Labor & Employment

Lawyer for 2 ex-NFL cheerleaders offers to settle bias claims for $1 each and ‘good faith’ meeting

A lawyer representing two former cheerleaders for National Football League teams has offered to settle their bias complaints for $1 each and a “good faith” meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell and league lawyers. Lawyer Sara Blackwell is seeking the meeting with the aim of developing rules that apply to all…

Apr 25, 2018 2:31 PM CDT

Ex-casino mogul Steve Wynn sues over lawyer’s ‘leering’ accusation in press release

Former casino mogul Steve Wynn has sued civil rights lawyer Lisa Bloom over a press release that claimed he had leered at dancers forced to wear only bras and panties during rehearsals. Wynn’s defamation suit says he has a degenerative eye disease that left him legally blind for nearly two…

Apr 11, 2018 7:30 AM CDT

Salary history doesn’t justify paying women less, 9th Circuit rules in opinion written by late judge

An en banc federal appeals court ruled Monday that salary history cannot be used to justify paying less to women in comparable jobs. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that salary history is not relevant in a suit under the Equal Pay Act, report the Recorder,…

Apr 10, 2018 12:16 PM CDT

Woman who flipped the bird at Trump motorcade sues over forced resignation

A Virginia woman has filed a lawsuit claiming the government contractor she worked for violated public policy by forcing her resignation for flipping off President Donald Trump’s motorcade last year. Juli Briskman claims her forced resignation by Virginia-based Akima was motivated by fear of government retaliation for her gesture. Any…

Apr 5, 2018 10:47 AM CDT

Older Americans facing job discrimination can’t rely on courts as much as earlier generations

At the age of 50, the federal law that seeks to protect older American workers from age bias has been enfeebled by court decisions that have widened loopholes for employers and narrowed the ways employees can seek redress. When Congress enacted the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in 1967,…

Apr 2, 2018 2:00 PM CDT

Leader of Justice Department unit is demoted after questions about bias, ‘sexualized’ workplace

The leader of the Justice Department’s death penalty unit has been demoted and moved to a different division after the New York Times began asking about accusations of gender bias, a sexualized workplace environment and a barroom groping incident involving his deputy. Kevin Carwile had been moved from his leadership…

Apr 2, 2018 9:05 AM CDT

#ABAToo: House urges all employers to create, enforce sexual harassment policies

In one of its final acts at the 2018 ABA Midyear Meeting, the House of Delegates took a stand against sexual harassment, approving a resolution to urge all employers to create and enforce effective sexual harassment policies.

Apr 1, 2018 1:35 AM CDT

Orrick follows Munger Tolles in dropping mandatory arbitration agreements: Will more firms follow?

If large law firms doing away with mandatory arbitration agreements for employees becomes a trend, plaintiffs may have the #MeToo movement and Twitter to thank.

Mar 28, 2018 8:00 AM CDT

ABA women’s commission updates manual about preventing and addressing sex harassment

While it may seem hard to believe now, many attorneys have been under the impression that sexual harassment was no longer a significant problem in the legal profession, says Wendi Lazar, an employment lawyer who edited a recently updated manual on the topic for the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.

Mar 26, 2018 3:00 PM CDT

Why are law deans not fired after investigations find misconduct with women?

Of the three law school deans who recently stepped down after sex harassment allegations—two of whom who received sexual harassment findings, while another dean’s conduct was found to be bullying—none lost their jobs immediately, despite criticism from students and alumni.

Mar 19, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

Report describes 18 reforms that address workplace misconduct in federal courts

Federal judges will be trained in preventing sexual harassment while federal court employees will receive instruction on their workplace rights, according to a report released Tuesday.

Mar 15, 2018 7:15 AM CDT

Plaintiffs file motion to settle lawsuit alleging gender discrimination at Chadbourne & Parke

A motion to settle the employment lawsuit brought by female lawyers at Chadbourne & Parke was filed by plaintiffs counsel Wednesday, and the three plaintiffs will reportedly receive between $250,000 and $1 million apiece.

Mar 14, 2018 3:36 PM CDT

New Mayer Brown partner resigns amid allegations of inappropriate conduct at last firm

A partner who joined Mayer Brown just over a week ago has resigned amid allegations he engaged in inappropriate conduct at his last firm. Mayer Brown announced the resignation of capital markets partner James Tanenbaum in a statement, report the American Lawyer and Above the Law. The announcement followed a…

Mar 8, 2018 9:01 AM CST

Religious freedom law doesn’t shield funeral home that fired transgender worker, 6th Circuit says

A federal appeals court has ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects a funeral home director who was fired after disclosing that she was transitioning from male to female. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the Michigan funeral home was not shielded by the…

Mar 8, 2018 7:00 AM CST

DePaul law prof who defended colleague in N-word controversy sues school for alleged bias

An African-American professor at DePaul University's College of Law is back in the news after coming to the defense of a white colleague over his controversial use of the N-word in class.

Mar 5, 2018 7:30 AM CST