It is not news that employees “hang out” and socialize “outside of work” through social media platforms. While these platforms provide outlets for employees to express themselves, bond, chat, joke, and share vacation photos,...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has expanded its view of what a hostile work environment looks like and lowered the bar in terms of what a plaintiff must show to sufficiently allege a race-based hostile work...more
Kanye West’s anti-Semitic comments on Instagram and Twitter have prompted a swift backlash by businesses formerly associated with the rap and fashion mogul. Thus far, West has been dropped by Gap, Balenciaga, Adidas, talent...more
On October 4, 2021, a federal jury in California awarded $136.9 million to a Black former Tesla subcontractor, Owen Diaz, after finding that Tesla subjected him to a racially hostile work environment. The jury awarded Diaz...more
On October 4, a California federal jury awarded $137 million to a former contract employee who worked for Tesla. At trial, the plaintiff testified that he was repeatedly called the N-word while at work, regularly heard racial...more
Under section 109(1) of the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010), an employer is liable for acts of discrimination, harassment, and victimisation carried out by its employees in the course of employment: “[a]nything done by a person...more
Employers are equipped and know how to handle complaints of racial discrimination and harassment—or at least should be so prepared. However, facts have a funny way of developing into novel situations. What happens, for...more
Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Chris Lazarini provided insight on a case in which a former commodities broker claimed her former employers retaliated against her for filing a civil rights complaint by causing her new employer to...more
In an article published earlier this year, I asked the question whether the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects racist insults. In a decision rendered on August 8, 2017, a majority of an Eighth Circuit panel, over a...more