Discrimination

  • April 20, 2026

    Justices Won't Weigh Test For 3rd-Party Harassment

    The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a case that hinged on the standard used by courts to assess whether employers are liable for sexual harassment perpetrated against workers by customers or clients.

  • April 17, 2026

    9th Circ. Revives Doctor's PeaceHealth Whistleblower Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel has reinstated a psychiatrist's claims that PeaceHealth Inc. retaliated against him for expressing concerns about potential Medicaid fraud at a Washington hospital, concluding on Friday that the district court overlooked evidence that the employer punished him by not renewing his employment contract.

  • April 17, 2026

    States Seek Win To Restore DOE's Diversity Grant Cuts

    Eight states have asked a Massachusetts federal judge to restore $160 million to federal programs providing professional development to new teachers cut by the U.S. Department of Education last year, which the states said were unlawfully targeted by the Trump administration as diversity initiatives.

  • April 17, 2026

    State Law Roundup: Anti-Discrimination Bills To Watch

    Proposed legislation to solidify the use of disparate impact to combat workplace bias and to ensure that workers receive reasonable menopause-related accommodations are percolating in multiple progressive state legislatures. Here, Law360 offers a biweekly look at pending state bills that discrimination attorneys should keep on their radar.

  • April 17, 2026

    Settlement Ends High Court Fight Over Arbitration Deference

    The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed in a now-settled case relating to a vacated arbitral award favoring a former water treatment company director, which sought clarity from the justices on whether courts can second-guess the content of arbitral pleadings and filings.

  • April 17, 2026

    Systemic Bias Norm At Taiwan Semiconductor, Engineer Says

    A software engineer for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has alleged the microchip-maker systematically discriminates against women by hiring them less frequently than men, underpaying women and fostering a "sexually-charged environment" rife with innuendo and harassment.

  • April 17, 2026

    11th Circ. Backs School District In Black Worker's Bias Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit upheld the dismissal Friday of a Black Alabama school district worker's suit claiming she was transferred to a different job out of racial discrimination, ruling her employer showed the decision was based on her concerns about her workload, not her race.

  • April 17, 2026

    Baltimore Hospital Must Face EEOC Disability Bias Suit

    A Baltimore-area hospital can't defeat a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it unlawfully rescinded a nurse's job offer because she's deaf, with a Maryland federal judge saying a jury needs to weigh whether the medical center made an adequate attempt to accommodate her.

  • April 17, 2026

    EEOC Says Halting Penn Subpoena Would Compromise Probe

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission argued in a federal court filing Friday that allowing the University of Pennsylvania to freeze the agency's subpoena for information on the school's Jewish employees would undercut its investigation into antisemitism on campus.

  • April 17, 2026

    Penn State Beats Claims In Ex-Trustee's Suit Over His Ousting

    A federal judge threw out most of a former Pennsylvania State University trustee's lawsuit against the university and its board Friday, but let his First Amendment claims continue so that the court could consider whether he was acting as a public employee, a private citizen or an elected official.

  • April 17, 2026

    Oil Giants Among Client List Of EEOC General Counsel Pick

    President Donald Trump's nominee for general counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has represented some of the largest oil producers and service providers in North America, including Chevron, according to a new financial disclosure report obtained by Law360 Friday.

  • April 17, 2026

    Zales Worker's Age Bias Suit Lacks Evidence, 3rd Circ. Says

    The Third Circuit backed the dismissal of a Zales consultant's bias suit claiming she was fired from the jewelry chain for complaining that her colleagues commented negatively about her age, ruling she couldn't overcome evidence that concerns about her performance actually drove her termination.

  • April 17, 2026

    Calif. Forecast: 9th Circ. To Weigh Arb. Fight In Tesla Bias Suit

    In the next week, attorneys should keep an eye out for Ninth Circuit oral arguments in a discrimination case against Tesla Inc. Here's a look at that case and other labor and employment matters coming up in California.

  • April 17, 2026

    Jury Backs Md. Agency In Ex-Bus Inspector's Race Bias Suit

    A Maryland federal jury sided with the state's Motor Vehicle Administration in a Black former bus inspector's suit claiming she was fired for complaining that a supervisor refused to address colleagues' and bus operators' racist behavior, finding she hadn't established that her complaint prompted her termination.

  • April 17, 2026

    NY Forecast: NYC Fights Uber And DoorDash's Tip Law Suit

    In the week ahead, a federal judge will consider New York City's request to dismiss Uber and DoorDash's challenge to a pair of city laws that regulate how food delivery platforms display tipping options.

  • 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.

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.