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Employment Litigation Dismissals Title VII

Lathrop GPM

Virginia Federal Court Dismisses Franchise Employee’s Discrimination Claims Against McDonald’s

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A federal court in Virginia recently granted McDonald’s USA, LLC’s motion to dismiss a former franchise employee’s Title VII and Virginia Human Rights Act claims. Edmonds v. McDonald’s USA, LLC, 2025 WL 1066193 (W.D. Va. Apr....more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Second Circuit Rejects Religious Discrimination Claim Based on COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate

In last term’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly increased employers’ obligation to consider religious exemption requests under Title VII. Rather than the previous de minimus burden standard,...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Federal Courts in Wisconsin and Kentucky Issue Decisions in Favor of Employers Facing COVID-19–Related Legal Issues

In September 2023, federal trial courts in Wisconsin and Kentucky issued decisions dismissing plaintiffs’ claims related to employers’ COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements....more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Fourth Circuit Recognizes 'Equal Opportunity Harasser' Defense

We often hear claims from employees who threaten to sue their employer for creating a “hostile work environment.” When we dig into the complaints, often the employee is alleging that their manager is mean or unfair to them,...more

Lewitt Hackman

Franchisee 101: No Joint Employer, No Cry

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A federal district court in New York dismissed workplace harassment and retaliation claims against corporate affiliates of the Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill franchisor for damages as a result of workplace harassment...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Supreme Court Declines Review of Transgender Fire Chief’s Discrimination Case

On November 7. 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review a case by a Georgia fire chief alleging she was discharged for being transgender in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Fourth Circuit Concludes That Non-Sexual Hugs and Kisses Don't Constitute a Hostile or Offensive Work Environment

The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that federal courts will not serve as a super HR department for employees who complain about unpleasant work conditions. Every worker is expected to tolerate a certain level of obnoxious...more

FordHarrison

Second Circuit Clarifies Factors to be Considered in Pleading a Joint Employer Relationship for Title VII Liability

FordHarrison on

Executive Summary: On March 7, 2022, a sharply divided panel of the Second Circuit (covering New York, Connecticut, and Vermont) addressed the question of what a Title VII plaintiff must claim to adequately plead the...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

More federal courts dismiss legal challenges to hospital vaccine mandates

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In early September 2021, a group of current and former employees of St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Kentucky filed suit challenging St. Elizabeth’s vaccine mandate for its employees. In the case of Beckerich v. St. Elizabeth...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Ninth Circuit Agrees That Paramour Preference Does Not Violate Title VII

In a new opinion from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Maner v. Dignity Health, the plaintiff was a male design engineer who was laid off due to performance and budget cut issues. He alleged that he had been discriminated...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Failure to Identify Harasser Did Not Make Employer's Response Unreasonable

Under Title VII, employers are liable to an employee for incidents of co-worker harassment when they knew or should have known that the conduct was occurring, yet failed to take reasonable measures to end it. Last week, the...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Fourth Circuit Allows New Type of Same-Sex Harassment Claim Based on Stereotyping

In its Oncale decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that same-sex sexual harassment violates Title VII’s sex discrimination prohibition. In that case, the court said that plaintiffs can demonstrate same-sex harassment...more

Genova Burns LLC

The Devil is in the Details: NJ District Court Demands Details of Sexual Harassment to Defeat Motion to Dismiss

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On April 12, 2021, the New Jersey District Court for the District of New Jersey in Spence v. New Jersey, et al., granted in part and denied in part a motion to dismiss an employee’s sexual harassment and retaliation claims...more

Bowditch & Dewey

To the Jury? A Professor’s Pay Equity Battle Soldiers On

Bowditch & Dewey on

In 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Oregon dismissed a lawsuit brought by Jennifer Freyd, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, against the University and two University officials. In...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Court Dismisses Claims Against Whole Foods for Ban Impacting Black Lives Matter Masks

On February 5, a federal court in Massachusetts entered an order dismissing Title VII claims brought against Whole Foods by a number of employees who were disciplined for wearing masks or other items supportive of the Black...more

Fisher Phillips

Will The Ministerial Exception Bar A Hostile Work Environment Claim?

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Religious schools expressed relief when the United States Supreme Court expanded the application of the ministerial exception in July 2020 in the combined cases of Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru and St. James...more

McAfee & Taft

Judge’s dismissal of USWNT’s unequal pay claim provides helpful reminders for employers

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In March of 2019, members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (WNT) filed a collective and class action in federal court against the United States Soccer Federation, Inc. (USSF), asserting claims under Title VII and the...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Eleventh Circuit Holds Alleged ‘Unsavory and Unpleasant’ Behavior Not Legally ‘Pervasive’ for Purposes of Title VII Harassment...

In Allen v. Ambu-Stat, LLC, No. 18-10640 (January 16, 2020), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a Georgia district court’s dismissal of a former employee’s sexual harassment claim and delivered a...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Occasional Use of Wrong Pronouns Does Not Create Harassment Claim for Transgender Employee

Employees who transition genders may ask their employer and co-workers to begin addressing them with names and pronouns associated with that different gender. On September 17, a federal district court in Maryland (which,...more

Fisher Phillips

Private Physician Plaintiff Not “Employee” Of Hospital For Title VII Purposes

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A federal appeals court recently rejected a physician’s employment discrimination lawsuit against a hospital that revoked her privileges because it found her not to be an “employee” eligible to bring such a claim. The lessons...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Recent Decision Re-Enforces The Legal Framework For Sexual Harassment Claims

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Seyfarth Synopsis: In recent months, sexual harassment has seized national headlines and raised significant questions about company policies, procedures, and culture. ...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Employer Not Required to Guarantee Scheduling Preference as Religious Accommodation

Perhaps the most frequently requested religious accommodation under Title VII involves scheduling to avoid working certain times of the week. Employers must consider allowing accommodations to allow employees time away from...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Refusal to Take Flu Vaccine Not Based on Religious Beliefs

From time to time, health care employers find themselves faced with employees who refuse to take mandatory vaccines intended to protect themselves and their patients from exposure to infectious diseases. Sometimes these...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

D.C. Circuit Finds That Absent Class Members May Intervene On Appeal To Pursue Rule 23(f) Petition Abandoned By Class...

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: In Harrington v. Sessions, No. 15-8009, No. 16-5285 & No. 16-5286 (D.C. Cir. July 21, 2017), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found that absent class members may intervene in an appellate...more

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