Race Discrimination Archives - Page 2 of 4

White Employee Gets Trial on Claim She Was Fired to Send Message Against Racism

Kollman & Saucier

03/02/2021

Employment Discrimination, Race Discrimination

A Maryland federal judge has ruled that an employer must stand trial on claims by a former white employee who alleged she was terminated to set an example of the company’s commitment to fight racism. In Wethje v. CACI-ISS, 2021 U.S. Dist. Lexis 34543 (D. Md. 2/24/21), Judge Paula Xinis denied the company’s motion for summary judgement on the employee's claims of race discrimination under Title VII and Section 1981. The case arose when CACI...

Kollman & Saucier

01/09/2020

Race Discrimination

It is unfortunately no surprise that people do stupid things. Some people do inexcusable things. And sometimes those things amount to racial discrimination and harassment. A recent decision from a federal court in Texas demonstrates the importance for employers to take prompt action to address discriminatory behavior in the workplace. Such responses are the right thing to do and can also help employers avoid liability under...

Kollman & Saucier

12/10/2019

Employment Discrimination, National Origin, Race Discrimination

The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland recently ruled that a former employee of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) may proceed with trial in his race and national origin discrimination case against the transit service agency based, in part, on several of the employer’s questionable assertions concerning their hiring process. Thomas v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, No. PX-18-00175 (D. Md....

Kollman & Saucier

10/16/2019

Employment Discrimination, Race Discrimination

Job descriptions are important tools in a variety of ways. What an employer puts (or doesn’t put) on a job description can make a big difference when defending an employment action down the line. For one, a job description can help employers satisfy ADA obligations by properly identifying a job’s essential functions and distinguishing them from the job’s marginal functions. This is because the ADA generally protects qualified...

Kollman & Saucier

08/02/2019

Hostile Work Environment, National Origin, Race Discrimination, Religious Discrimination

A recent case out of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois demonstrates how a supervisor’s repeated derogatory comments about an employee’s Middle Eastern background and religion that forced her to take medical leave became a triable discrimination claim. Odisho v. U.S. Bancorp, Inc., No. 16 C 11121 (N.D. Ill. 7/24/19). Juliet Odisho worked as a Structured Finance Analyst for US Bank (“Bank”) where she reported...

Kollman & Saucier

08/01/2019

Direct Evidence, Race Discrimination

I recently blogged about a case where a supervisor told an employee that she “[couldn’t] stand [his] black ass” in an altercation that culminated in the employee’s termination. There, despite the closeness in time between the comment and the employment decision at issue, the court found insufficient evidence of unlawful discrimination, and the employer won the case. More recently, a case out of Maryland’s federal district court...

Kollman & Saucier

07/18/2019

Race Discrimination, State Law

New York has become the second state to include hairstyles within the definition of race for purposes of the state’s anti-discrimination law. Last week, California became the first state to ban such discrimination. The New York State law amends the definition of “race” to mean “traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.” This includes, but is not limited to,...

Kollman & Saucier

07/17/2019

Race Discrimination

In a recent unpublished decision, the Eleventh Circuit held that an African-American former employee could not get past summary judgment on his Title VII and Section 1981 race discrimination claims. Williams v. Housing Opportunities for Persons with Exceptionalities, No. 2:17-cv-00468-ACA (11th Cir. 7/15/19). Williams worked as a direct care provider for Housing Opportunities for Persons with Exceptionalities (“HOPE”). He worked...

Kollman & Saucier

07/08/2019

Legislative Developments, Race Discrimination, Reasonable Accommodations/Undue Burden

This past week marked not only the anniversary of our Independence Day, but also the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Amidst this well-deserved fanfare, California became the first state to make hairstyle a protected status under its state anti-discrimination law, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Presently, employers who take actions based on an individual’s headwear, when worn for religious reasons...

Kollman & Saucier

06/06/2019

Pretext, Race Discrimination

Peggy Gordon worked for Holy Cross Hospital Germantown, Inc. from April 2012 until February 2017. Gordon had a spotless employment record until an incident on February 22, 2017. That evening, when Gordon went to draw blood from a patient, the patient refused to let her do so and asked for another nurse. Gordon stopped the procedure, apologized to the patient, and left the room. She also reported to the charge nurse that the patient was upset...

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White Employee Gets Trial on Claim She Was Fired to Send Message Against Racism

Employer’s Swift and Harsh Actions Defeat Harassment Claim

Failure to Hire Claim May Go to a Jury After Court Doubts Employer’s Assertions

Employer's Departure from Job Description Can Be Evidence of Pretext

Employee’s Medical Leave Can Be An Adverse Employment Action If Caused By Discriminatory Comments

Court Finds Client Remark About “Rednecks” To Be Direct Evidence Of Discrimination

New York Bans Race Discrimination Based on Hairstyle

Employee Can’t Prove Supervisor’s “Black Ass” Remark Motivated His Termination

New California Law Adds Protected Status Based On Hairstyle

Hospital Dodges Discrimination Claim Despite “Unfair” Termination

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Category: Race Discrimination

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