Alyesha Asghar on First Amendment

Federal Court Partially Blocks Enforcement of Parts of Executive Orders on DEI and Gender Identity

On June 9, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a ruling in San Francisco AIDS Foundation v. Trump, temporarily blocking the enforcement of several provisions in executive orders issued...more

6/11/2025 / Constitutional Challenges , Diversity , Equal Protection , Executive Orders , Federal Funding , First Amendment , Gender Identity , LGBTQ , Nonprofits , Preliminary Injunctions

FCC Takes Aim at Media Companies’ IE&D Efforts

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr recently revealed in a social media post the agency’s latest probe into various media entities’ inclusion, equity, and diversity efforts....more

4/15/2025 / Constitutional Challenges , Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) , Employment Discrimination , Employment Policies , Enforcement Actions , FCC , First Amendment , Government Agencies , Media , Regulatory Requirements

Federal Court Enjoins Trump Administration’s Broad Attack on DEI

On February 21, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction against several elements of Trump’s executive orders regarding DEI or DEIA. The reach of this preliminary injunction goes beyond the plaintiffs in...more

2/24/2025 / Civil Rights Act , Constitutional Challenges , Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) , Employment Discrimination , Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) , Executive Orders , Federal Contractors , Fifth Amendment , First Amendment , Preliminary Injunctions , Trump Administration

A Case Study on the First Amendment Defense for Entertainment Industry Employers

The First Amendment traditionally offers robust protections for expressive employers, such as those in the entertainment and media industries, allowing them to control casting and messaging. In California, however, these...more

9/23/2024 / Employees , Employer Liability Issues , Entertainment Industry , First Amendment , Free Speech , Political Speech , Retaliation , Sex Discrimination , Social Media

11th Circuit Finds Race and Gender-Based Grant Program Likely Unlawful

On June 3, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting a venture capital fund from awarding grants based on race and gender. In reversal of the district court, the...more

7/10/2024 / Civil Rights Act , Diversity , First Amendment , Grants , Minority-Owned Businesses , Preliminary Injunctions , Race Discrimination , Venture Capital , Women-Owned Businesses

Inching Forward Toward Potential Clarification of Florida’s Individual Freedom Act (the “Stop-W.O.K.E.” Law)

On August 24, 2023, over a year after Florida’s Individual Freedom Act (IFA) (commonly referred to as the “Stop-W.O.K.E.” law) went into effect, and about one year after a Florida federal court partially enjoined the new law,...more

8/29/2023 / Anti-Discrimination Policies , Bias , Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) , Employee Training , Employees , Employer Liability Issues , First Amendment , Florida , Freedom of Expression , New Legislation , Race Discrimination , State Labor Laws , Stop Woke Act

Social and Political Issues and the Workplace - Implications for Employers

Over the past year, employers have had to grapple with seismic social, cultural, and political developments impacting profoundly how they do business. From a worldwide pandemic severely affecting global communities, markets...more

5/13/2021 / Employment Policies , First Amendment , Free Speech , NLRA , Off-Duty Employees , Political Expression , Social Media Policy

Alyesha Asghar

Littler

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