As legal professionals, we often grapple with the precise interpretations of statutory language. One area of common consternation – the definition of “adverse employment action” and “privileges of employment” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently weighed in, shaping the contours of these constitutional debates, and inching…
Legal professionals working within the healthcare sector, including providers, business associates, and other entities accountable to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), are put on high-alert for a potential enforcement action by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR, the body responsible for ensuring HIPAA compliance, is underlining the necessity for close…
US District Court Judge Rosemary Marquez confirmed the final consent decree in the landmark case Toomey v. State of Arizona earlier this week, officially prohibiting the withholding of gender-affirming care within state health insurance plans. The case was undertaken by Russell Toomey, an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, who claimed that the denial…
California employers should prepare for the amended Ban-the-Box regulations that will take effect on October 1, 2023. These revisions pertain to the state’s Fair Chance Act (FCA) and come after over a year of administrative activity dedicated to fine-tuning the policy. The amendments were finalized by the California Civil Rights Council. Changes to a law…
As Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs gain traction within big corporations and law firms, legal issues challenging these initiatives also mount. Recently, a critical move has risen in the legal horizon. The American Alliance for Equal Rights (Alliance) has rolled out lawsuits against two of the nation’s largest law firms. These two lawsuits argue…
In a recent case, Mass General Brigham (MGB), a renowned hospital network in Massachusetts, won against six plaintiffs in an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) related dispute. The plaintiffs alleged that MGB violated their rights under the ADA and Civil Rights Act Title VII when it denied their requests for medical exemptions from the COVID-19…
The US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has temporarily enjoined a venture capital fund’s contest that awards Black women-run businesses according to an appeal from the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division. The plaintiff, American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), argued that the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, facilitated…
Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals recently upheld much of the controversial Gezi Park ruling. The social and political upheaval, named after a central park in Istanbul, sprung from anti-government protests in 2013. Alongside this ruling, the court decided to maintain the life sentence without parole awarded to civil rights activist and philanthropist, Osman Kavala, along…
The Supreme Court will commence its 2023-24 term on the conventional first Monday in October, with six arguments over five days on topics ranging from federal sentencing laws to voting rights. Live audio of oral arguments will continue to be provided for interested public, indicating the court’s sustained commitment to public accessibility. The new term…
In today’s diverse workplace environment, a pressing question has arisen: Do employers need to provide a space for employees to worship and/or pray in the office? The succinct answer is possibly – the complexities lie in the details of what is considered a “reasonable accommodation” under the law, and what would constitute an “undue hardship”…
In a significant turn of events, Minnesota-based TKO Construction Services faces allegations of sex, race, and age discrimination, as well as constructive discharge, as brought forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). According to the lawsuit, the EEOC charges that the construction company contravened federal law by discriminating against a class of individuals….
The California Civil Rights Council has greenlighted modifications to the regulations that govern the state’s Fair Chance Act. These changes are due to take effect from October 1st, 2023. With this move, employers in California need to be made aware of the upcoming changes to better comply with the new policies and procedures, particularly when…
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has recently outlined its top priorities through its Strategic Plan for the period between 2022 and 2026 as reported in an article on JD Supra. As legal professionals servicing some of the world’s biggest corporations and law firms, it is paramount to pay keen attention to these new…
Season 45 of the popular reality series Survivor returned to our screens last week, revealing some fascinating contestants among its ranks – including three lawyers. Julie Alley, an estate attorney who went to law school at 40 years old, Katurah Topps, a Georgetown University Law Center graduate and a civil rights attorney at the NAACP…
New York has taken a significant step towards protecting student privacy by banning the use of facial recognition technology in schools, according to the state’s Commissioner of Education, Betty Rosa, who issued the order this past Wednesday. A detailed account of the prohibition is available via the official New York State Education Department website. The…
Yesterday, we received news that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against Paramount Healthcare Consultants LLC, which operates facilities across Texas and Louisiana. Also involved in the lawsuit is MPD Operators Nazareth Hall LLC, known as Nazareth Living Care Center in El Paso, Texas. According to the federal agency, both…
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has recently initiated a lawsuit against the Florida-based waste collection, recycling, processing, and disposal company – Waste Pro of Florida. The federal lawsuit accuses the company of violating federal law by subjecting its black employees to racist slurs and consequent retaliation after they lodged complaints about the distasteful…
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has initiated legal proceedings against Blackwell Security Services, Inc, alleging religious discrimination towards a Muslim employee. As per the available details of the lawsuit, the staffing company, which services hotels and condominiums, is accused of refusing to accommodate an employee’s religious practices, effectively forcing him to make a…
Unfolding a precedent in employment laws, California is set to make history as the first U.S state to ban “caste” discrimination in the workplace. Track California’s progression as it pioneers the incorporation of caste discrimination into its civil rights and employment discrimination laws, leading the way in employee-friendly legislation. Following the trajectory of worker-friendly laws,…
In a split decision, the Ninth Circuit court has ruled that Universities can be held liable under Title IX for off-campus assaults. The ruling overturns a previous panel decision. The significance of this ruling is highlighted by Alexandra Brodsky, a staff attorney at Public Justice in Washington D.C., who argued the case before the en…
The state of Alabama finds itself at the nexus of an ongoing national debate over voting rights and racial gerrymandering. The state had been issued a court mandate, not only endorsed but also upheld by the Supreme Court, to create two majority-Black districts. Despite the clarity of the court order, the state legislature, under GOP…
As legal professionals, we are privy to the various intricacies of law application in domains spanning from business transactions to civil rights. Recently, there is an important issue gaining prominence that sets a juncture between education, civil rights, and public financing. This concerns the protection of LGBT students against school voucher discrimination. For context, over…
In a recent legal development, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken legal action against Midwestern restaurant chain Fricker’s. The EEOC alleges that Fricker’s U.S.A., LLC, and Fricker’s Holding Company, Inc., have violated federal employment laws by exhibiting sex discrimination practices. The EEOC, the federal agency responsible for enforcing laws intended to prevent…
The United States Supreme Court recently rejected Alabama’s appeal to use a congressional map in the 2024 elections; a map that a lower court deemed in breach of the Voting Rights Act. The unsigned order revealed no public dissents, coming four months after a divided Supreme Court agreed that the 2021 version of the map…
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court’s summer decision in Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Indiana, et al. v. Talevski has increased the pressures for nursing homes. The highest court ruled that private litigants are now authorised to present civil claims against facilities in order to recover damages for violations of particular provisions…