By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Alex S. Oxyer, and Lisa L. Savadjian

Seyfarth Synopsis: In Richardson v. City of New York, No. 17 Civ. 9447, 2021 WL 1910689 (S.D.N.Y. May 12, 2021), a putative class of Plaintiffs alleged that the Fire Department of New York was discriminatory in its hiring, promotion, and compensation decisions relative to its
Continue Reading New York Federal Court Denies Class Certification To Employees Of The Fire Department Of New York

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Alex W. Karasik

Seyfarth Synopsis:  In EEOC v. Schuster Co., No. 13-CV-4063, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79815 (N.D. Iowa Apr. 13, 2021), the EEOC alleged that Defendant’s use of a strength test had disparate impact on female job applicants for driving positions.  After both parties moved for summary judgment, the Court denied both
Continue Reading Double Denial In Disparate Impact Litigation: Court Rejects Both EEOC and Employer’s Statistical Arguments In Summary Judgment Motions

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Alex W. Karasik

Seyfarth Synopsis:  In Handloser v. HCL Technologies LTD, No. 19-CV-1242, 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 45183 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 9, 2021), Plaintiffs alleged that an Indian-based company with its U.S. headquarters in California gave preferential hiring treatment to foreign visa-holders over U.S. citizens.  Citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Wal-Mart
Continue Reading California Court Denies Class Certification In Reverse Discrimination Case Brought By Job Candidates

By: Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., and Christina M. Janice

Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 29, 2019, in Ahad v. Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University, et al., Case No. 15-CV-3308 (C.D. Ill. Mar. 29, 2019), Judge Sue E. Myerscough of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois decertified a collective action under the Equal Pay Act
Continue Reading Illinois Court Dismantles Equal Pay Act Collective Action Of Group Of Female Doctors

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Anthony S. Califano

Seyfarth Synopsis: In Smith v. City of Boston, Plaintiffs brought suit against their employer, the City of Boston (the “City”), challenging the City’s police promotional exam from sergeant to lieutenant.  Plaintiffs alleged that the exam had a disparate impact on racial minorities and was invalid under Title VII of
Continue Reading Massachusetts Federal Court Doubles Down On Disparate Impact Ruling Against City Of Boston

fingerprintBy Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Thomas E. Ahlering, and Alex W. Karasik 

Seyfarth SynopsisIn a class action alleging that the criminal background policy of Washington D.C.’s local transit authority had a disparate impact on African-Americans, a federal district court recently certified three classes of African-American employees and applicants despite the employer’s workforce being 75% African-American. The
Continue Reading D.C. Court Certifies Three Classes In Race Discrimination Class Action Involving Criminal Background Policy

Washington-westernBy Laura Maechtlen and Julie G. Yap

In Rollins v. Traylor Brothers, Case No. 14-CV-1414 (W.D. Wash. Jan. 21, 2016),  Judge John Coughenour of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington certified the claims of a class of workers alleging claims of discrimination under both disparate impact and disparate treatment liability theories. Id. at 6-12, 18.
Continue Reading Court Certifies Title VII Discrimination Case Based On Discretionary Decision-Making

badgeBy Lynn Kappelman

In Bruce Smith, et al. v. City of Boston, Case No. 12-CV-10291 (D. Mass. Nov. 16, 2015), Judge Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts held that the City of Boston Police Department’s (the “Department”) lieutenant-selection process — ranking candidates for promotion based on their scores on a facially neutral exam administered
Continue Reading Court Finds Promotional Tests Violate Title VII

School desk with pencil and appleBy Christopher M. Cascino and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.

In Chicago Teachers Union, Local No. 1, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO v. Bd. of Educ. of the City of Chicago, Case No. 14-2843 (7th Cir. Aug. 7, 2015), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a district court decision we discussed previously here and certified the
Continue Reading Seventh Circuit Again Limits Application Of The Wal-Mart Ruling And Certifies Chicago Teachers’ Discrimination Claims

scales-of-justice-tippedBy Christopher M. Cascino and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.

In EEOC v. Autozone, Inc., Case No. 14-CV-5579 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 4, 2015), Judge Amy St. Eve of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted summary judgment in favor of the defendant and against the EEOC in a case in which the EEOC brought a disparate treatment
Continue Reading Court Rejects The EEOC’s Novel Attempt To Impose Disparate Treatment Liability Without Any Injury