Discrimination

  • April 17, 2026

    Univ. Of Tenn. To Pay $30K After DOL Medical Leave Probe

    The University of Tennessee will pay more than $30,000 in back wages after an investigation found it forced an auditor to resign while the worker was on protected medical leave, the U.S. Department of Labor said.

  • April 16, 2026

    Colo. Judge Upholds $11.5M Award In HR Group Bias Suit

    A Colorado federal judge upheld a jury's verdict and $11.5 million award to a former employee of a global human resources association in her discrimination lawsuit against her past employer, rejecting the association's bid for a new trial.

  • April 16, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Security Officer's Firing OK For Court Review

    The Ninth Circuit found Thursday that it was fair game for a jury to consider whether a nuclear facility manager illegally fired a security officer due to his prescription opioid use, ruling the revocation of his fitness-for-duty certification didn't amount to a security clearance decision blocked from judicial review.

  • April 16, 2026

    Fla. Panel Upholds Ex-Worker's Postclaim Arbitration Deal

    A Florida state appellate panel on Wednesday barred a woman from pursuing sexual discrimination allegations against her former employer in court, saying she agreed to arbitrate her claims in a settlement that followed her initial U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charge. 

  • April 16, 2026

    Feds Can't Stay Trans Healthcare Orders During Appeal

    The Trump administration won't be able to enforce two executive orders that ban federal funding for gender-affirming care for patients under the age of 19 while the federal government appeals a nationwide injunction blocking the orders, the Fourth Circuit ruled Thursday. 

  • April 16, 2026

    Ex-Housing Worker Drops Punitive Damages Bid Against Boss

    A former Charlotte public housing authority coordinator awarded $2.34 million for her hostile work environment claims, has opted not to pursue punitive damages against her ex-supervisor, who was found liable for only $1 in compensatory damages.

  • April 16, 2026

    Michigan City, Police Brass Hit With Retaliation Claims

    Two decorated former Wyandotte police officers who say they were punished for speaking out about abusive policing practices that include excessive force and falsified reports, are suing the city and its current and prior police chiefs in Michigan federal court, alleging their rights to free speech were violated.

  • April 16, 2026

    Jury Sides With VA In Fired Male Counselor's Bias Suit

    A Texas federal jury rejected a lawsuit from a male former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs counselor claiming his boss refused to promote him because he wanted to give the job to a woman, finding he hadn't established that his sex drove the agency's decision.

  • April 16, 2026

    2nd Circ. Weighs Fox News' Liability In Sex Assault Suit

    A Second Circuit panel on Thursday closely examined a former Fox News associate producer's claim that the network can be held liable for alleged sexual harassment and rape by a former show anchor, questioning if one novel legal theory being raised was forfeited at the trial level. 

  • April 16, 2026

    Adidas Fired Exec Over Gender Bias Complaints, Suit Says

    Adidas fired its head of women's basketball marketing for complaining that her department didn't get the same resources as its men's basketball marketing team, according to a suit filed by the former executive in Oregon state court.

  • April 16, 2026

    DOL Benefits Chief Pressed On Labor Secretary's Conduct

    The head of the U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm faced tough questions from House Democrats at an oversight hearing Thursday, fielding questions about the labor secretary's on-the-job conduct as well as the DOL's take on mental health parity enforcement. 

  • April 16, 2026

    Ind. Judge Tells Parties AI Can't Replace Attorney Oversight

    A federal magistrate judge in Indiana told parties in an employment suit against Walmart that artificial intelligence "can be a useful discovery tool" but "is not a substitute for attorneys and litigants exercising independent judgment and oversight in the discovery process."

  • April 16, 2026

    2 Years On, Courts' Caution Has Tempered Muldrow's Impact

    In the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court eased the requirements for bringing workplace discrimination claims in Muldrow v. St. Louis, courts' cautious approach to applying the worker-friendly standard has allowed more bias cases to proceed without opening the floodgates, experts said.

  • April 16, 2026

    Cummins Can't Slip Male Worker's Sex Bias Suit

    Engine manufacturer Cummins can't escape a former office technician's lawsuit claiming he was denied training and stuck with entry-level tasks for years while female colleagues were given opportunities to advance, with a North Carolina federal judge saying his complaint was detailed enough to stay in court.

  • April 16, 2026

    Jeweler Escapes 'Helplessly Vague' Pregnancy Bias Suit

    A New York federal judge dismissed a pregnancy bias suit from a jewelry store manager who said she was fired for taking time off to have her baby, ruling she failed to show any examples of mistreatment that would have been enough to keep her case in court.

  • April 15, 2026

    'Law, Not Liturgy'?: 9th Circ. Split Over Faith Bias COVID Suit

    Eight judges dissented Wednesday from the denial of an en banc Ninth Circuit rehearing of a panel's decision not to revive a Christian hospital worker's religious bias lawsuit alleging she was fired for refusing COVID-19 nasal testing, with one dissenting judge saying "courts are unwelcome guests" when deciding the veracity of an individual's belief.

  • April 15, 2026

    Tenn. Tire Maker To Pay $300K To End EEOC Opioid Bias Suit

    A Tennessee federal judge closed a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit Wednesday brought against a tire manufacturer after the business agreed to pay $300,000 to resolve claims that it illegally fired employees who took prescribed narcotics to manage their disabilities.

  • April 15, 2026

    9th Circ. Skeptical About Erasing Rail Workers' $7.8M Vax Win

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday appeared likely to uphold a $7.8 million verdict for former San Francisco public rail employees who were ousted after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on faith-based grounds, with one judge saying the transit system's argument would mean public health guidance effectively cancels out religious rights.  

  • April 15, 2026

    Aluminum Co. Settles Trans Worker's Suit Over Health Plan

    A subsidiary of Kaiser Aluminum has agreed to resolve a lawsuit claiming it discriminated against transgender employees by excluding coverage for medical treatments related to gender-affirming care from its health plan, according to a filing in Washington federal court.

  • April 15, 2026

    8th Circ. Rejects Title IX Bid To Bar Trans Athlete From Playing

    A nonprofit founded for "defending women's sports" cannot use Title IX to block a Minnesota high school athletics bylaw allowing a trans girl to compete in girls softball, the Eighth Circuit ruled Wednesday, finding there were no claims of intentional discrimination.

  • April 15, 2026

    Nurse Sues NY Hospital, Union Over Age Bias Claim

    A Service Employees International Union local failed to pursue a registered nurse's grievance alleging that she was fired by a New York hospital because of her age, according to a suit filed in New York federal court.

  • April 15, 2026

    Doctor's Coaching Mandate Didn't Violate ADA, 11th Circ. Says

    The Eleventh Circuit backed the dismissal Wednesday of a urologist's suit claiming Emory University fired him for refusing to undergo a mental health probe, ruling the professional coaching sessions he was asked to attend did not amount to medical exams.

  • April 15, 2026

    Ex-Defense Contractor Execs Call Arbitration Pact 'One-Sided'

    Two former executives for a defense contractor asked a Colorado federal judge Wednesday for an early win in their lawsuit alleging the contractor fired them for reporting a $1.9 million fraud scheme on a classified government contract.

  • April 15, 2026

    Firings Over Vax Refusals Arbitrable, Police Union Tells Court

    The union representing Massachusetts state police troopers told an intermediate appellate court Wednesday that disagreement over the meaning of "just cause" triggers a right to arbitrate disciplinary actions, including the firings of 13 officers over their refusal to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

  • April 15, 2026

    Counsel In Ex-Chartwell Atty Firing Suit Told To Ease Off

    A Florida federal judge said Wednesday she wanted more information about a sanctions motion allegedly filed with hallucinated AI citations and urged attorneys to "bring the temperature down" in an ex-Chartwell Law Offices LLP attorney's suit claiming she was fired for posting social media statements criticizing military action in Gaza.

Expert Analysis

  • How The Tide Of EEOC Litigation Rolled Back In FY 2024

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    An analysis of the location, timing and underlying claims asserted in U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission-initiated cases during fiscal year 2024 shows that the commission saw a substantial decrease in litigation activity after a surge last year, but employers should not drop their guard, say Christopher DeGroff and Andrew Scroggins at Seyfarth.

  • The Key Changes In Revised FDIC Hiring Regulations

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    Attorneys at Ogletree break down the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s new rule, effective Oct. 1, that will ease restrictions on financial institutions hiring employees with criminal histories, amend the FDIC's treatment of minor offenses and clarify its stance on expunged or dismissed criminal records.

  • Employer Tips For PUMP Act Compliance As Law Turns 2

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    Enacted in December 2022, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a private space for employees to express breast milk, but some companies may still be struggling with how to comply, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • What To Know About Ill. Employment Law Changes

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    Illinois employers should review their policies in light of a number of recent changes to state employment law, including amendments to the state’s Human Rights Act and modifications to the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act, say attorneys at Kilpatrick.

  • Mich. Whistleblower Ruling Expands Retaliation Remedies

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    The Michigan Supreme Court's recent Occupational Health and Safety Act decision in Stegall v. Resource Technology is important because it increases the potential exposure for defendants in public policy retaliation cases, providing plaintiffs with additional claims, say Aaron Burrell and Timothy Howlett at Dickinson Wright.

  • How States Are Approaching AI Workplace Discrimination

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    As legislators across the U.S. have begun addressing algorithmic discrimination in the workplace, attorneys at Reed Smith provide an overview of the status, applicability and provisions of 13 state and local bills.

  • The Risks Of Employee Political Discourse On Social Media

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    As election season enters its final stretch and employees increasingly engage in political speech on social media, employers should beware the liability risks and consider policies that negotiate the line between employees' rights and the limits on those rights, say Bradford Kelley and James McGehee at Littler.

  • 7th Circ. Rulings Offer Employee Vaccine Exemption Guidance

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    Dawn Solowey and Samantha Brooks at Seyfarth explain how two recent Seventh Circuit rulings in Passarella v. Aspirus and Bube v. Aspirus could affect litigation involving employee vaccine exemptions, and discuss employer best practices for handling accommodation requests that include both religious and secular concerns.

  • Employers Should Not Neglect Paid Military Leave Compliance

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    An August decision from the Ninth Circuit and the settlement of a long-running class action, both examining paid leave requirements under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, are part of a nationwide trend that should prompt employers to review their military leave policies to avoid potential litigation and reputational damage, says Bradford Kelley at Littler.

  • Old Employment Law Principles Can Answer New AI Concerns

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    Despite growing legal and regulatory concerns about how artificial intelligence tools may affect employment decisions and worker rights, companies should take comfort in knowing that familiar principles of employment law and established compliance regimes can still largely address these new twists on old questions, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • NYC Wage Info Bill Highlights Rise In Pay Transparency Laws

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    With New York City the latest to mull requiring companies to annually report employee wage data, national employers should consider adapting their compliance practices to comply with increasingly common pay transparency and disclosure obligations at state and local levels, says Kelly Cardin at Littler Mendelson.

  • Workday AI Bias Suit Suggests Hiring Lessons For Employers

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    As state laws and a federal agency increasingly focus on employment bias introduced by artificial intelligence systems, a California federal court's recent decision to allow a discrimination suit to proceed against Workday's AI-driven recruitment software, shows companies should promptly assess these tools' risks, say attorneys at Williams & Connolly.

  • How Anti-DEI Bill Could Affect Employers' Diversity Efforts

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    Sen. J.D. Vance's recently introduced Dismantle DEI Act would substantially limit employers’ ability to implement and promote workplace diversity, equity and inclusion, but there are still steps employers can take to support a diverse workforce, says Peter Ennis at Cozen O’Connor.