A jail administrator posted apocalyptic religious commentary online. A reporter found it, published a story, and suddenly the county faced community outrage and questions from federal officials about whether they would continue housing inmates at the jail. The county fired the administrator. The employee sued under Title VII. The Eighth…
When employees rack up overtime without approval, it doesn’t make them look dedicated – it makes them insubordinate. And as one nurse at a VA hospital just learned, that can sink an age discrimination claim. TL;DR: The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a VA hospital where a nurse repeatedly…
When an employer believes an employee may have mental health concerns, requiring counseling as a condition of continued employment can create serious legal risk. And after a 2024 Supreme Court decision lowered the legal bar for what counts as an “adverse action,” that choice could be a fast track to…
When an employee moonlights as a coworker’s unofficial lawyer – researching the law, contacting HR, and encouraging her to find a lawyer and pursue a charge with the EEOC – that role might be protected from retaliation. Overlook that and you could be handing them a legal claim. TL;DR:…
If you keep one employee and lay off another, you need to be able to explain why. Courts don’t expect employees to be identical, but they will take a close look at whether your comparisons—and your process—hold up. TL;DR: A 25-year warehouse employee with a long record of strong reviews…
An employee has been out for months. She’s still recovering, still hopeful, and still not ready to come back. How much leave is too much? A recent Fourth Circuit decision shows how courts evaluate the point at which an employer is no longer obligated to wait. TL;DR: The Fourth…
A new Eleventh Circuit decision shows just how limited associational disability discrimination claims can be. TL;DR: A deputy warden sued after being passed over for promotion, alleging her husband’s serious illness led to discrimination. The Eleventh Circuit rejected her ADA claim, emphasizing that associational disability claims require a strong…
When a trucking company told a deaf applicant, “No, I’m sorry, we can’t hire you because of your deafness,” it wasn’t just a bad look—it was a multimillion-dollar ADA violation. The jury awarded $36 million (later capped), and the appeals court backed it up. TL;DR: A trucking company refused…
What happens when an employee posts something offensive online—off the clock, but under their real name—and it causes a workplace backlash? In one recent case, a government communications staffer wrote an inflammatory blog post opposing the Equality Act. The language he used was graphic and anti-LGBTQ+. The employer received complaints,…
A transit agency thought it had a clear-cut reason to fire an employee under its no-fault attendance policy. But a disputed call-out, followed by a retroactive FMLA approval, now means a jury gets to decide whether the termination was lawful. TL;DR: A bus driver with a chronic medical condition was…