In May, JPMorgan Chase entered into a class action settlement regarding allegations that it treated male employees differently than female employees under the company’s parental leave program. On its face, the terms of the program appeared to be gender-neutral: 16 weeks of paid leave for “primary caregivers” and two weeks of paid leave for “secondary
Bag the Gag Provision: New Jersey Is the Latest State to Restrict Non-disclosure Agreements in Settlements
You finally settled that tough discrimination or harassment claim. Now you just need to ink the settlement agreement, and obviously it will include a standard non-disclosure clause to prevent your claimant from ever talking about the events or settlement amount ever again – right? Well, depending on the state you are in, not so fast.
Fifth Circuit Rejects Title VII Transgender Protection, but Grants Summary Judgment on Other Grounds
In Wittmer v. Phillips 66, Judge James Ho of the Fifth Circuit wasted no time stating the Fifth Circuit’s position on whether sexual orientation or transgender status are protected classes under Title VII – they are not. Interestingly, however, the defendant did not even raise that as a defense. In fact, the lower court
The Continuing “Trans-formation” of Title VII: Texas Federal Court Holds Transgender People Have Title VII Protection
A Texas district court recently held, for the first time in the Fifth Circuit, that transgender people are a protected class under Title VII—but the plaintiff still lost her case. In Wittmer v. Phillips 66 Company, the Houston-based federal court relied on recent opinions from the Second and Sixth Circuits to hold that the
Sixth Circuit to Employers: No ‘Magic Words’ Make a Sex Discrimination Complaint Title VII Protected Activity
Employers beware: An employee does not have to use “magic words” to complain about discrimination for it to lay the basis for a retaliation claim. The Sixth Circuit made this point in a unanimous opinion in the case of Mumm v. Charter Township of Superior.
Facts
Susan Mumm complained to her employer, the Township,
Pay the Man! (Or Woman)—But Differently? 11th Circuit Reinstates Sex Discrimination Pay Claim
When you promote someone into a position, do you have to pay him what you paid his predecessor? As with so many things – it depends. Can you pay less if the promotee has less experience and a lower prior salary than the predecessor? Maybe. However, if the new promotee is a female replacing a
Why the Harvey Weinstein Scandal Should Scare the Pants Off Employers
Unless you have been living in a cave for the last month, you have heard about the sexual misconduct allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. The story has all of the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster, except this time it’s not a movie. Here’s why it should also raise the curtain for employers outside of
Alabama Employers Take Note – Birmingham Joins Ranks of Cities with an Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
Last month, the Birmingham City Council passed an ordinance criminalizing discrimination in education, housing, employment, and public accommodations. The ordinance not only prohibits discrimination based on the federally protected categories of race, sex, national origin, and disability, but it also recognizes familial status (i.e., having minor children), sexual orientation, and gender identity as protected categories.
Sessions Changes DOJ Course on Title VII Enforcement for Transgender Issues
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo to all U.S. Attorneys revising how the Department of Justice will address gender identity claims under Title VII. In 2014, the Obama Administration DOJ stated that gender identity discrimination, including that against transgender individuals, was illegal under Title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination. AG Sessions’ memo reversed
The NLRB/EEOC Landmine – When Does Offensive Speech Amount to Protected Activity?
Employers need to be on the lookout for instances of offensive employee speech, which may put them between a rock and a hard place as they navigate potential claims under either anti-discrimination laws or federal labor laws.
You have probably heard that Google terminated an employee earlier this month for saying (among other things) that