As we blogged about in December, the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Florida, Georgia and Alabama) recently found that transgender employees are protected against job discrimination pursuant to the Equal Protection Clause, which only applies to public sector employees. Whether or not the same protection was available under Title VII, which applies … Continue Reading
A federal court in Texas recently rejected the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s attempt to bring a Title VII claim on behalf of a worker who claimed she was fired because she wanted to breastfeed at work. Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of gender, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. The Texas … Continue Reading
The federal appellate court that covers Florida, the Eleventh Circuit, recently decided what lawyers call a case a first impression – a legal issue that has not been previously ruled on by the court. The case is Pereda v. Brookdale Senior Living Communities, Inc., and the issue was whether an employee who is not yet … Continue Reading
Last week, the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Florida, Georgia and Alabama) ruled in favor of Vandiver Elizabeth Glenn, an employee who was fired after informing her employer, the Georgia Legislature, that she was a transsexual and planned on undergoing a complete gender transformation from male to female. Glenn sued the Georgia … Continue Reading
The U.S. Supreme Court ended its term this week. As the Justices start their three-month vacation, employers should reflect on two important decisions from the Court’s last term dealing with class actions. What are the takeaways? (1) One-size-fits-all class actions for discrimination cases won’t cut it. This year’s blockbuster case, Dukes v. Wal-Mart, was … Continue Reading