Discrimination

Expert Analysis

• To Responsibly Rock Out At Work, Draft A Music Policy

  

  Employers may be tempted to turn down the tunes after a Ninth Circuit decision that blasting misogynist music could count as workplace harassment, but companies can safely provide a soundtrack to the workday if they first take practical steps to ensure their playlists don’t demean or disrespect workers or patrons, says Ally Coll at the Purple Method.

• 5 Surprises In New Pregnancy Law's Proposed Regulations

  

  Attorneys at Baker McKenzie examine five significant ways that recently proposed regulations for implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act could catch U.S. employers off guard by changing how pregnant workers and those with related medical conditions must be accommodated.

• How Employers Can Take A Measured Approach To DEI

  

  While corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs are facing intense scrutiny, companies need not abandon efforts altogether — rather, now is the time to develop an action plan that can help ensure policies are legally compliant while still advancing DEI goals, say Erin Connell and Alexandria Elliott at Orrick.

• Courts Should Revisit Availability Of Age Bias Law Damages

  

  Federal courts have held that compensatory damages, including for emotional distress, are unavailable in Age Discrimination in Employment Act cases, but it's time for a revamped textualist approach to ensure plaintiffs can receive the critical make-whole remedies Congress intended the law to provide, say attorneys at Sanford Heisler.

• Employers Should Take Note Of EEOC Focus On Conciliation

  

  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent strategic plan signals that the agency could take a more aggressive approach when verifying employer compliance with conciliation agreements related to discrimination charges, and serves as a reminder that certain employer best practices can help to avoid negative consequences, says Jacqueline Hayduk at Foley & Lardner.

• 7th Circ. Ruling May Steer ADA Toward Commuter Issues

  

  Employers faced with commuting-accommodation requests from employees who do not require on-site modifications under the Americans with Disabilities Act should consider the Seventh Circuit's recent reopening of a lawsuit alleging unlawful refusal of a night-vision-challenged worker's request to extend a shift change, says Robin Shea at Constangy.

• How Calif. Ruling Extends Worker Bias Liability To 3rd Parties

  

  The California Supreme Court's recent significant decision in Raines v. U.S. Healthworks Medical Group means businesses that provide employment-related services to California employers can potentially be held liable for California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act violations, says Ryan Larocca at CDF Labor.

• Anticipating The Impact Of 2 Impending New Title IX Rules

  

  Two major amendments to Title IX — which the U.S. Department of Education is expected to finalize next month — would substantially alter the process schools must use for sexual discrimination complaints and limiting student participation in athletics based on gender identity, says Rebecca Sha at Phelps Dunbar.

• Despite Regulation Lag, AI Whistleblowers Have Protections

  

  Potential whistleblowers at companies failing to comply with the voluntary artificial intelligence commitments must look to a patchwork of state and federal laws for protection and incentives, but deserve comprehensive regulation in this field, say Alexis Ronickher and Matthew LaGarde at Katz Banks.

• FCRA Legislation To Watch For The Remainder Of 2023

  

  If enacted, pending federal and state legislation may result in significant changes for the Fair Credit Reporting Act landscape and thus require regulated entities and practitioners to pivot their compliance strategies, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

• A Closer Look At Another HBCU Race Bias Suit Against NCAA

  

  The National Collegiate Athletic Association's Academic Performance Program has become a lightning rod for scrutiny, as seen in the recently filed class action McKinney v. NCAA — where statistics in the complaint raise questions about the program's potential discriminatory impact on student-athletes at historically Black colleges and universities, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

• Employer Defenses After High Court Religious Bias Decision

  

  Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Groff v. DeJoy — which raised the bar for proving that a worker’s religious accommodation presents an undue hardship — employers can enlist other defense strategies, including grounds that an employee's belief is nonsectarian, say Kevin Jackson and Jack FitzGerald at Foley & Lardner.

• Where Employers Stand After 5th Circ. Overturns Title VII Test

  

  The substantial impact of the recent holding in Hamilton v. Dallas County means employers in the Fifth Circuit can now be liable under Title VII for a whole range of conduct not previously covered — but the court did set limits, and employers can take tangible steps to help protect themselves, say Holly Williamson and Steven DiBeneditto at Hunton.