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First Amendment › Hiring & Firing › Employment Litigation

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech... more +
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech or the press, preventing citizens from peacefully assembling, or interfering with citizens' ability to petition the government for redress of their grievances. The First Amendment is one of the most sacred aspects of the American legal tradition and has spawned a vast body of jurisprudence and commentary. less -
Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

Federal Court Refuses to Dismiss Claims Brought Under Pennsylvania’s Criminal History Record Information Act (“CHRIA”)

Tucker Arensberg, P.C. on

Deivert v. Zartman and Borough of Northumberland, 2025 WL 83747 (M.D.Pa. 2025) - (Neither a municipality nor a municipal manager had immunity under the Pennsylvania Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act (“PPSTCA”) for the...more

Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti,...

Losing My Religion? 8th Circuit Finds that Freedom of Religion is Not a Justification for Employee Conduct

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The past few decades have seen a Supreme Court receptive to claims brought on the basis of freedom of religion. For example, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (June 2014), the Supreme Court ruled that the Affordable Care...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

No wrongful discharge claim based on exercise of rights under state Constitution, Tennessee high court says

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The Tennessee Supreme Court has recently held that there is no legal claim for wrongful discharge where an employer terminates an employee because the employee exercised a right set forth in the state Constitution. The...more

Carlton Fields

Portions of DEI Executive Orders Blocked by Federal Judge

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President Trump’s executive orders have spurred a slew of litigation, including a lawsuit challenging two orders that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in the federal government and federally funded...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Fourth Circuit Delays Arguments in Religious Discrimination Case for Pending Supreme Court Decision

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Over the past decade, federal courts have repeatedly reviewed religious-affiliated employers' ability to avoid federal discrimination claims. Courts recognize a "ministerial exception" that prevents discrimination claims by...more

Fisher Phillips

SCOTUS Review: 8 Key Rulings from Last Term that Impact the Workplace and 3 Issues We’re Watching

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Many employers looked to the Supreme Court last term for clarity in cases with a significant impact on the workplace. The justices continued to shape the employment law landscape by ruling on an array of issues involving...more

Genova Burns LLC

Digital Walls Surrounding Speech on Social Media Crumble: NJ Appellate Division Upholds Employee Termination for Racist Facebook...

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On May 20, 2022, in McVey v AtlantiCare Medical System, the New Jersey Appellate Division Panel affirmed the dismissal of an employee’s case holding that her termination was not in violation of the protections afforded to...more

Littler

Ontario, Canada Court Denies Employer’s Request to Remove Allegedly Defamatory Social Media Posts Pending Defamation Trial

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A recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision indicates that it is challenging for employers to obtain an interim injunction requiring an employee to remove allegedly defamatory social media posts pending resolution of...more

FordHarrison

OWN’s Greenleaf Presents Ministerial Exception Issue

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Based on praise from various friends and colleagues, the lovely Mrs. Reed and I recently began watching Greenleaf, a series on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) that ran from 2016 to 2020....more

Cozen O'Connor

Third Circuit Upholds Philadelphia Wage History Ordinance

Cozen O'Connor on

On February 6, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld a City of Philadelphia ordinance that prohibits employers from inquiring after and/or relying upon a prospective employee’s wage history in any...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Third Circuit Upholds Philadelphia Ban on Salary History Inquiries

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In early February 2020, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals decided that a Philadelphia ordinance passed years ago could go into effect and that Philadelphia employers will no longer be able to ask job applicants about their...more

Littler

Third Circuit Lifts Preliminary Injunction and Green Lights Philadelphia’s Salary History Ordinance

Littler on

On February 6, 2020, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Philadelphia’s salary history ordinance and reversed the decision of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania which had held that...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Third Circuit: Philadelphia Employers May Not Ask Applicants for Salary History

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has lifted a prior injunction on Philadelphia's salary history ban, which prohibits employers from asking job candidates for their salary history during the interview process....more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Third Circuit Upholds Philadelphia's Salary History Ban

Troutman Pepper Locke on

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has ruled that a Philadelphia city ordinance that prohibits Philadelphia employers from asking applicants about their current or past pay rates is constitutional....more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

5th Circuit Says No, Employer Not Liable for Religious Discrimination, Retaliation, or First Amendment Violations in Employee...

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Seyfarth Synopsis: Vaccinations have been widely debated over the past few years, leaving employers unclear about their obligations to accommodate employees whose religious beliefs conflict with them. Recently the U.S. Court...more

Butler Snow LLP

Nashville Trump Supporter Fired Over Facebook Post Wins Trial

Butler Snow LLP on

Government employees enjoy more protection than employees of private-sector companies when it comes to speaking their minds about politics or other matters of public concern outside the workplace. A public employee may not be...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Ninth Circuit Narrowly Construes The First Amendment’s Ministerial Exception For Religious Institution Employers

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Seyfarth Synopsis: In Biel v. St. James School, the Ninth Circuit once again split from other circuit courts, this time by narrowly construed an affirmative defense known as the “ministerial exception” that bars claims of...more

Littler

Board Upholds Enforcement of Pre-Hire Arbitration Agreement

Littler on

The alternative dispute resolution landscape continues to evolve for employers with unionized workforces. Anheuser-Busch, LCC, 367 NLRB 123 (May 22, 2019), is the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) latest decision on the...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Maryland State Government Employee’s Job Duties Reinstated after Demotion Following Facebook Post

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Seyfarth Synopsis: Employees’ use of their personal social media accounts in ways that could impact an employer’s business present challenges to employers....more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Ninth Circuit Limits ADA Ministerial Exemption

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In its 2012 Hosanna-Tabor decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized a “ministerial” exemption to federal civil rights laws. It allows religious employers – without being subjected to claims of discrimination – to make...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

City Can’t Restrain Employee’s Critical Comments - Ninth Circuit Holds It Is OK to Speak on Matters of Public Concern as a Private...

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A city employee’s comments at a public event were not protected under the First Amendment because she spoke as a public employee, not a private citizen, a federal appeals court held in Barone v. City of Springfield. However,...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Cue the Organ Music: Court Administers the Ministerial Exception to Music Minister

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on

Can an organist really be considered a church minister? In a detailed and unique opinion, an Illinois federal court applied the First Amendment’s religious clauses to a church employee who claimed he had been discriminated...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

The Ongoing Battle Between LGBTQ+ Rights And Claims Of Religious Liberty

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Seyfarth Synopsis: The Department of Justice has reversed the previous Administration’s position on employment protections for transgender individuals, and issued a memorandum that will likely be relied on by private...more

Gray Reed

Texas Supreme Court Confirms Broad Scope of Anti-SLAPP Law

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Back in late 2015, I wrote a five-part series on the Expanding Scope of the TCPA or Texas’ Anti-SLAPP law. The Supreme Court of Texas confirmed our analysis last week with its decision in the ExxonMobil v. Coleman confirming...more

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