, 2024

    Popeyes Franchisee Settles EEOC Pregnancy Bias Probe

    A Popeyes franchisee in Florida reached a deal with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after the agency found reasonable cause to believe the restaurant fired a worker because it learned she was pregnant. 

  • October 15, 2024

    Law Firms Diverge As Anti-ESG Pushback Continues

    A continuing onslaught of legislation and litigation opposing corporate environmental, social and governance actions has created a fork in the road for law firms, with some choosing to scale back efforts and others pushing ahead with their internal ESG and diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

  • October 15, 2024

    The 2024 Law360 Pulse Social Impact Leaders

    Check out our Social Impact Leaders ranking, analysis and interactive graphics to see which firms stand out for their engagement with social responsibility and commitment to pro bono service.

  • October 15, 2024

    U. Of Kentucky Axes Religious Challenge To COVID Vax Policy

    The Sixth Circuit upheld the University of Kentucky's win in a department manager's suit claiming she was forced into retirement after opposing its COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate because of her religious convictions, ruling her case lacked proof of her beliefs.

  • October 15, 2024

    Equinox Says Poor Performance, Not Bias, Got Worker Axed

    Fitness company Equinox urged a New York federal court to throw out a former high-level employee's suit alleging the company's "bro culture" placed her on the chopping block, saying she was part of its COVID-induced reduction-in-force because her performance was waning.

  • October 11, 2024

    Up Next At High Court: CBD Injuries & The Clean Water Act

    The U.S. Supreme Court will be closed Monday, but the justices will return to the bench Tuesday to hear arguments over whether the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act allows litigants to pursue claims of economic harm tied to personal injuries, and how specific pollutant discharge limits have to be under the Clean Water Act.

  • October 11, 2024

    Judge OKs Deal In One Of EEOC's First PWFA Suits

    A Florida federal judge on Friday approved a nearly $100,000 consent decree between a Florida resort and a line cook fired when she requested time off after a stillbirth, in one of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's first batch of cases accusing employers of violating the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Expert Analysis

  • Why Employers Should Heed High Court Web Designer Ruling

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    While not an employment law ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in the First Amendment case 303 Creative v. Elenis raises serious questions for employers that constitute public accommodations and have related anti-discrimination policies, says Tanner Camp at Foley & Lardner.

  • What To Expect From The EEOC's Proposed Pregnancy Law

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    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act require accommodations for many conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, and while the final rule won't be published until the public comment period expires in October, employers should act promptly, says Amy Gluck at FisherBroyles.

  • Employer Best Practices For Pay Transparency Compliance

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    With conflicting pay transparency and disclosure laws appearing across the country, employers must carefully develop different strategies for discussing compensation with employees, applicants, and off-site workers, disclosing salaries in job ads, and staying abreast of new state and local compliance requirements, says Joy Rosenquist at Littler Mendelson.

  • Congress Must Level The Employer Arbitration Playing Field

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    Federal courts have largely eviscerated state bans on arbitration of employment claims through Federal Arbitration Act preemption holdings, and they are also limiting the impact of the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, so Congress needs to step in and amend both laws, says Alan Kabat at Bernabei & Kabat.

  • What 11th Circ. Revival Of Deaf Employee's Bias Suit Portends

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    The Eleventh Circuit's recent Beasley v. O'Reilly Auto Parts decision, which created a circuit split involving the issue of linking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to essential job functions, is a curiosity about the court's analysis at least and a potential game changer for employer duties at most, says John Doran at Sherman & Howard.

  • What To Watch As Justices Take Up Title VII Job Transfer Case

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    With its recent decision to hear Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether an involuntary job transfer can count as employment discrimination under Title VII — an eventual ruling that has potential to reshape workplace bias claims nationwide, says Adam Grogan at Bell Law Group.

  • Parsing EEOC Guidance On Accommodating Low Vision

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    Employers need to examine recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance on provisions for employees who are blind or partially sighted, particularly on the consequences of terminating an employee with blindness or low vision without meeting obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, says Amy Epstein Gluck at FisherBroyles.

  • 5 Tips For Employers Handling Generative AI Privacy Risks

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    Employers should carefully consider the privacy implications of using generative artificial intelligence tools, and employ steps to mitigate the risks, such as de-identifying data, providing notice and identifying data flows, say Zoe Argento and Amy Kabaria at Littler.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'The Bear' Serves Up Advice For Managers

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    Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs at Troutman Pepper chat with Ernst & Young’s Laura Yehuda about Hulu's "The Bear" and the best practices managers can glean from the show's portrayal of workplace challenges, including those faced by young, female managers.

  • Recalling USWNT's Legal PR Playbook Amid World Cup Bid

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    As the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team strives to take home another World Cup trophy, their 2022 pay equity settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation serves as a good reminder that winning in the court of public opinion can be more powerful than a victory inside the courtroom, says Hector Valle at Vianovo.

  • Mass. Age Bias Ruling Holds Employer Liability Lessons

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    The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s recent ruling in Adams v. Schneider Electric — upholding a laid-off employee’s age discrimination claim — is an important reminder that employers may face liability even if a decision maker unknowingly applies a discriminatory corporate strategy, say attorneys at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • Regulating AI: Litigation Questions And State Efforts To Watch

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    In view of the developing legal and regulatory framework for artificial intelligence systems in the U.S., including state legislation and early federal litigation, there are practical takeaways as we look toward the future, says Jennifer Maisel at Rothwell Figg.

  • Regulating AI: An Overview Of Federal Efforts

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    The U.S. has been carefully managing a national policy and regulatory ecosystem toward artificial intelligence, but as AI technology continues to expand into our everyday lives, so too has its risks and the need for regulation, says Jennifer Maisel at Rothwell Figg.