Discrimination

  • July 15, 2025

    UnitedHealth, Optum Accused Of Pregnancy Discrimination

    Optum Care Inc. and parent company UnitedHealth Group fired a care team supervisor while she was on maternity leave without a tangible reason, according to a suit lodged in California state court.

  • July 15, 2025

    Public Sector Labor Policy Expert Joins Fox Rothschild

    A longtime government attorney with years of experience in labor law and policy has jumped into the private sector, coming aboard Fox Rothschild's Washington, D.C., office as of counsel in the firm's labor and employment department.

  • July 14, 2025

    7th Circ. Upholds Exxon's Win In Ex-Lab Tech's Sex Bias Suit

    The Seventh Circuit on Monday refused to revive a former ExxonMobil Corp. employee's sex discrimination suit against the major oil and gas company, saying the woman failed to prove she was treated less favorably than male colleagues in the lead-up to her termination.

  • July 14, 2025

    CWA Was Not Biased Against White Member, Judge Says

    A New York federal court should find that the Communications Workers of America did not racially discriminate against a white Verizon worker by declining to arbitrate his firing grievance, a magistrate judge said, concluding evidence shows the union did not think it would win.

  • July 14, 2025

    Mich. Judge Claims Watchdog's Process Violates Due Process

    A Michigan judge accused by the state's judicial watchdog of creating a "climate of fear" among court staff is fighting the accusations, saying interpersonal issues were related to her "desire for accurate records, professionalism and respect" and calling the commission's pursuit of charges "misdirected and unfair."

  • July 14, 2025

    Judge Suggests Pruning Ex-Turner Sports Worker's Bias Suit

    A Georgia federal magistrate judge said Monday that the court should trim a former Turner Sports human resources employee's lawsuit claiming she was denied severance benefits when she quit following the merger of Discovery Inc. and WarnerMedia, saying the worker couldn't support allegations that an executive's statements caused her harm.

  • July 14, 2025

    Ga. Contractor Denies Harassment Claims In EEOC Lawsuit

    A Georgia construction contractor has denied claims from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that a former employee of the company faced years of sexual harassment and groping from its owner and CEO.

  • July 14, 2025

    9th Circ. Keeps Alive Part Of Prof's DEI Free Speech Fight

    A California professor can continue to sue his community college district over its enforcement of certain state regulations proscribing diversity and inclusion practices because they press on his free speech rights, the Ninth Circuit said, but stopped short of reviving the entire lawsuit.

  • July 14, 2025

    Ga. County Wants 11th Circ. To Nix Trans Deputy's Health Win

    A Georgia county urged the Eleventh Circuit to reverse a transgender sheriff's deputy's trial court win on claims that denying coverage for a vaginoplasty constituted discrimination in violation of Title VII, arguing the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision upholding a Tennessee state ban on gender-affirming care for minors supported its appeal.

  • July 14, 2025

    11th Circuit Backs DOJ In Disability Bias, FMLA Suit Dismissal

    A former supervisor of education at a Florida federal prison was late in challenging the U.S. Department of Justice's denial of her accommodation request for anxiety and adjustment disorder, the Eleventh Circuit ruled on Monday, upholding a federal court's decision dismissing her suit.

  • July 14, 2025

    Fla. Says High Court Rulings Back Trans Care Medicaid Ban

    Florida told the Eleventh Circuit that recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings affirm the legality of a state law banning Medicaid payments for gender-affirming medical care, arguing its restrictions mirror a similar Tennessee law upheld by the justices because it centers on gender dysphoria diagnoses, not one's sex.

  • July 14, 2025

    5th Circ. Revives Suit Accusing UT Of Race-Based Admissions

    A Fifth Circuit panel partially revived a lawsuit accusing the University of Texas at Austin of continuing to consider race in admissions decisions despite the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision ending affirmative action programs.

  • July 14, 2025

    Mich. Jury Sides With Red Cross In COVID Vax Refusal Suit

    A Michigan federal jury on Monday found that a former American Red Cross nurse's request for an exemption from the organization's COVID-19 vaccine mandate wasn't based on a sincere religious belief that barred her from getting the injection, rejecting the worker's request for more than $6 million in damages for her firing.

  • July 14, 2025

    Ex-DOJ Employment Litigation Deputy Joins Kalijarvi Chuzi

    The former deputy chief of the employment litigation section of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has joined the D.C. employment boutique Kalijarvi Chuzi Newman & Fitch PC, the firm said Monday.

  • July 14, 2025

    End Of NJ Municipal Court Official's Harassment Suit Upheld

    A former New Jersey municipal court administrator cannot sue the state Administrative Office of the Courts in a sexual harassment case because she was never an employee of the office, the state Appellate Division said Monday in a published opinion.

  • July 14, 2025

    Calif. Panel Keeps Charter PAGA Case Out Of Arbitration

    Charter Communications can't arbitrate an employee's Private Attorneys General Act suit because parts of the arbitration agreement are "unconscionable," a California appeals panel ruled, relying on the state Supreme Court's decisions addressing the same pact.

  • July 14, 2025

    Ex-City Workers' Disability Bias Suit Should Fail, Judge Says

    An Atlanta suburb shouldn't have to face a suit alleging it fired two employees because of their stress and anxiety, a Georgia federal magistrate judge recommended, saying neither worker could overcome explanations that poor performance cost her the job.

  • July 14, 2025

    Calif. Panel Upends Arbitration Pact In Worker's Firing Suit

    A Charter Communications worker's wrongful termination suit should not have been sent to arbitration, a California appeals court said, after finding the company's alternative dispute resolution pact held one-sided provisions and made it difficult for employees to opt out.

  • July 11, 2025

    2025's Bias Class Deals On Track To Best '24, Report Says

    The value of the top settlements in employment discrimination class actions in the first half of 2025 was over $220 million, which is on pace to exceed the value of last year's largest set of deals, according to a new Duane Morris LLP report.

  • July 11, 2025

    3rd Circ. Nixes Rehire Of Welch's Worker In Harassment Fight

    The Third Circuit on Friday vacated an order instructing Welch's to rehire a worker who was accused of using gender-based slurs toward a co-worker, saying an arbitrator needed to clarify whether she'd determined that sexual harassment occurred.

  • July 11, 2025

    Former NC Rep. Says State Law Covers Discrimination Suit

    A former North Carolina lawmaker is fighting back against the state body of independent administrative law judges' effort to defeat his discrimination and retaliation case, saying state statute should cover his claims of being unfairly fired as its general counsel.

  • July 11, 2025

    Employment Lawyers' Weekly DEI Cheat Sheet

    A trio of top congressional Democrats asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's acting head to provide details about her efforts to obtain information from major law firms about their diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Meanwhile, IBM Corp. resolved a suit by a white male former consultant who alleged he was pushed out due to workforce diversity quotas. Here, Law360 looks at notable DEI-related legal developments from the past week.

  • July 11, 2025

    Fired Red Cross Vax Refuser Seeks $6M As Jury Trial Wraps

    An attorney for a nurse fired from the American Red Cross after being denied religious accommodation from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate asked a Detroit federal jury Friday for more than $6 million in damages for what he said was the organization's disregard of the woman's beliefs.

  • July 11, 2025

    Clorox And Ex-HR Manager Agree To End Race Bias Suit

    Clorox and one of its former human resources managers have agreed to settle the ex-worker's suit alleging she was forced out of her job for refusing to drop racial bias concerns related to the company's hiring practices, according to a joint stipulation filed in federal court.

  • July 11, 2025

    NJ Atty's Bias Suit Against McCarter & English Gets Trimmed

    A New Jersey state judge has largely narrowed the scope of a former McCarter & English LLP attorney's anti-veteran discrimination and whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against the firm, but allowed certain claims under a federal veterans rights law to proceed.

Expert Analysis

  • After Chevron: EEOC Status Quo Will Likely Continue

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    As the legal landscape adjusts to the end of Chevron deference, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s rulemaking authority isn’t likely to shift as much as some other employment-related agencies, says Paige Lyle at FordHarrison.

  • After Chevron: Various Paths For Labor And Employment Law

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    Labor and employment law leans heavily on federal agency guidance, so the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to toss out Chevron deference will ripple through this area, with future workplace policies possibly taking shape through strategic litigation, informal guidance, state-level regulation and more, says Alexander MacDonald at Littler.

  • FIFA Maternity Policy Shows Need For Federal Paid Leave

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    While FIFA and other employers taking steps to provide paid parental leave should be applauded, the U.S. deserves a red card for being the only rich nation in the world that offers no such leave, says Dacey Romberg at Sanford Heisler.

  • What 2 Rulings On Standing Mean For DEI Litigation

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    Recent federal court decisions in the Fearless Fund and Hello Alice cases shed new light on the ongoing wave of challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, with opposite conclusions on whether the plaintiffs had standing to sue, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Eye On Compliance: A Brief History Of Joint Employer Rules

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    It's important to examine the journey of the joint employer rule, because if the National Labor Relations Board's Fifth Circuit appeal is successful and the 2023 version is made law, virtually every employer who contracts for labor likely could be deemed a joint employer, say Bruno Katz and Robert Curtis at Wilson Elser.

  • Top 5 Issues For Employers To Audit Midyear

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    Six months into 2024, developments from federal courts and regulatory agencies should prompt employers to reflect on their progress regarding artificial intelligence, noncompetes, diversity initiatives, religious accommodation and more, say Allegra Lawrence-Hardy and Lisa Haldar at Lawrence & Bundy.

  • Tailoring Compliance Before AI Walks The Runway

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    Fashion industry players that adopt artificial intelligence to propel their businesses forward should consider ways to minimize its perceived downsides, including potential job displacements and algorithmic biases that may harm diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, say Jeffrey Greene and Ivory Djahouri at Foley & Lardner.

  • Where Anti-Discrimination Law Stands 4 Years After Bostock

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    On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Bostock ruling, Evan Parness and Abby Rickeman at Covington take stock of how the decision, which held that Title VII protects employees from discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, has affected anti-discrimination law at the state and federal levels.

  • Politics In The Workplace: What Employers Need To Know

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    As the 2024 election approaches and protests continue across the country, employers should be aware of employees' rights — and limits on those rights — related to political speech and activities in the workplace, and be prepared to act proactively to prevent issues before they arise, say attorneys at Littler.

  • What High Court Ruling Means For Sexual Harassment Claims

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    In its recent Smith v. Spizzirri decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a district court compelling a case to arbitration is obligated to stay the case rather than dismissing it, but this requirement may result in sexual harassment cases not being heard by appellate courts, says Abe Melamed at Signature Resolution.

  • 5 Steps For Gov't Contractor Affirmative Action Verification

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    As the federal contractor affirmative action program certification deadline approaches, government contractors and subcontractors should take steps to determine their program obligations, and ensure any required plans are properly implemented and timely registered, say Christopher Wilkinson at Perkins Coie and Joanna Colosimo at DCI Consulting.

  • New OSHA Memo Helps Clarify Recordkeeping Compliance

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    Based on recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidance on whether musculoskeletal disorders are recordable injuries under the agency's recordkeeping regulation, it appears that OSHA may target active release techniques and stretching programs during its inspections, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Cos. Must Stay On Alert With Joint Employer Rule In Flux

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    While employers may breathe a sigh of relief at recent events blocking the National Labor Relations Board's proposed rule that would make it easier for two entities to be deemed joint employers, the rule is not yet dead, say attorneys at ​​​​​​​Day Pitney.