Seyfarth Synopsis: On June 15, 2023, the EEOC issued a message from its Chair, Charlotte A. Burrows, for Pride Month that, among other things, highlighted the continuing impact of the Supreme Court’s seminal decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. Bostock held that discrimination on the bases of sexual preference or gender identity are prohibited by
Continue Reading Pride Month Message From EEOC Chair Highlights Continuing Impact of the Bostock DecisionBy: Christopher DeGroff, Andrew Scroggins, and Christopher Kelleher
Seyfarth Synopsis: Over the past several years, the EEOC has maintained a litigation focus on protecting young workers in low wage jobs from sexual harassment. This has translated to intense scrutiny of teenagers working in the restaurant industry. According to the EEOC, these workers are particularly vulnerable to harassment and
Continue Reading EEOC’s Crosshairs Locked On Harassment of Teens In Restaurant IndustryBy: Andy Scroggins, Matt Gagnon, Sarah Bauman, James Nasiri, Christopher DeGroff
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Tuesday, January 10, the EEOC released for public comment its draft 2023-2027 Strategic Enforcement Plan, or “SEP” (available here)—a document that will guide the Commission’s enforcement priorities for the next five years. The EEOC’s previously announced Strategic Plan described “how”
Continue Reading The EEOC Proposes Detailed New Enforcement Priorities For 2023-2027
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Alex W. Karasik
Seyfarth Synopsis: In Savage, et al. v. The City of Springfield, Case No. 3:18-CV-30614, 2022 LEXIS 124587 (D. Mass. July 14, 2022), a federal court in Massachusetts recently denied Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification, holding that (1) Plaintiffs failed to establish that a putative class of Black and Hispanic
Continue Reading Federal Court Extinguishes Firefighters’ Class Action Claims In Race Discrimination Lawsuit
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Christopher J. DeGroff, Alex W. Karasik, and Sarah K. Bauman
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 28, 2022, the EEOC released its fiscal year 2023 budget justification (see here) and fiscal year 2021 performance report (“APR”) (see here). The APR is a “report card” analysis of the EEOC’s litigation goals and performance
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Jennifer A. Riley, and Sarah K. Bauman
Seyfarth Synopsis: In Allen et al. v. AT&T Mobility Services, LLC, Case No. 1:18-CV-03730 (N. D. Ga. March 21, 2022), Plaintiffs alleged that AT&T, their former employer, discriminated against them and other pregnant sales associates with how it designed and implemented its attendance policies and related
Seyfarth Synopsis: With the installation of a new administration in 2021, employers saw almost immediate shifts in administrative priorities. Over the past year, the Biden Administration rolled out changes on several fronts that took shape through executive orders, legislative efforts, and agency actions. Contrary to the pro-business approach of the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration
Continue Reading 5 Top Trends In Workplace Class Action Litigation: Trend #3 Government Administrative And Enforcement Trends
Seyfarth Synopsis: In our continuing coverage of the top trends found in Seyfarth’s 2022 Workplace Class Action Litigation Report, wage & hour litigation remained the sweet spot for the plaintiffs’ class action bar over the past year. Based on sheer volume and statistical numbers, workers certified more class and collective actions in the wage & hour space in 2021 as
Continue Reading 5 Top Trends In Workplace Class Action Litigation: Trend #2 Class Certification Trends
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Christopher DeGroff, Matthew J. Gagnon, and Sarah K. Bauman
Seyfarth Synopsis: As 2022 begins, we are pleased to present our annual selections for the five most intriguing developments in EEOC litigation during 2021, as well as our annual report on developments and trends in EEOC-initiated litigation. This year’s book, entitled EEOC-Initiated Litigation: 2022
Continue Reading The Top Five Most Intriguing Developments In EEOC-Initiated Litigation In 2021 (And Our Annual EEOC Enforcement Report)
Seyfarth Synopsis: In today’s video blog, Jerry Maatman discusses how, in 2021, the aggregate monetary value of workplace class action settlements exploded to an all-time high, as plaintiffs’ lawyers and government enforcement agencies monetarized their claims at the highest values we have ever tracked. Many employers and commentators alike expected the pandemic to depress the size and pace of settlements.
