Discrimination

  • March 09, 2026

    5th Circ. Won't Unwind Class In United Airlines Vax Bias Suit

    The Fifth Circuit said Monday that United Airlines can't roll back class certification for workers who brought religious bias claims after opposing the air carrier's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and getting placed on unpaid leave, rejecting concerns that the courts would have to probe the sincerity of each worker's convictions.

  • March 09, 2026

    5th Circ. Says Atty's Flaky Handling Justifies Axing Bias Suit

    A trial court was right to toss a suit from a former correctional facility employee who said he was passed over for promotion because he's Black and was fired when he complained, the Fifth Circuit ruled Monday, faulting his lawyer for ignoring her duty to pursue his case.

  • March 09, 2026

    2nd Circ. Seems Skeptical Of Teachers' Pride Flag Bias Suit

    The Second Circuit appeared hesitant Monday to revive three LGBTQ+ high school teachers' suit alleging they were unlawfully banned from displaying pride flags, with two judges hinting that a 20-year-old U.S. Supreme Court ruling governing public employee speech imperils their case.

  • March 09, 2026

    Trans Patients Score Block On Aetna Facial Surgery Exclusion

    Aetna must reconsider whether two transgender women can receive coverage for their gender-affirming facial reconstruction surgeries, a Connecticut federal judge ruled, finding that a policy categorically excluding coverage for the procedure was likely discriminatory.

  • March 09, 2026

    Ex-Security Worker Accuses Pittsburgh Pirates Of Age Bias

    A former security supervisor for the Pittsburgh Pirates says she was interrogated by officials from Major League Baseball over a secret recording of her discussing gambling with other employees, and she claims in a lawsuit that she was the only one to face investigation because she was an older woman.

  • March 09, 2026

    Sports Gear Co. Settles EEOC Age Bias, Retaliation Suit

    A sports gear company will pay $350,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit accusing it of favoring younger employees during an organizational restructure and fired a worker in his 50s because he complained, the commission said Monday.

  • March 09, 2026

    Wash. State Bill Would Expand AG Power To Demand Docs

    A bill making its way through the Washington Legislature would enhance the power of the state attorney general to demand document production and testimony in civil matters, including suspected violations of the U.S. and Washington constitutions, allowing prosecutors to seek documents from elected officials and law enforcement agencies.

  • March 06, 2026

    Circuits Aligning To Protect Window For Federal Bias Claims

    The Fourth Circuit recently joined the Sixth Circuit in declaring that employers cannot contractually shorten the time that workers have to bring a discrimination claim under federal law, but companies still have latitude when it comes to dictating deadlines for state law allegations.

  • March 06, 2026

    Pa. School Must Pay $494K For COVID Mask Complaint Firing

    Upper Bucks County Technical School in Pennsylvania violated its former executive director's First Amendment rights by firing him for speaking out about the school's COVID-19 mask exemption policy, a federal jury found Friday, awarding him $494,000 in his discrimination lawsuit against the school.

  • March 06, 2026

    Ex-Worker Slams Boeing's Appeal Bid In Bonus Suit

    Boeing should not be able to immediately appeal a decision sending to state court a proposed class action accusing the aerospace company of denying a $12,000 bonus to workers on long-term disability leave, a former employee told a Washington federal court.

  • March 06, 2026

    3rd Circ. Revives White Cop's Bias Suit, Citing High Court

    The Third Circuit reinstated a white New Jersey cop's suit Friday claiming he wasn't promoted to chief because his town wanted to hire a racial minority, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that nixed an extra hurdle for workers of majority groups who claim they faced bias.

  • March 06, 2026

    Bag-Maker Can't Beat Workers' Race Bias, Retaliation Suit

    A plastic and paper bag manufacturer must face a lawsuit claiming it punished two Black workers for complaining about colleagues' racist comments, a federal judge ruled, saying a jury should evaluate whether the company's response violated Connecticut civil rights law.

  • March 06, 2026

    NY Forecast: Teachers' Pride Flag Ban Challenge At 2nd Circ.

    This week, the Second Circuit will consider whether to revive a lawsuit brought by teachers who accused their Long Island school district of unlawfully banning them from displaying LGBTQ+ pride flags in their classrooms. Here, Law360 looks at this and other cases on the docket in New York.

  • March 06, 2026

    Boston Beats Cop's Religious Bias Suit Over Vax Mandate

    A Black Jehovah's Witness can't pursue his lawsuit claiming that Boston's COVID-19 vaccination mandate violated his religious beliefs and cost him his job as a cop, a Massachusetts federal judge ruled, finding his case lacked evidence that the city treated him differently because of his beliefs.

  • March 06, 2026

    CSX Wraps Up Conductor's Suit Over FMLA Attendance Policy

    CSX Transportation Inc. has resolved a conductor's lawsuit claiming the railroad giant discourages workers from using family and medical leave and punishes those who take time off to care for their health and loved ones, according to a filing in North Carolina federal court.

  • March 06, 2026

    Calif. Forecast: Insulators Union Seeks Toss Of Labor Dispute

    In the next week, attorneys should keep an eye out for arguments over an insulators union's attempt to dismiss a suit alleging labor law violations. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters coming up in California.

  • March 05, 2026

    JBS Seeks Dismissal Of Haitian Workers' Bias Claims

    Meatpacking giant JBS USA and one of its subsidiaries have asked a Colorado federal judge to dismiss the amended complaint brought by three Haitian nationals in a proposed class action accusing the company of race-based discrimination.

  • March 05, 2026

    Ill. Agency Beats Ex-Worker's Race Bias, Retaliation Lawsuit

    An Illinois state agency defeated a former employee's lawsuit claiming she was mistreated by her supervisor and fired because she's Black and Latina, with an Illinois federal judge saying Thursday that she hadn't overcome the agency's assertion that she was let go for violating workplace policies.

  • March 05, 2026

    6th Circ.'s Broad EFAA Take May Resonate With Other Courts

    The Sixth Circuit recently became the first federal appellate court to rule that a law prohibiting mandatory arbitration of sexual harassment allegations protects the entirety of a case that includes a sexual harassment claim, a decision that experts say likely sheds light on how other circuits will decide the same issue.

  • March 05, 2026

    Ex-Wells Fargo Worker's Atty Fee Bid Denied, For Now

    A federal judge rejected a request for attorney fees by a former Wells Fargo worker who won a $22 million Americans with Disabilities Act verdict, saying he will consider the motion again after the Fourth Circuit renders its decision in the bank's appeal.

  • March 05, 2026

    Boeing Doesn't Owe Fees For Hauling Bias Suit To Fed. Court

    Boeing won't have to pay attorney fees for a worker who got a discrimination case over bonuses sent back to Washington state court after the company yanked it into a federal venue, as a judge ruled Thursday that the aerospace giant's removal of the case wasn't egregious.

  • March 05, 2026

    Troutman And Former Atty Push To Limit Scope Of Bias Trial

    Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP and a former associate suing the firm for racial discrimination and retaliation this week fought over the role that charged language and calculations of financial damages should play in an upcoming trial.

  • March 05, 2026

    Ex-Software Engineer Hits Coca-Cola Bottler With FMLA Suit

    A software engineer has sued Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. in North Carolina federal court, alleging the company fired him one day after he applied for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

  • March 05, 2026

    NYC Jewish Center Strikes Deal In EEOC Religious Bias Probe

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Thursday that a Jewish community center in Manhattan has agreed to pay $100,200 to wrap up an EEOC investigation into allegations that it wouldn't give a Christian employee time off to attend religious services.

  • March 05, 2026

    Nelson Mullins Adds Clark Hill Employment Ace In Houston

    Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has bulked up its domestic and cross-border employment offerings with a partner in Houston who came aboard from Clark Hill PC.

Expert Analysis

  • NWSL's $5M Player Abuse Deal Shifts Standard For Employers

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    The National Women's Soccer League's recent $5 million settlement addressing players' abuse allegations sends a powerful message to leagues, entertainment entities and employers everywhere that employee safety, accountability and transparency are no longer optional, say attorneys at Michelman & Robinson.

  • Navigating The Use Of AI Tools In Workplace Investigations

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    Artificial intelligence tools can be used in workplace investigations to analyze evidence and conduct interviews, among other things, but employers should be aware of the legal and practical risks, including data privacy concerns and the potential for violating antidiscrimination laws, say attorneys at Fisher Phillips.

  • How Justices Rule On Straight Bias May Shift Worker Suits

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    Following oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, in which a heterosexual woman sued her employer for sexual orientation discrimination, the forthcoming decision may create a perfect storm for employers amid recent attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • Employer Tips To Navigate Cultural Flashpoints Investigations

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    As companies are increasingly flooded with complaints of employees violating policies related to polarizing social, cultural or political issues, employers should beware the distinct concerns and increased risk in flashpoints investigations compared to routine workplace probes, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • A Path Forward For Employers, Regardless Of DEI Stance

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    Whether a company views the Trump administration's executive orders ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs as a win or a loss, the change rearranges the employment hazards companies face, but not the non-DEI and nondiscriminatory economic incentive to seek the best workers, says Daniel S. Levy at Advanced Analytical Consulting Group.

  • Bias Suit Shows WNBA Growing Pains On Court And In Court

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    A newly filed disability discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the Los Angeles Sparks is the latest in a series of employment discrimination disputes filed by WNBA professionals, highlighting teams' obligation to meet elevated workplace expectations and the league's role in facilitating an inclusive work environment, say attorneys at Michelman & Robinson.

  • 2 Areas Of Labor Law That May Change Under Trump

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    Based on President Donald Trump's recent moves, employers should expect to see significant changes in the direction of law coming out of the National Labor Relations Board, particularly in two areas where the Trump administration will seek to roll back the Biden NLRB's changes, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Justices' Revival Ruling In Bias Suit Exceeds Procedural Issue

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Waetzig v. Halliburton allowed the plaintiff in an age discrimination lawsuit to move to reopen his case after arbitration, but the seemingly straightforward decision on a procedural issue raises complex questions for employment law practitioners, says Christopher Sakauye at Dykema.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'Late Night' Shows DEI Is More Than Optics

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    Amid the shifting legal landscape for corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Troutman's Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter chat with their firm's DEI committee chair, Nicole Edmonds, about how the 2019 film "Late Night" reflects the challenges and rewards of fostering meaningful inclusion.

  • 9 Considerations For Orgs Using AI Meeting Assistants

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    When deciding to use artificial intelligence meeting assistants, organizations must create and implement a written corporate policy that establishes the do's and don'ts for these assistants, taking into account individualized business operations, industry standards and legal and regulatory requirements, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • What's At Stake In High Court Transgender Care Suit

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    The outcome of U.S. v. Skrmetti will have critical implications for the rights of transgender youth and their access to gender-affirming care, and will likely affect other areas of law and policy involving transgender individuals, including education, employment, healthcare and civil rights, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Determining What 'I Don't Feel Safe' Means In The Workplace

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    When an employee tells an employer "I don't feel safe," the phrase can have different meanings, so employment lawyers must adequately investigate to identify which meaning applies — and a cursory review and dismissal of the situation may not be a sufficient defense in case of future legal proceedings, says Karen Elliott at FordHarrison.

  • How EEOC Enforcement Priorities May Change Under Trump

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has already been rocked by the Trump administration's dramatic changes in personnel and policy, which calls into question how the agency may shift its direction from the priorities set forth in its five-year strategic enforcement plan in 2023, say attorneys at Seyfarth.