Religious Discrimination

The Cautionary Tale Of A Good Employment Case

As my good friend, Kenny Rodgers, once said, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, Know when to walk away, know when to run.” There comes a time in most every case when a plaintiff-employee can claim the win by settling the case. The trick is to...

Top Secret: Can Yanking Security Clearance Be An Adverse Employment Action?

What is an adverse employment action? An adverse employment action constitutes “a significant change in employment status, such as hiring, firing, failing to promote, reassignment with significantly different responsibilities, or a decision causing a significant...

What Employer Acts Can Support A Discrimination Claim

How do you prove employment discrimination? Before we get to what employer acts constitute an adverse employment action, we need to discuss how it fits in with the other elements of an employment discrimination claim. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964...

Yes, You Can Be Fired For Not Passing Proficiency Tests

Alexander Reagan Ma’alona, a male Asian/Pacific Islander with dark brown skin, worked for the Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”) as a Transportation Security Officer from 2002 to 2012. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Congress enacted the...

Hostile Work Environment: What Does “Severe Or Pervasive” Mean?

    In a recently decided case out of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Vanoy Allen sued her employer, Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Inc., claiming that she was subjected to a racially hostile work environment. See Allen v. Our Lady...

Don’t Count On Judges To Do What You Expect

Sometimes, no matter what you do; no matter what evidence you present; no matter what the law says – a judge is going to do whatever the judge wants to do. A good example of this proposition is found in the case of Edge v. TLW Energy Services, L.L.C., No. 22-50288,...

Columbus Swings And Misses On Wage Ordinance

The City of Columbus in Ohio has just passed an ordinance that prevents employers from asking job applicants about their salary history during the hiring process. While the stated purpose of the law is important to correct historical discriminatory pay practices, the...

Can I Be Terminated For Refusing To Address Transgender People By Their Chosen Names And Pronouns?

YES. “Employment at will” is a legal doctrine in the United States that allows employers to terminate employees at any time and for any reason, provided that the reason is not prohibited by law – that includes for refusing to treat coworkers, customers, or other...

Can Using FMLA Block Previously Set Termination?

In Byrd v. Clay Cnty., Texas, No. 22-10746, 2023 WL 3122462 (5th Cir. Apr. 27, 2023), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently addressed this very question. Linda Byrd already working for the Sheriff’s Office in Clay County, Texas when a new...

What Conduct Creates A Claim For Hostile Work Environment?

Yesterday, our employment discrimination lawyers discussed the failure to promote claim at issue in Wince v. CBRE, Inc., No. 22-1593, 2023 WL 3191422 (7th Cir. May 2, 2023). (See Can A Higher Degree Prove Failure To Promote?) Today, we look at Sylvester Wince’s...

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