Discrimination

  • September 04, 2025

    American Airlines Says Tech Can't Support Sex Bias Suit

    An American Airlines technician can't support her claim that the airline discriminated against her on the basis of sex when it demoted her from her crew chief role as her 90-day trial period drew to a close, the airline said Thursday, saying she was demoted because of performance issues.

  • September 04, 2025

    5th Circ. Seems Open To United Workers' COVID Vax Class

    The Fifth Circuit wrestled Thursday with allowing a group of United Airlines employees to pursue classwide claims that they were illegally forced to take unpaid leave after seeking exemptions from the company's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, with two judges appearing receptive to letting a certification order stand.

  • September 04, 2025

    Settlement Reached In Harassment Suit Against Fox Sports

    A lawsuit accusing prominent figures at Fox Sports of sexual harassment — including an allegation that popular host Skip Bayless offered $1.5 million for sex — has been dismissed by a California state judge after a hairstylist who formerly worked for the network reached a settlement with Fox Sports and the personalities.

  • September 04, 2025

    Why The Harvard Funding Case Is 'Clear As Mud' On Appeal

    A sweeping Harvard University victory in a suit challenging President Donald Trump's block on $2.2 billion in grant funding tees up a high-stakes appeal that experts say may turn on a wonky jurisdictional issue on which the U.S. Supreme Court seems to lack any sort of consensus.

  • September 04, 2025

    1st Circ. Finds 'Just Enough' Evidence For USPS Bias Trial

    The First Circuit on Thursday breathed new life into a former U.S. Postal Service worker's case alleging she was skipped over for promotion because of her sex, concluding that her interviewer's remark about the feasibility of a woman in the job raises "serious questions."

  • September 04, 2025

    11th Circ. Buries Ex-Atlanta Worker's Harassment Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit won't revive a former city of Atlanta worker's suit alleging she was harassed and fired after reporting sexual harassment from a co-worker, a three-judge panel has decided, finding that she offered "no evidence" that her termination wasn't because of her refusal to return to work after months away.

  • September 04, 2025

    Walmart Can't Escape Trial In EEOC Deaf Applicant Bias Suit

    An Illinois federal judge said Thursday that a jury needs to probe a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming Walmart failed to find a sign language interpreter to interview a deaf job applicant, finding it's unclear who was at fault for the accommodation breakdown.

  • September 04, 2025

    Top NIH Scientists Allege Retaliation For Defending Vaccines

    Two prominent infectious disease scientists have filed whistleblower complaints with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, claiming illegal retaliation by the Trump administration for challenging administrative actions, including those they believed undermined vaccine efficacy and endangered public safety.

  • September 04, 2025

    Employee Deposition Redo Ordered In Kimberly-Clark Bias Suit

    The attorney for a former Kimberly-Clark employee pursuing discrimination claims against the paper goods company must foot the bill for his client's makeup deposition after he repeatedly violated court rules in the first interview, an Alabama federal judge has ruled.

  • September 04, 2025

    McDermott Atty Joins Seward & Kissel As Employment Leader

    Seward & Kissel LLP has hired a former McDermott Will & Schulte LLP attorney as co-head of its employment practice, touting her expertise advising clients on both litigation and the employment aspects of corporate transactions in its announcement on Wednesday.

  • September 04, 2025

    Appliance Co. Avoids EEOC Suit Over Worker's Long COVID

    A Colorado federal judge tossed a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming an appliance retailer illegally fired a worker who requested more medical leave to treat her long COVID, ruling the agency failed to show how she made a formal accommodation request.

  • September 04, 2025

    NFL, Broncos Want Ex-Player's Reshuffled Weed Suit Tossed

    A former NFL player's deletion of references to the league's collective bargaining agreement should not save his suit against the NFL over his punishment for violating its substance abuse policy, the league and his former team told a Colorado federal judge in a bid to drop the suit.

  • September 04, 2025

    EEOC Hit With LGBTQ+ Bias Charge From Ex-Official

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's walkback on enforcing sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination protections has fostered a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ people within the agency, a former commission senior official said in a discrimination charge announced Thursday.

  • September 03, 2025

    Denver Sheriff Sergeant Urges Trial In Sex Bias Promotion Suit

    A man who claims the Denver Sheriff Department violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by promoting three women to captain over him as part of a self-imposed quota for female officers has asked a Colorado federal judge to deny the sheriff's department summary judgment.

  • September 03, 2025

    Enterprise Strikes $1.8M Deal To Wrap Up EEOC Age Bias Suit

    A subsidiary of car rental giant Enterprise asked a Florida federal judge Wednesday to approve a $1.8 million deal that aims to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming the company refused to hire older applicants for a management training program.

  • September 03, 2025

    Ex-Air Force Worker Says Disability Bias Case Can't End Early

    A former U.S. Air Force assistant general manager told an Arizona federal court that he supported his claims that he was denied paid safety leave during the coronavirus pandemic because of his disability, urging the court to keep his case standing.

  • September 03, 2025

    Judge Backs Harvard In Suit Over Trump's $2B Fund Freeze

    The Trump administration illegally froze more than $2 billion in grants earmarked for Harvard University when it failed to offer an explanation as to how cutting the funds addressed the government's stated goal of ending antisemitism on campus, a Massachusetts federal judge ruled Wednesday.

  • September 03, 2025

    Hartford Beats State Rep.'s Police Bias Suit, For Now

    The city of Hartford will not have to face a lawsuit alleging the police mishandled a state representative's sexual assault report, for the time being, with a Connecticut federal judge saying the claims are "conclusory and simply state a legal conclusion" that the department customarily mistreats women and Muslims.

  • September 03, 2025

    Ballard Spahr, Legal Tech Co. Face Disability Bias Suit

    A former records manager told a Pennsylvania federal court that Ballard Spahr LLP and a legal tech provider unlawfully passed her over for jobs in favor of younger men and ultimately forced out because of her health problems.

  • September 03, 2025

    Former TransDigm GC Launches Retaliatory Firing Suit

    The former general counsel of TransDigm Group Inc., an aerospace parts manufacturer, has filed a complaint in Ohio state court alleging she was terminated in retaliation for reporting two instances of sexual harassment and antitrust compliance concerns.

  • September 03, 2025

    Referee Blows Whistle On NBA's Partial Win In Vaccine Fight

    A fired referee suing the NBA for religious discrimination asked a New York federal court to reconsider its ruling that denied him front and back pay, arguing the judge overlooked controlling case law that makes the decision "inappropriate."

  • September 03, 2025

    Chatbot Or Not, Ind. Judge Urges Sanction For Bad Citation

    An Indiana federal judge has recommended sanctioning an attorney representing a woman in an employment discrimination suit against a county court's juvenile detention center after the lawyer included faulty citations in a discovery brief, regardless of how the citations got there.

  • September 03, 2025

    Senators Renew Bipartisan Push To Limit Age Bias Arbitration

    The track record of a law from former President Joe Biden's administration that curbed mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment allegations showed that enacting a similar ban shielding age bias claims won't trigger an avalanche of suits, Senate lawmakers were told Wednesday.

  • September 03, 2025

    More K&L Gates Attys Jump To Arnold & Porter In LA, Seattle

    Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP continues to grow its West Coast team, announcing Wednesday two more longtime K&L Gates LLP attorneys have joined as partners — a labor and employment expert in Seattle and a business litigation pro in Los Angeles.

  • September 02, 2025

    9th Circ. Rejects Unvaxxed Firefighters' Discrimination Appeal

    A Ninth Circuit panel declined on Tuesday to revive a group of Washington firefighters' suit against their employer for refusing them religious exemptions from a state COVID-19 vaccination mandate, concluding the fire agency would've faced "substantial costs" had it allowed them to continue working without the shot in 2021.

Expert Analysis

  • Challenging A Class Representative's Adequacy And Typicality

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    Recent cases highlight that a named plaintiff cannot certify a putative class action unless they can meet all the applicable requirements of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, so defendants should consider challenging a plaintiff's ability to meet typicality and adequacy requirements early and often, say attorneys at Womble Bond.

  • Age Bias Ruling Holds Harassment Policy Lessons

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    A Kansas federal court's recent decision in Holman v. Textron Aviation, rejecting an employee's assertion that his termination for failing to report harassment was pretextual and due to age bias, provides insight into how courts analyze whether actions are pretextual and offers lessons about enforcing anti-harassment policies, say attorneys at Ogletree.

  • Employer Tips As Deepfakes Reshape Workplace Harassment

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    As the workplace harassment landscape faces the rising threat of fabricated media that hyperrealistically depict employees in sexual or malicious contexts, employers can stay ahead of the curve by tracking new legal obligations, and proactively updating policies, training and response protocols, say attorneys at Littler.

  • How To Balance AI Adoption With Employee Privacy Risks

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    As artificial intelligence transforms the workplace, organizations must learn to leverage AI's capabilities while safeguarding against employee privacy risks and complying with a complex web of regulations, including by vetting vendors, mitigating employee misuse and establishing a governance framework, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

  • 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.