Discrimination

  • January 07, 2026

    4th Circ. Won't Revive Fired United Flight Attendant's Bias Suit

    The Fourth Circuit backed the dismissal of a Black ex-flight attendant's retaliation suit claiming United Airlines fired her for complaining that her boss teed her up for termination over her race and age, saying she failed to show a link between her complaints and her firing.

  • January 06, 2026

    Ex-EEOC Officials Decry Harassment Guidance Rollback

    A group of former top officials at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday issued a statement criticizing the Trump administration's proposed elimination of guidance on workplace harassment, saying it's an attack on the LGBTQ community and strays from U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

  • January 06, 2026

    4th Circ. Revives Black Ex-Baltimore Cop's Race Bias Suit

    A divided Fourth Circuit on Tuesday revived a Black former Baltimore police officer's suit alleging she was treated less favorably than non-Black officers by being pushed out, saying she offered adequate examples of other officers who received more leniency than she did for alleged misconduct for her race discrimination claim to survive.

  • January 06, 2026

    EEOC Gets Judge's Support For On-Site Visits In Bias Probe

    An Illinois federal judge recommended that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission be allowed to conduct site visits at a packaging company the agency is probing for possible hiring bias, rejecting the company's claim that the visits would be too burdensome.

  • January 06, 2026

    5 Argument Sessions Bias Attys Should Watch In January

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will call on the Eighth Circuit to reopen a harassment case one day before seeking the Second Circuit's help to wind down a longstanding race discrimination suit, while the Tenth Circuit will revisit a hot-button legal battle over diversity training. Here, Law360 looks at five oral arguments discrimination attorneys should keep tabs on in January.

  • January 06, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Christian Ministry Can Reject Gay Applicants

    The Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday that a Christian ministry is constitutionally clear to refuse employment to people based on their sexual orientation, explaining that the First Amendment allows religious ministries to prefer candidates who share their beliefs about marriage and sexuality.

  • January 06, 2026

    Cruz Can't Avoid Firm Harassment Case Subpoena, Court Told

    A former staffer of Stone Hilton PLLC has asked a Texas federal court to compel responses from the office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to a subpoena for information related to the staffer's sexual harassment case against a firm partner who worked for the senator.

  • January 06, 2026

    Staffing Co. Strikes $160K Deal In EEOC Medical Leave Suit

    An Austin, Texas-based staffing nonprofit will pay $160,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging it fired an employee after she requested unpaid medical leave to attend a mental health treatment program. 

  • January 06, 2026

    KFC Inks Deal To End EEOC Sex Harassment Probe

    KFC will pay $200,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation into claims that the company ignored sexual harassment at a Florida restaurant, the EEOC said Tuesday.

  • January 06, 2026

    6th Circ. Backs Nuclear Plant In Fired Worker's ADA Suit

    The Sixth Circuit upheld the dismissal of a suit from a former nuclear power plant worker who claimed he was fired for seeking fewer night shifts to manage his diabetes, saying he failed to discredit the company's position that he was fired for falsifying his time sheets.

  • January 05, 2026

    Kaiser Worker Fights To Keep Job Bias Suit Alive

    A San Francisco Bay Area employee urged a California federal judge to keep his amended lawsuit alleging that Kaiser Permanente denied his request to switch jobs because of his race, arguing that he has met the requirements needed to have his claims move forward.

  • January 05, 2026

    EEOC Would See Funding Drop Under New Spending Package

    Federal lawmakers unveiled a proposed spending package Monday that would cut about $20 million from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's budget, while also limiting the agency from conducting any further workforce changes without lawmaker approval.

  • January 05, 2026

    Fed. Circ. Mulls Value Of Experience In FDIC Pay Bias Suit

    The Federal Circuit grappled Monday with a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. lawyer's push to revive her pay discrimination suit, with a panel of judges trying to pinpoint whether her starting salary was justified by her lack of federal sector legal experience at the time she was hired.

  • January 05, 2026

    Atlanta Shouldn't Escape Age Bias Suit, Judge Says

    A suit from an ex-building inspector against the city of Atlanta alleging his boss denied him a promotion because of his age can continue, a federal judge said, finding that a jury needed to weigh his claim that his boss told him someone younger was wanted instead.

  • January 05, 2026

    2nd Circ. Gives Fired ConEd Atty New Shot At Bias Claim

    The Second Circuit revived Monday part of a former in-house Con Edison attorney's bias suit claiming she faced prejudice from her boss as an older woman, ruling the lower court may not have properly assessed a retaliation claim under New York City law's more liberal standards.

  • January 05, 2026

    Legal Asst., Law Firm Drop Claims In NM Pregnancy Bias Suit

    A New Mexico-based personal injury law firm and a legal assistant agreed to drop retaliation and defamation claims in her lawsuit alleging she was forced to resign after disclosing her pregnancy, according to a federal magistrate judge's order filed in federal court.

  • January 05, 2026

    Ex-CTA Worker Fights New Trial Ordered Over Jury Instruction

    A former Chicago Transit Authority employee who prevailed at trial last year on claims that he was unlawfully fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds is asking an Illinois federal judge to reconsider his decision to order a new trial, after the judge found he'd erred in instructing the jury.

  • January 05, 2026

    Ex-IBM Worker Fired At 61 Despite $7.8M In Sales, Court Told

    A 61-year-old former International Business Machines Corp. sales specialist who worked under multimillion-dollar quotas said his abrupt firing was motivated not by poor performance but by the company's systemic age bias, according to a lawsuit filed in North Carolina federal court.

  • January 05, 2026

    Mich. Construction Co. Seeks To Ax Worker's Race Bias Suit

    A Michigan construction company's decision to fire a union-represented worker was motivated entirely by the fact that he punched his co-worker, the company has told a Michigan federal judge in response to a discrimination suit, saying the worker's race didn't factor into the decision.

  • January 05, 2026

    Federal Workers Fight Gender-Affirming Coverage Rollback

    A group of federal employees has filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, saying the decision to end coverage for certain gender-affirming medical procedures under the workers' health insurance plans amounted to unlawful sex bias.

  • January 02, 2026

    4 EEOC Developments As It Rings In 2026

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has struck deals with two employers worth a combined $135,000 that ended probes into whether pregnant workers were illegally denied accommodations, and asked the White House to sign off on its rollback of a Biden-era workplace harassment guidance. Here, Law360 recaps four notable EEOC developments from 2025's final week.

  • January 02, 2026

    OPM Sets Tight Guardrails On Remote Work In New Guide

    The Trump administration issued new guidance on remote work for federal employees instructing agencies to create policies that ensure government workers are in their offices as much as possible, according to a resource issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

  • January 02, 2026

    8th Circ. Revives Free Speech Suit Over Equity Training

    An en banc Eighth Circuit panel reinstated a suit from two Missouri school district employees who said their free speech rights were violated through an equity training, after determining the workers could have faced an injury when they refrained from openly disagreeing with the session's teachings.

  • January 02, 2026

    Will Smith Accused Of Sex Harassment On Tour By Violinist

    A violinist has sued Will Smith and his touring company in California state court, alleging sexual harassment and wrongful termination stemming from an "intrusion" into his hotel room while on tour with the award-winning actor and musical performer. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Ex-Biden Wage Chief Tapped As Va. Labor Secretary

    Virginia's incoming Democratic governor has chosen a Biden administration-era U.S. Department of Labor appointee who previously led the agency's Wage and Hour Division to serve as the Old Dominion state's next secretary of labor.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Justices' Ruling Lowers Bar For Reverse Discrimination Suits

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous opinion in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, lowering the evidentiary burden for plaintiffs bringing so-called reverse discrimination claims, may lead to more claims brought by majority group employees — and open the door to legal challenges to employer diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, say attorneys at Ice Miller.

  • 4 Midyear Employer Actions To Reinforce Compliance

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    The legal and political landscape surrounding what the government describes as unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives has become increasingly complex over the past six months, and the midyear juncture presents a strategic opportunity to reinforce commitments to legal integrity, workplace equity and long-term operational resilience, say attorneys at Krevolin & Horst.