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Discrimination

  • July 29, 2025

    Attys Blast 'Chilling Message' Of Judge Shopping Sanctions

    Three attorneys sanctioned for judge shopping while challenging an Alabama statute that criminalizes gender-affirming care have asked the Eleventh Circuit to clear their names, castigating the process that led to their censure as "so extraordinary as to approach unprecedented."

  • July 29, 2025

    Rising Star: Cohen Milstein's Harini Srinivasan

    Harini Srinivasan of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC secured a $45 million settlement on behalf of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who claimed pregnancy discrimination and also challenged AT&T's attendance point system, earning her a spot among the employment law practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.

  • July 29, 2025

    11th Circ. Revives Furniture Consultant's ADA Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit ruled Tuesday that a former furniture design consultant could have returned to work after a brief medical leave to handle his anxiety, sending his Americans with Disabilities Act suit back to a Florida district court that had ruled in favor of his employer.

  • July 28, 2025

    Ex-Munchkin GC Sues Over 'War On Families' At Baby Co.

    Munchkin Inc.'s former general counsel says he was fired for trying to sound the alarm about the baby products brand's "war on families" and culture of discrimination against working mothers and families, in a $10 million suit filed in California state court on Friday.

  • July 28, 2025

    1st Circ. Backs US Navy In Male Ex-Worker's Sex Bias Suit

    The First Circuit upheld the dismissal of a male U.S. Navy worker's sex bias suit claiming he was fired for allegations of misconduct that his female colleague would not have faced, ruling the bedrock of his complaint was based on conclusory hypothetical scenarios of discrimination.

  • July 28, 2025

    Drexel U Gender Bias Potentially Cost Doctor $6M, Jury Told

    A former Drexel University medical college professor and emergency doctor told a Pennsylvania federal jury Monday that she was fired for complaining about gender discrimination in the workplace, saying among other things she was denied a promotion that would have brought her potentially $6 million.

  • July 28, 2025

    EEOC Says Plastics Co. Ignored Sex Harassment Complaints

    A Michigan plastics company that makes plant and garden products failed to take action to address pervasive sexual harassment against a female worker, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in a new lawsuit filed Monday.

  • July 28, 2025

    Rising Star: Shegerian & Associates' John David

    John David of Shegerian & Associates helped a former bank branch manager secure a $14 million jury verdict in her sex discrimination lawsuit and led a consultant to victory in his disability bias case, earning him a spot among the employment law practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.

  • July 28, 2025

    Security Co., EEOC End Sex Bias Suit Over Job Denial

    A Houston-based hospital security contractor has agreed to pay $35,000 and implement anti-discrimination training to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit accusing the company of turning away a woman seeking a job because of her sex.

  • July 28, 2025

    6th Circ. Revives Fired State Farm Worker's Retaliation Suit

    The Sixth Circuit reinstated a former State Farm worker's retaliation suit claiming she was fired for helping a co-worker pursue a disability bias complaint, ruling that she showed she may have been targeted for timekeeping violations out of revenge for her advocacy.

  • July 28, 2025

    Biotech GC Says She Was Ousted Amid 'Systemic' Bias

    A former general counsel at Massachusetts life sciences firm Repligen has filed a lawsuit in state court claiming that a pervasive culture of gender bias led to her and other women being treated differently and paid less.

  • July 25, 2025

    4th Circ. Revives Kraft Heinz Suit Over Safety Complaints

    The Fourth Circuit on Friday overturned a win for Kraft Heinz Inc. in a suit by a former worker at a meatpacking plant who alleged that he'd been fired for reporting safety issues, saying the district court wrongly concluded that a separate disciplinary investigation was the sole reason he was terminated.

  • July 25, 2025

    EEOC Says $21M Columbia Bias Deal Holds 'Historic' Value

    Columbia University's agreement to pay $21 million to quell allegations that Jewish employees endured harassment marks the biggest settlement the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ever reached stemming from alleged antisemitism, the EEOC said Friday.

  • July 25, 2025

    8th Circ. Revives Union Pacific Worker's ADA Suit

    The Eighth Circuit on Friday breathed new life into a disability bias lawsuit against Union Pacific, finding that a carman who suffered brain hemorrhaging in an off-duty accident may have a case that the railroad discriminated against him based on theoretical future medical episodes.

  • July 25, 2025

    NY Forecast: Judge To Weigh Dismissal Of Nurses' OT Suit

    This week, a federal magistrate judge will consider a nursing home company's attempt to toss a proposed collective action brought by nurses who claim they were not paid overtime required by federal law, and a competing motion by the nurses to conditionally certify the collective action. Here, Law360 looks at this and other cases on the docket in New York.

  • July 25, 2025

    Jury Awards $5M To Utility Inspector Fired Over Work Injuries

    A former field inspector for a Washington utility was awarded $5 million in emotional damages after a federal jury found his termination over his medical restrictions contravened state and federal prohibitions on disability discrimination.

  • July 25, 2025

    Los Angeles Seeks Early Win In Military Leave Bias Suit

    The city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department urged a California federal court Friday to grant them an early win in a proposed class action alleging the city didn't grant equal sick and vacation time to service members and wouldn't promote them because of their service obligations.

  • July 25, 2025

    Worker's Deposition Sinks Religious, Race Bias Suit Over Vax

    A North Carolina federal court tossed a Black worker's religious and race bias suit claiming she was fired by a hygiene products company for opposing its COVID-19 vaccine, ruling her suit fell apart when she admitted in a deposition that refusing the vaccine was a personal choice.

  • July 25, 2025

    Nordstrom Tobacco Health Fee Violates ERISA, Ex-Staff Say

    Three ex-workers for Nordstrom Inc. hit the retailer with a proposed class action in Washington federal court, alleging a $40-a-month surcharge on the health plans of tobacco-using employees was discriminatory in violation of federal benefits law.

  • July 25, 2025

    Calif. Forecast: Meta Challenges Hiring Bias Class Claims

    In the coming week, attorneys should keep an eye out for arguments on Facebook owner Meta's challenge to the scope of proposed classes in a citizenship discrimination suit. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters coming up in California.

  • July 25, 2025

    1st Circ. Backs Ex-Pharma Director's $24M Disability Bias Win

    The First Circuit declined to scrap a $24 million verdict for a former lab director of a Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. subsidiary who claimed she was fired for seeking alternative public speaking arrangements due to her anxiety, ruling the evidence presented supported the jury's verdict.

  • July 25, 2025

    Employment Lawyers' Weekly DEI Cheat Sheet

    President Donald Trump called for restricting diversity, equity and inclusion concepts in the government's artificial intelligence tools, a prominent anti-DEI group said Cracker Barrel gives short shrift to white employees, and Skydance Media's commitment to cut DEI programs at Paramount helped clinch government approval for the two companies' $8 billion merger. Here, Law360 looks at notable DEI-related legal developments from the past week.

  • July 24, 2025

    FCC Signs Off On Skydance's $8B Acquisition Of Paramount

    The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday gave the green light to Skydance Media's controversial $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global and its subsidiaries, including CBS' parent company, setting aside concerns that the deal will hurt competition.

  • July 24, 2025

    Law Firm Tells 2nd Circ. To Send Atty's Bias Suit To Arbitration

    Thompson Hine LLP urged the Second Circuit to require an ex-partner to arbitrate her claims that she faced a "toxic boys club" at the firm and was fired for complaining about it, arguing that a law barring mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment claims doesn't cover her case.

  • July 24, 2025

    Boeing Hit With Disability Bias Suit Over Bonus Exclusion

    Boeing employees on long-term disability leave missed out on a $12,000 bonus distributed after workers ratified a union contract in September, a new proposed class action alleges, claiming that limits on who qualified for the bonus violated Washington state discrimination law.

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.