Discrimination

  • February 10, 2025

    Mechanic Says Elevator Co. Fired Him Over Paternity Leave

    A New York City elevator mechanic sued his former employer in New York federal court, claiming the company retaliated against him when he raised workplace safety concerns, fired him when he said he intended to take paternity leave, and pressured employees to work through lunch without pay.

  • February 10, 2025

    Harassment Suit Against Fox Sports, Hosts Sent To Fed Court

    The lawsuit accusing Fox Sports executives and on-air hosts of sexual harassment and creating a toxic workplace environment has been moved from California state court to federal court, where the two sides were told to attempt alternative dispute resolution.

  • February 10, 2025

    Judge Wary Of Doctor's Bid To Halt WWE Accuser's Info Hunt

    A Connecticut judge on Monday appeared skeptical of a celebrity doctor's bid to end an information request by a woman separately accusing World Wrestling Entertainment and its founder Vince McMahon of sex trafficking, hinting that the doctor probably cannot raise potential federal litigation as a shield against a state trial court discovery probe.

  • February 10, 2025

    Black EEOC Atty Says Telework Bid Earned Her Cold Shoulder

    A Black U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attorney sued the agency in Texas federal court, alleging that she was passed over for promotions and a senior leader training program after requesting a disability accommodation and calling out a colleague for "white privilege."

  • February 10, 2025

    Former Palm GC's Racial Bias Claim Should End, Judge Says

    A New York federal judge has recommended dismissing a race discrimination claim brought by an ex-general counsel for The Palm steakhouse chain's owner while allowing her retaliation and breach of contract claims to proceed to arbitration, concluding that the company's onetime top lawyer had not shown the restaurant had "discriminatory intent."

  • February 10, 2025

    Ex-SEC Atty's Bias Case Not Holding, Despite Deal Talks

    A Pennsylvania federal judge refused Friday to delay the upcoming trial in a lawsuit filed by a former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer who sued the agency for racial and age discrimination, despite a letter to the court saying that the parties are making progress toward a settlement.

  • February 10, 2025

    Former X Workers Can't Force Arbitration For Their Claims

    A California federal judge refused to force X to arbitrate several former workers' claims that they say should have already proceeded through arbitration but for the social media company's unlawful dragging of its feet, saying none of the parties can arbitrate their disputes in his district.

  • February 10, 2025

    Conservative Groups Say ABA Clerk, Intern Programs Illegal

    Conservative advocacy groups urged the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday to scrutinize the American Bar Association's diversity and internship programs, claiming the organization is committing unlawful discrimination in the name of diversity.

  • February 07, 2025

    Judge OKs $2.7M In Atty Fees From $23M FBI Sex Bias Deal

    A D.C. federal judge on Friday approved $2.7 million in fees for attorneys representing a class of women accusing the Federal Bureau of Investigation of holding them to sexist double standards, part of a $22.6 million settlement resolving the lawsuit.

  • February 07, 2025

    Calif. Releases Updated Draft Of AI Rules For Public Comment

    California's Civil Rights Council voted Friday to approve a few key changes to proposed rules governing the use of artificial intelligence tools in employment and released the draft for public comment, seemingly slashing potential liability for the tools' developers and removing a controversial definition of "adverse impact."

  • February 07, 2025

    Jewish Woman Says Discrimination At Tesla Led To Her Layoff

    Tesla is facing a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit in Texas state court from a former sales staffer who says she was subjected to a hostile workplace because she is Jewish and a woman and was then booted from the company after complaining about the bias to human resources.

  • February 07, 2025

    9th Circ. Backs Ex-Bank Auditor's $1.5M Retaliation Suit Win

    The Ninth Circuit upheld a $1.5 million jury verdict in favor of a former bank auditor who claimed he was fired for flagging evidence of wrongdoing, finding evidence suggesting he was treated differently from other workers was enough to back up the jurors' decision.

  • February 07, 2025

    Pa. Bank Settles Fired Worker's Sex Harassment Suit

    Republic First has agreed to settle a worker's suit claiming she was fired for refusing sexual advances from her manager under the pretext that she mismanaged her cash drawer, according to a filing in Pennsylvania federal court.

  • February 07, 2025

    Judge Won't Block DOGE Access To Labor Dept. Data

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge declined Friday to block Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive U.S. Department of Labor data, saying that while he "harbors concerns" about privacy risks, the suing labor unions haven't established standing.

  • February 07, 2025

    Trump's Anti-DEI Push Calls For Change, Not 'Overcorrection'

    President Donald Trump wasted no time launching an aggressive push to rid American workplaces of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, but many companies that have championed diversity may be reluctant to reverse course. Here are five tips for employers that want to keep encouraging diversity while minimizing legal risk.

  • February 07, 2025

    Calif. Forecast: 9th Circ. To Hear DOL Pay Data Release Fight

    In the coming week, attorneys should watch for oral arguments at the Ninth Circuit regarding journalists' attempt to seek federal contractor pay data from the U.S. Department of Labor. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters on deck in California.

  • February 07, 2025

    10th Circ. Won't Revive Ex-Denver Firefighter's ADA Suit

    The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal Friday of a former firefighter's suit claiming the city of Denver failed to accommodate a hand injury he suffered on the job that forced him into retirement, ruling the lower court correctly found he filed a presuit charge too late.

  • February 07, 2025

    Judge Blocks USAID From Putting 2,200 Workers On Leave

    A D.C. federal judge on Friday issued a "limited" temporary restraining order blocking the U.S. Agency for International Development from putting 2,200 employees on paid administrative leave and ordering the agency to reinstate 500 employees already on leave.

  • February 07, 2025

    Applicant Seeks Group Status For Workday Age Bias Claim

    A spurned job applicant urged a California federal court to confer collective action status on his claim that Workday's automated hiring tools violate federal age discrimination law, saying the artificial intelligence platform's similar treatment of older job seekers was enough to warrant representative status.

  • February 07, 2025

    NY Forecast: 2nd Circ. Hears Maternity Leave, Retaliation Suit

    This week the Second Circuit is scheduled consider a former New York City Economic Development Corp. employee's attempt to revive her lawsuit claiming her supervisor retaliated against her for taking maternity and medical leave. Here, Law360 looks at this and other notable cases on the docket this week in New York courts.

  • February 07, 2025

    Okla. School District Settles Ex-Teacher's Military Leave Suit

    An Oklahoma school district has agreed to pay a former music teacher $60,000 to resolve his suit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice claiming the district scuttled his employment contract for taking leave to serve in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

  • February 06, 2025

    Fed. Worker Reps Slam 'Unfathomably Cruel' USAID Shutdown

    The Trump administration's illegal decision to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development has caused a global humanitarian crisis, cost thousands of Americans their jobs and threatens U.S. national security, groups representing federal employees and foreign service workers alleged in a federal lawsuit Thursday in Washington, D.C.

  • February 06, 2025

    Credit Union's Arb. Pact Not Unconscionable, Court Says

    A California state appeals court has reversed a ruling finding an arbitration agreement contained in a credit union's employment contract to be unconscionable, saying the JAMS rules incorporated in the pact permit an arbitrator to allow for necessary third-party discovery.

  • February 06, 2025

    Trump Creates DOJ Task Force Targeting 'Anti-Christian Bias'

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday establishing a U.S. Department of Justice task force to root out "anti-Christian bias" within federal agencies and prosecute vandalism and violence targeting churches and related religious organizations.

  • February 06, 2025

    Manager's Work, Not Gaza Posts, Led To Firing, Ill. City Says

    A former Evanston, Illinois, employee shouldn't be allowed to go to trial on claims that he was fired for publicly expressing sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza because evidence clearly proves his performance is what cost him his job, city officials argued Wednesday.

Expert Analysis

  • What Day 1 Bondi Memos Mean For Corporate Compliance

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    After Attorney General Pam Bondi’s flurry of memos last week declaring new enforcement priorities on issues ranging from foreign bribery to diversity initiatives, companies must base their compliance programs on an understanding of their own core values and principles, says Hui Chen at CDE Advisors.

  • 5 Things For Private Employers To Do After Trump's DEI Order

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    Following President Donald Trump's recent executive order pushing the private sector to narrow, and even end, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, employers should ensure DEI efforts align with their organization's mission and goals, are legally compliant, and are effectively communicated to stakeholders, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • Zuckerberg's Remarks Pose Legal Risk For Meta Amid Layoffs

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    Within days of announcing that Meta Platforms will cut 5% of its lowest-performing employees, Mark Zuckerberg remarked that corporations are becoming "culturally neutered" and need to bring back "masculine energy," exposing the company to potential claims under California employment law, says Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law Center.

  • Preparing For A Possible End To The Subminimum Wage

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    The U.S. Department of Labor's proposed rule to end the subminimum wage for employees with disabilities may significantly affect the community-based rehabilitation and training programs that employ these workers, so certified programs should be especially vigilant about compliance during this period of evaluation and scrutiny, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'Harry Potter' Reveals Magic Of Feedback

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    Troutman Pepper's Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter chat with Wicker Park Group partner Tara Weintritt about various feedback methods used by "Harry Potter" characters — from Snape's sharp and cutting remarks to Dumbledore's lack of specificity and Hermione's poor delivery — and explore how clear, consistent and actionable feedback can transform workplaces.

  • What To Expect From Trump's Deputy Labor Secretary Pick

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    President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Keith Sonderling, has a track record of prioritizing clear guidance on both traditional and cutting-edge issues, which can provide insight into what employers can expect from his leadership, say attorneys at Littler.

  • A Look At Order Ending Federal Contractor Affirmative Action

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    To comply with President Donald Trump's executive order revoking affirmative action requirements in the next 90 days, federal contractors should focus on identification of protected groups, responsibilities of "diversity officer" positions and annual compliance reviews, says Jeremy Burkhart at Holland & Knight.

  • Parsing 3rd Circ. Ruling On Cannabis, Employee Private Suits

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    The Third Circuit recently upheld a decision that individuals don't have a private right of action for alleged violations of New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act, but employers should stay informed as the court encouraged the state Legislature to amend the law, say attorneys at Mandelbaum Barrett.

  • EEOC Wearable Tech Guidance Highlights Monitoring Scrutiny

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent fact sheet on wearable technologies cautions against potential issues with federal anti-discrimination laws and demonstrates growing concern from regulators and legislators about intrusive technologies in the workplace, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 4 Employment Law Areas Set To Change Under Trump

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    President Donald Trump's second term is expected to bring significant changes to the U.S. employment law landscape, including the potential for updated worker classification regulations, and challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion that are already taking shape, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • What Employment Bias Litigation Looks Like After Muldrow

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    Nine months after the U.S. Supreme Court created an undemanding standard for discrimination claims in Muldrow v. St. Louis, Eric Schnapper at the University of Washington discusses how the Title VII litigation landscape has changed and what to expect moving forward.

  • 10 Key Worker-Friendly California Employment Law Updates

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    New employment laws in California expand employee rights, transparency and enforcement mechanisms, and failing to educate department managers on these changes could put employers at risk, says Melanie Ronen at Stradley Ronon.

  • How PAGA Reform Can Inform Employer Strategies In 2025

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    While recent changes to California's Private Attorneys General Act will not significantly reduce PAGA claims, employers can use the new law to potentially limit their future exposure, by taking advantage of penalty reduction opportunities and more, say attorneys at Thompson Coburn.