Employment Discrimination

The 11th United States Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that gay and lesbian employees are not a protected class under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and, therefore, can be discriminated against by employers because of their sexual orientation. Title VII currently prohibits discrimination on the…

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (“FCA”) faces a discrimination class action lawsuit for the second time in as many months.  In a lawsuit filed February 27, 2017 in the United States District Court, FCA allegedly mistreated older employees during their performance reviews.  As a result, these older employees received fewer promotions and…

Toi Patterson worked for Cushman & Wakefield for nine years as an administrative assistant and then senior administrator before she was fired for requesting a medical leave under the Family Medical Leave Act.  Ms. Patterson had been diagnosed with breast cancer and asked for a reasonable accommodation to work part…

Employment discrimination cases are not only complicated, they can border on the weird.  For example: A woman who was part of a department for 20 years, was training an employee who had worked there for only three months, and whose co-worker had only three years of experience, was the one…

The Civil Rights Act was passed into law 52 years ago, yet even today, large employers are found in violation of the law.  An internationally-held company that produces stainless steel was ordered to pay a $150,000 settlement and implement new anti-discrimination policies and training when it was found guilty of…

One would think large companies have a good grasp on laws relating to employment, however, that is not always the case.  Lowe’s, the second largest home improvement chain, recently agreed to pay $8.6 million in damages for violating the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).  The company had fired workers with…

Imagine going to your favorite restaurant only to find that you cannot physically enter the building. Unfortunately, this is a scenario people with disabilities face if a business is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under Title III of the ADA, businesses cannot discriminate against anyone due…

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed twenty years ago, giving additional rights to individuals with disabilities. However, even with its passage, violations still occur everyday. Businesses that don’t comply with the ADA may ultimately be shut down. The government gives businesses plenty of time to comply, but even…

The ADA prohibits businesses from banning service animals in their establishments. Under the ADA, service animals are permitted to enter any area in a business establishment where customers are generally allowed. Most people are familiar with guide dogs for individuals who are blind. However, service animals perform a number of…