This week, lawmakers in both the House and Senate reintroduced the Equality Act, a bill that would explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity across numerous areas of federal law. Although the bill has strong Democratic support, it lacks bipartisan backing—and given the political composition of Congress…
A machine operator with osteoarthritis tried to return to work with restrictions. Instead, he got terminated. Now his ADA case is headed for trial. TL;DR: A federal court just denied summary judgment in an ADA case involving a machine operator who asked to return from disability leave with light-duty restrictions.…
Diversity goals can strengthen a workplace — or, in some cases, spark a lawsuit. Just ask Clorox, now facing a revived gender discrimination claim despite its well-meaning initiatives. TL;DR: A white, male Clorox salesperson alleged age, race, and gender discrimination after he was let go during a company reorganization. Although…
When employees allege discrimination under the ADA, it’s their burden to prove bias — not the employer’s burden to defend every business decision. A recent Seventh Circuit case reinforces that when employers apply clear policies consistently, even imperfect decisions won’t amount to discrimination. TL;DR: An employee who failed a random…
Now you can listen to The Employer Handbook—check out this week’s podcast recap! TL;DR: I’ve turned this week’s blog content into a short podcast episode using Google NotebookLM. If you missed a post or want to catch up while multitasking, you can now listen to the highlights on the go.…
President Trump’s latest executive order could change how the federal government handles workplace discrimination — but not in the way you might think. Before you assume that disparate impact claims are gone for good, let’s unpack what the order does (and doesn’t) do. TL;DR: President Trump signed an executive order…
When two bartenders disclosed medical conditions, a New York brewery pulled them from the schedule, according to the EEOC. That’s not how the ADA works. TL;DR: The EEOC recently settled an ADA lawsuit against a New York brewery, which will pay $225,000 to two former employees—one with cancer, the other…
When a dress code update clashes with an ADA accommodation, the courtroom might be the next stop. TL;DR: A federal court just refused to toss a cocktail server’s disability discrimination lawsuit against a well-known casino and resort. She had a medical condition requiring supportive shoes. The employer approved an accommodation—then…
A senior executive with prostate cancer helped land the company’s biggest contract ever and was promoted with a pay raise. Months later, he was fired. He believed his age and health had something to do with it—and brought claims of discrimination. TL;DR: A senior executive with prostate cancer sued after…
Denying a reasonable accommodation request can be risky—particularly if the employer provides little explanation or fails to meaningfully engage in the interactive process. But what’s even riskier? Terminating the employee just a few weeks later. Cue the lawsuit. TL;DR: An associate general counsel at a public university alleged she was fired…