Discrimination

  • February 11, 2025

    Ye Sanctioned, Ordered To Sit For Depo In Fired Guard's Suit

    A California judge ordered Ye on Tuesday to sit for a deposition in a lawsuit from a former security guard at the embattled rapper's Donda Academy and sanctioned him $500 for skipping a deposition, while also scolding Ye's counsel about the attorney's apparently difficult "history" before his court.

  • February 11, 2025

    5th Circ. Says Worker's Sex Harassment Suit Too Vague

    The Fifth Circuit on Tuesday upheld a Texas school district's defeat of a former warehouse supervisor's lawsuit alleging his manager's constant oversharing about her sex life created a hostile work environment, saying he hadn't furnished enough detail to keep his case in court.

  • February 11, 2025

    Penn. College Wrongly Fired Sergeant With Cancer, Suit Says

    The University of Scranton failed to accommodate a police sergeant with renal cancer and eventually fired him after he fell asleep briefly during a period in which he was undergoing treatments, according to a lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania federal court.

  • February 11, 2025

    Hyundai Urges 11th Circ. To Uphold Dreadlock Policy Ruling

    A trial court rightly dismissed the suit of a woman who alleged she was racially targeted and fired from her job at a Hyundai plant due to a discriminatory policy prohibiting dreadlocks, Hyundai told the Eleventh Circuit, urging the court not to revive the suit.

  • February 11, 2025

    Black VP Says Citibank Showed Race, Disability Bias

    Citibank passed a Black vice president over for a higher role, excessively criticized her work and paid her less than white male colleagues because of her race and her requests to accommodate her diabetes, a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Florida federal court said.

  • February 11, 2025

    Judge Told, Again, To Strike Ex-Mich. State Coach's Firing Suit

    EDITING--Michigan State University has told a federal judge it's time to permanently toss its former football coach's wrongful termination suit, saying Mel Tucker has repeatedly failed to plausibly allege that his firing was motivated by money, race or university leaders' self-interest.

  • February 11, 2025

    Former Marvel Exec Sues Disney For 'Old White Guy' Bias

    The former co-president of Marvel Entertainment has filed a discrimination lawsuit in California state court alleging he was passed over for a promotion to lead the consumer products division of parent company Disney because he is an "old white guy."

  • February 11, 2025

    5th Circ. Backs UPS' Win In Fired Black Worker's Bias Suit

    The Fifth Circuit upheld the dismissal of a Black former UPS worker's suit claiming she was retaliated against and fired for complaining that managers sexually harassed and mistreated her because of her race, finding she lacked proof that discrimination was at play.

  • February 11, 2025

    Worker Claims Company's Post-COVID Firing Was Illegal

    A General Dynamics subsidiary and submarine manufacturer was unjustified in its firing of a former employee who suffered from long COVID, according to a lawsuit the company removed to Connecticut federal court.

  • February 11, 2025

    Starbucks Maintains Illegal DEI Policies, Missouri Tells Court

    Starbucks puts illegal quotas in place to hire and promote more women and people of color and offers incentives to executives to meet these goals by connecting the quotas to their bonuses, the Missouri attorney general told a federal court Tuesday.

  • February 11, 2025

    Seattle Beats White Ex-Worker's Bias Suit Over DEI Program

    The city of Seattle defeated a former employee's lawsuit claiming the municipality's diversity, equity and inclusion programs discriminated against him as a white man, with a Washington federal judge ruling he failed to show that the city created an adversarial work environment for white people.

  • February 11, 2025

    Pay Bias Claims Cut From Chicago Journalist's Title VII Suit

    An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday narrowed a proposed class action from a group of Black, female journalists claiming The Chicago Tribune and its hedge fund owner paid them less than their white, male counterparts, ruling they failed to show they performed the same work for less pay.

  • February 10, 2025

    Morgan Stanley Can't Undo $1.6M Bias Award, Judge Says

    A North Carolina federal judge has declined to throw out a $1.6 million arbitration award granted to a former Morgan Stanley employee who claimed he was wrongfully terminated, after the bank alleged the chosen arbitrator was biased against it because of a prior lawsuit and had fallen asleep while evidence was being presented.

  • February 10, 2025

    Chipotle Can't Get Quick Appeal In EEOC Religious Bias Fight

    A Kansas federal judge declined Monday to let Chipotle immediately appeal her decision not to toss a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging the restaurant ignored a supervisor's harassment of a Muslim worker, saying that getting the Tenth Circuit's view now wouldn't substantially advance the case.

  • February 10, 2025

    Merrill Lynch $20M Bias Deal Should Be Approved, Judge Says

    A U.S. magistrate judge has recommended granting the first green light to a $20 million settlement that will resolve discrimination and retaliation claims launched against Merrill Lynch by a proposed class of nearly 1,400 Black financial advisers who claimed they received less pay and promotions compared to their white counterparts.

  • February 10, 2025

    Mechanic Says Elevator Co. Fired Him Over Paternity Leave

    A New York City elevator mechanic sued his former employer in New York federal court, claiming the company retaliated against him when he raised workplace safety concerns, fired him when he said he intended to take paternity leave, and pressured employees to work through lunch without pay.

  • February 10, 2025

    Harassment Suit Against Fox Sports, Hosts Sent To Fed. Court

    The lawsuit accusing Fox Sports executives and on-air hosts of sexual harassment and creating a toxic workplace environment has been moved from California state court to federal court, where the two sides were told to attempt alternative dispute resolution.

  • February 10, 2025

    Judge Wary Of Doctor's Bid To Halt WWE Accuser's Info Hunt

    A Connecticut judge on Monday appeared skeptical of a celebrity doctor's bid to end an information request by a woman separately accusing World Wrestling Entertainment and its founder Vince McMahon of sex trafficking, hinting that the doctor probably cannot raise potential federal litigation as a shield against a state trial court discovery probe.

  • February 10, 2025

    Black EEOC Atty Says Telework Bid Earned Her Cold Shoulder

    A Black U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attorney sued the agency in Texas federal court, alleging that she was passed over for promotions and a senior leader training program after requesting a disability accommodation and calling out a colleague for "white privilege."

  • February 10, 2025

    Former Palm GC's Racial Bias Claim Should End, Judge Says

    A New York federal judge has recommended dismissing a race discrimination claim brought by an ex-general counsel for The Palm steakhouse chain's owner while allowing her retaliation and breach of contract claims to proceed to arbitration, concluding that the company's onetime top lawyer had not shown the restaurant had "discriminatory intent."

  • February 10, 2025

    Ex-SEC Atty's Bias Case Not Holding, Despite Deal Talks

    A Pennsylvania federal judge refused Friday to delay the upcoming trial in a lawsuit filed by a former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawyer who sued the agency for racial and age discrimination, despite a letter to the court saying that the parties are making progress toward a settlement.

  • February 10, 2025

    Former X Workers Can't Force Arbitration For Their Claims

    A California federal judge refused to force X to arbitrate several former workers' claims that they say should have already proceeded through arbitration but for the social media company's unlawful dragging of its feet, saying none of the parties can arbitrate their disputes in his district.

  • February 10, 2025

    Conservative Groups Say ABA Clerk, Intern Programs Illegal

    Conservative advocacy groups urged the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday to scrutinize the American Bar Association's diversity and internship programs, claiming the organization is committing unlawful discrimination in the name of diversity.

  • February 07, 2025

    Judge OKs $2.7M In Atty Fees From $23M FBI Sex Bias Deal

    A D.C. federal judge on Friday approved $2.7 million in fees for attorneys representing a class of women accusing the Federal Bureau of Investigation of holding them to sexist double standards, part of a $22.6 million settlement resolving the lawsuit.

  • February 07, 2025

    Calif. Releases Updated Draft Of AI Rules For Public Comment

    California's Civil Rights Council voted Friday to approve a few key changes to proposed rules governing the use of artificial intelligence tools in employment and released the draft for public comment, seemingly slashing potential liability for the tools' developers and removing a controversial definition of "adverse impact."

Expert Analysis

  • It Starts With Training: Anti-Harassment After 'It Ends With Us'

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    Actress Blake Lively's recent sexual harassment and retaliation allegations against her "It Ends With Us" co-star, director and producer, Justin Baldoni, should remind employers of their legal obligations to implement trainings, policies and other measures to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, say attorneys at Morrison Cohen.

  • What Day 1 Bondi Memos Mean For Corporate Compliance

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    After Attorney General Pam Bondi’s flurry of memos last week declaring new enforcement priorities on issues ranging from foreign bribery to diversity initiatives, companies must base their compliance programs on an understanding of their own core values and principles, says Hui Chen at CDE Advisors.

  • 5 Things For Private Employers To Do After Trump's DEI Order

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    Following President Donald Trump's recent executive order pushing the private sector to narrow, and even end, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, employers should ensure DEI efforts align with their organization's mission and goals, are legally compliant, and are effectively communicated to stakeholders, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • Zuckerberg's Remarks Pose Legal Risk For Meta Amid Layoffs

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    Within days of announcing that Meta Platforms will cut 5% of its lowest-performing employees, Mark Zuckerberg remarked that corporations are becoming "culturally neutered" and need to bring back "masculine energy," exposing the company to potential claims under California employment law, says Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law Center.

  • Preparing For A Possible End To The Subminimum Wage

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    The U.S. Department of Labor's proposed rule to end the subminimum wage for employees with disabilities may significantly affect the community-based rehabilitation and training programs that employ these workers, so certified programs should be especially vigilant about compliance during this period of evaluation and scrutiny, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

  • Water Cooler Talk: 'Harry Potter' Reveals Magic Of Feedback

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    Troutman Pepper's Tracey Diamond and Emily Schifter chat with Wicker Park Group partner Tara Weintritt about various feedback methods used by "Harry Potter" characters — from Snape's sharp and cutting remarks to Dumbledore's lack of specificity and Hermione's poor delivery — and explore how clear, consistent and actionable feedback can transform workplaces.

  • What To Expect From Trump's Deputy Labor Secretary Pick

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    President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Keith Sonderling, has a track record of prioritizing clear guidance on both traditional and cutting-edge issues, which can provide insight into what employers can expect from his leadership, say attorneys at Littler.

  • A Look At Order Ending Federal Contractor Affirmative Action

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    To comply with President Donald Trump's executive order revoking affirmative action requirements in the next 90 days, federal contractors should focus on identification of protected groups, responsibilities of "diversity officer" positions and annual compliance reviews, says Jeremy Burkhart at Holland & Knight.

  • Parsing 3rd Circ. Ruling On Cannabis, Employee Private Suits

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    The Third Circuit recently upheld a decision that individuals don't have a private right of action for alleged violations of New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act, but employers should stay informed as the court encouraged the state Legislature to amend the law, say attorneys at Mandelbaum Barrett.

  • EEOC Wearable Tech Guidance Highlights Monitoring Scrutiny

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent fact sheet on wearable technologies cautions against potential issues with federal anti-discrimination laws and demonstrates growing concern from regulators and legislators about intrusive technologies in the workplace, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 4 Employment Law Areas Set To Change Under Trump

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    President Donald Trump's second term is expected to bring significant changes to the U.S. employment law landscape, including the potential for updated worker classification regulations, and challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion that are already taking shape, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • What Employment Bias Litigation Looks Like After Muldrow

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    Nine months after the U.S. Supreme Court created an undemanding standard for discrimination claims in Muldrow v. St. Louis, Eric Schnapper at the University of Washington discusses how the Title VII litigation landscape has changed and what to expect moving forward.

  • 10 Key Worker-Friendly California Employment Law Updates

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    New employment laws in California expand employee rights, transparency and enforcement mechanisms, and failing to educate department managers on these changes could put employers at risk, says Melanie Ronen at Stradley Ronon.