Discrimination

  • October 22, 2025

    4 Cases Where The EEOC Is Defending Trump Policy Pivots

    Under President Donald Trump's second administration, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has drawn legal heat for reversing course on issues such as gender identity discrimination and disparate impact liability. Here's a look at four ongoing legal challenges to the EEOC's new stances.

  • October 22, 2025

    UBS Urges Justices Not To Revive Retaliation Case Again

    UBS Securities is urging the U.S. Supreme Court not to revive, for a second time, a fired worker's whistleblower retaliation lawsuit, arguing that lower courts should be allowed to consider questions about jury instructions regarding the meaning of "contributing factor" in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act before the high court weighs in.

  • October 22, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Hospital Over Doctor's Bias, Retaliation Suit

    A Black doctor can't revive his lawsuit claiming a hospital terminated his residency because he complained about colleagues' racist comments, the Sixth Circuit ruled Wednesday, saying he couldn't overcome the hospital's explanation that he'd failed to get properly cleared to work following a medical absence.

  • October 22, 2025

    Chicago Transit Seeks Judgment, New Trial In Vax Bias Case

    Chicago's public transit agency urged an Illinois federal judge to unwind a jury's finding earlier this year that it unlawfully fired an employee who refused the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds, arguing that he hasn't proven that those beliefs contributed to his termination.

  • October 22, 2025

    9th Circ. Seems Chilly To Court Officer's Race Bias Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday expressed hesitancy about reinstating a race discrimination and retaliation suit brought by a Black former California state court executive officer, with one judge appearing openly skeptical of whether enough evidence exists to warrant a jury trial.

  • October 22, 2025

    Trump Seeks To Dismiss NY Law Claims In Ex-Aide's Suit

    President Donald Trump urged a New York federal court to toss allegations of human rights violations in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a former aide claiming she was banished from his first incoming administration after she became pregnant. 

  • October 22, 2025

    NJ Accuses Amazon Of Pregnancy, Disability Discrimination

    New Jersey's attorney general slapped Amazon with a suit Wednesday claiming the online retail giant makes it nearly impossible for pregnant or disabled employees to get workplace accommodations, putting workers on unpaid leave if they seek adjustments such as lifting limits or extra breaks.

  • October 22, 2025

    10th Circ. Won't Revive Ex-IHS Doc's Retaliation Suit

    A doctor can't reinstate his suit alleging he was terminated from the U.S. Indian Health Service for complaining that his COVID-19 vaccine exemption request was rejected and that superiors failed to investigate sexual misconduct, the Tenth Circuit said, upholding a win for the IHS and a staffing company.

  • October 22, 2025

    Amazon Gets Military Leave Suit Thrown Out, For Now

    A New York federal judge walked back an August ruling that certified a thousands-strong class of Amazon workers who alleged they were shorted on pay for stints of military leave, agreeing with the retail giant that the suit should be dismissed.  

  • October 21, 2025

    Cal State University Hit With $6M Sex Harassment Verdict

    A Los Angeles jury said California State University should pay $6 million to a former associate dean who alleged she endured regular harassment from a boss who screamed at and demeaned female colleagues.

  • October 21, 2025

    10th Circ. Backs Aviation Co. In Veteran's Disability Bias Suit

    The Tenth Circuit refused to reopen a former employee's lawsuit claiming he was let go by an aviation training provider because he's a veteran with PTSD and other service-related disabilities, saying Tuesday he couldn't overcome the company's explanation that his job performance was lacking.

  • October 21, 2025

    Teacher's Penalty For Kirk Post Violates Rights, Court Told

    A Georgia school district trampled a teacher's free speech rights when it suspended her for calling Charlie Kirk a "fascist" on her private Facebook page after the conservative activist was killed, the worker alleged in lawsuit filed in federal court.

  • October 21, 2025

    4th Circ. Backs Hospital's Firing Of Christian Vaccine Refuser

    The Fourth Circuit declined Tuesday to reinstate a lawsuit from a hospital worker who claimed she was illegally fired for refusing to get immunized against COVID-19 because of her Christian faith, agreeing with the hospital that letting her remain unvaccinated would have put patients at risk.

  • October 21, 2025

    Ex-Temple Professor Heads To 3rd Circ. With Tenure Bias Suit

    A former Temple University assistant professor alleging he was denied tenure because he's a Chinese man with a chronic neuromuscular condition is taking his legal battle to the Third Circuit after a trial court sided with the school.

  • October 21, 2025

    Ex-Housing Worker Defends $2.3M Hostile Workplace Verdict

    A former homeownership coordinator for the public housing authority in Charlotte, North Carolina, has urged a federal judge to let stand her $2.3 million hostile work environment verdict, saying there was more than enough evidence at trial to support the jury's decision.

  • October 21, 2025

    Eli Lilly Asks Justices To Clear Up Collective Cert. Standard

    A Seventh Circuit decision introducing yet another standard to certify collective actions deepens a split that the U.S. Supreme Court should address, Eli Lilly & Co. said, urging the justices to take up an age discrimination case against the pharmaceutical company.

  • October 21, 2025

    9th Circ. Says Autistic DHS Officer's Bias Suit Needs 2nd Look

    The Ninth Circuit revived an immigration officer's suit alleging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security fired him after his autism caused him to misremember a workplace injury's details, ruling the lower court was too quick to find what the government called "lack of candor" doomed his case.

  • October 20, 2025

    9th Circ. Judges Doubt DOD's 'Broad' Transgender Troop Ban

    Two Ninth Circuit judges hearing an appeal Monday expressed doubts about the Trump administration's bid to vacate a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Defense from treating gender dysphoria as a disqualifying medical condition, saying the "broad" new policy sweeps in undiagnosed individuals.

  • October 20, 2025

    New Calif. Law May Pave Way For More Pay Equity Suits

    A new California law modifies employers' pay disclosure obligations, but its expansion of workers' ability to sue and recover damages for pay discrimination violations may ultimately be the statute's lasting legacy, attorneys say.

  • October 20, 2025

    Worker Says EEOC Disparate Impact Retreat Shirks Bias Law

    An Amazon worker represented by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity's former top cop sued the agency on Monday, alleging the EEOC shirked its mandates under federal anti-bias law by refusing to investigate her disparate impact charge claiming the retail giant's bathroom break policies adversely affected women.

  • October 20, 2025

    RELX Escapes Ex-Employee's Greenwashing, Retaliation Suit

    A Massachusetts federal judge has tossed a suit accusing RELX PLC of retaliating against a former employee and committing securities fraud by making business decisions that contradicted environmentally minded pledges made to investors, ruling that the employee missed the window to file a charge related to his termination.

  • October 20, 2025

    TikTok Urges Nix Of Wash. Applicant's Pay Transparency Suit

    TikTok urged a Washington state court to toss an applicant's proposed class action claiming the video platform failed to include salary information in job listings, arguing the worker leading the case and dozens of others couldn't show he was harmed by the omission.

  • October 20, 2025

    Ex-GC Says Honeywell Can't Boot Her Age Bias Suit To China

    A former vice president and general counsel for a Honeywell subsidiary said the conglomerate can't skirt her age discrimination claims by punting the case to China — where she lived and worked during her employment — because she has no legal remedy under Chinese law.

  • October 20, 2025

    LA Reid's Former Attys Face Sanctions Bid In Sex Assault Suit

    Attorneys for a producer accusing music executive Antonio "L.A." Reid of sexual assault asked a New York federal judge to sanction his former lawyers for allegedly causing unreasonable delays to the proceedings, most recently preventing a trial from proceeding as scheduled in September.

  • October 20, 2025

    Seminary Settles Sex Bias Suit With Ex-Ministry Director

    A Pittsburgh Presbyterian seminary has agreed to settle a former interim director's suit claiming she was fired out of gender bias and for raising complaints that the seminary pushed a racially discriminatory background check policy, according to federal court filings.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Handbook Hot Topics: Back To Basics After Admin Change

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    Having an up-to-date employee handbook is more critical now than ever, given the recent change in administration, and employers should understand their benefits and risks, including how they can limit employers’ liability and help retain employers’ rights, say Kasey Cappellano and Meaghan Gandy at Kutak Rock.

  • What Axed Title IX Gender Identity Rule Means For Higher Ed

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    Following a Kentucky federal court's recent decision in State of Tennessee v. Cardona to strike down a Biden-era rule that expanded the definition of Title IX to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity, institutions of higher education should prepare to reimplement policies that comply with the reinstated 2020 rule, say attorneys at Venable.

  • A Path Forward For Cos. Amid Trump's Anti-DEIA Efforts

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    Given the Trump administration’s recent efforts targeting corporate diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs — including threatening possible criminal prosecution — companies should carefully tailor their DEIA initiatives to comply with both the letter and the spirit of antidiscrimination law, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Workforce Data Collection Considerations After DEI Order

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    Following President Donald Trump's executive order targeting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, employers should balance the benefits of collecting demographic data with the risk of violating the order’s prohibition on "illegal DEI," say Lynn Clements at Berkshire Associates, David Cohen at DCI Consulting and Victoria Lipnic at Resolution Economics.