There has been a shake-up at the top of one of the big three in broadcast television. CBS has removed Peter Dunn, the TV station executive, and David Friend, Senior Vice President of News while the company investigates dozens of gender and racial discrimination claims. The change has already increased diversity among newscasters, and promises to result in more drastic…
Across the country, U.S. citizens and residents now have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. But many are hesitant or medically unable to be vaccinated. Could opting out of the Coronavirus vaccine put your job at risk, or will state or federal laws protect you against vaccine discrimination? Can Employers Fire Employees Who Refuse the COVID-19 Vaccine? In June, 2021, more…
The past year and a half have been hard for New York residents and essential workers worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to just how unprepared businesses were to respond to infectious diseases at work. Now the HERO Act aims to set a new standard, empowering employees to stand up when their employers put their health at risk. New…
In May 2021, New York became the 15th state to legalize adult-use marijuana. But with federal regulations still labelling cannabis a controlled substance, employers and employees may wonder what marijuana legalization means for them. Specifically, you may be asking, can your employer still do marijuana drug testing in the workplace? New York Follows the Trend of Marijuana Legalization On March…
Can working on tips perpetuate racial or gender discrimination at work? The advocacy group One Fair Wage has filed a lawsuit against industry giant Darden Restaurants arguing that the company’s tips policy caused racial discrimination and sexual harassment by its customers to go unchecked. Olive Garden Parent Company Comes Under Fire for Discrimination On April 15, 2021, the non-profit advocacy…
In the summer of 2020, protests erupted across the country in the wake of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The protests drew attention to racial discrimination and the problem of meaningful diversity in every industry, law included. But what has happened to the pledges of Big Law firms to do better in recruiting and promoting black lawyers?…
Figure skating is one of the most popular sports in the Winter Olympics. Its athletes pair strength and power with beauty and grace. It can be hard to remember that many of the sport’s top competitors are young — often teenagers. Over the last several years the United States Figure Skating (USFS) faced accusations, media attention, and lawsuits because of…
The Justice Department under President Joe Biden has voluntarily withdrawn its lawsuit claiming that the Yale application process violated Title XI’s prohibition against racial discrimination. However, the move may be more political than precedential, as a conservative advocacy group stands ready to take Yale, Harvard, and several other universities’ Affirmative Action policies to the highest court. Justice Department Drops Effort…
Can a woman be an executive and still face gender discrimination? Former Pinterest COO sued the social media company, saying she was fired when she spoke out against discrimination at work. Now the company has settled her lawsuit for $22.5 million, promising to do better by its women workers. Gender Discrimination in the Boardroom If you look at Pinterest users…
African Americans, especially larger black men, often face racial discrimination and fear at work and by their neighborhood police officers. In 2020 and 2021, the Coronavirus pandemic response had everyone from the CDC to local mayors begging people to mask up. But for African Americans, the choice was whether to face increased racial discrimination by wearing a mask and covering…