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 Circuit just said: not so fast. Continue reading
When it comes to workplace retaliation, the difference between winning and losing can hinge on whether you are in state court or federal court. A recent New Jersey appellate decision reinforces that state anti-discrimination laws may not just mirror federal law – in some ways, they can give employees broader protection. Continue reading
A nurse claimed she was fired for her religious beliefs. The hospital said it fired her because of its religious beliefs.
So who gets Title VII’s protection? Continue reading
The EEOC has sued a Wisconsin employer for allegedly firing a worker over Bible verses he posted on his personal social media. The case puts a spotlight on a tricky question for employers: When does off-duty religious expression become a workplace problem? Continue reading
You’ve trained your managers to avoid bias. But what happens when an employee tries to win a lawsuit by flipping that logic—stereotyping the employer instead? One California court just had a firm answer: Nope. Continue reading
Employers, take note: vague safety concerns and “we did our best” no longer cut it. A recent Third Circuit opinion revived a religious accommodation claim from a firefighter who wanted to keep his beard for faith-based reasons. Applying the Supreme Court’s Groff v. DeJoy standard, the court made it clear: you can’t just trim around the edges of Title VII. Continue reading
A recent Fifth Circuit decision offers a pointed reminder to employers, litigators, and trial courts alike: enforcement authority has limits—even after a verdict. At the center of the controversy? A court-ordered “religious liberty training” imposed on a corporate defendant’s attorneys by a judge dissatisfied with how the company communicated a jury’s verdict. Here’s how that unfolded—and why the appellate court stepped in.
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I’ve got another confession to make.
One of my not-so-guilty pleasures is when employees seeking “religious” accommodations at work get undone by their own hypocrisy. Continue reading
Religious discrimination laws protect more than just those who attend church, temple, or mosque. Did you know that they also protect those who don’t subscribe to any religious belief at all? A recent lawsuit in Colorado alleges that atheists, too, can face workplace discrimination—and that’s just as unlawful as treating someone unfairly for practicing a religion. Continue reading
“We are terminating you for ‘denying biological and chromosomal sex assigned at birth.’” Continue reading
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