Employee Sues IBM over Firing One Day After Profit-Sharing Bonus
IBM faces a federal lawsuit after paying a profit‑sharing bonus to Stephen P. Gutierrez on March 17, 2025, and terminating him the next day. The complaint alleges retaliation, age, national‑origin, and sex‑based wage discrimination, as well as violations of the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act. Internal records suggest IBM began onboarding a replacement 28 days before the layoff and split Gutierrez’s duties among multiple employees. The case highlights potential procedural failures in IBM’s recent workforce reductions.
Lawsuits Accuse MITRE HR of Mishandling Vaccine Religious Claims
Five former MITRE employees have filed federal lawsuits alleging the firm mishandled religious exemption requests for its COVID‑19 vaccine mandate, leading to terminations despite viable remote‑work options. MITRE introduced a company‑wide mandate on August 16, 2021, two months before the...
Court Strikes Down Employer Tactic to Limit Discrimination Claims
A federal appeals court in the Fourth Circuit ruled that employers cannot enforce pre‑employment “limitations agreements” that shorten the statutory deadline for filing federal discrimination claims. The decision overturns a lower‑court dismissal of a former EOTech employee’s Title VII and ADEA...
Verizon Loses Bid to Change Wage Rules for Broadband Workers
Verizon's attempt to reclassify wage rates for Pennsylvania broadband workers was rejected by the Commonwealth Court, which upheld the electric‑lineman prevailing‑wage determination. The ruling applies to 53 state‑funded fiber projects awarded in 2024, ensuring workers receive higher wages than Verizon...
Macy's Wins Court Battle to Enforce Employee Arbitration Program
A federal appeals court upheld Macy’s opt‑out arbitration program, ruling it enforceable even without a signed employee agreement. The Third Circuit found that the mailed Plan Document and accompanying opt‑out forms satisfied legal notice requirements, and the employee’s silence constituted...
Court Ruling Raises the Bar on Diversity-Based Promotion Decisions
On March 6, 2026 the Third Circuit reversed a lower‑court dismissal, allowing a white deputy police chief’s racial and religious discrimination claim to proceed to a jury. The court highlighted explicit council statements that race and religion influenced the promotion of an...
12 of the Best Leadership Books for People Leaders
The article presents a curated list of 12 leadership books tailored for HR professionals, organized around psychological safety, communication, authentic inclusion, and Stoicism. It cites a 2025 McKinsey study showing CEOs who read regularly outperform peers, underscoring reading as a...
Court Rules Inova Not Joint Employer of Nurses Fired over Vaccine Refusal
A Fourth Circuit appeals court ruled that Inova Health Care Services is not a joint employer of two nurse anesthetists who were terminated after refusing a COVID‑19 vaccine. The nurses, employed by NAPA’s subsidiary, argued Inova’s oversight made it a...
Missed ERISA Deadline Strips Disability Insurer of over $233,000
A federal appeals court ruled that Reliance Standard Life missed the ERISA‑mandated 45‑day deadline to decide a long‑term disability appeal, forcing the insurer to forfeit deference and pay $210,769.49 in past‑due benefits plus $22,544.95 in interest, totaling over $233,000. The...
Employees Becoming More Open to AI in Pay Decisions
Employees are growing more comfortable with artificial‑intelligence tools influencing compensation, with 67% of job seekers more likely to accept offers from firms that use AI in pay decisions. The Resume Now poll shows 90% would accept AI‑driven compensation if clear expectations...
Are AI Agents Worth the Investment?
DigitalOcean’s February 2026 Currents report shows that more than half of organisations deploying AI agents have observed productivity and time savings, with 53% reporting gains. Around a third (32%) say agents reduce the need for additional hires, while 44% note...
HR's AI Ambitions Clash with Employees' Demand for Human Touch
HR leaders are accelerating AI adoption, with 38% targeting administrative tasks and 35% focusing on employee self‑service, according to Conduent’s latest study. While AI promises efficiency, 86% of employees still view HR relationships as personal and crucial to loyalty. The...
Papa John's Franchisee Loses Power to Compel Arbitration After Missing AAA Payment
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that Papa Texas, a Papa John’s franchisee, cannot compel arbitration after it failed to pay its share of the American Arbitration Association fees. The company missed multiple payment deadlines despite settlement...
Seventh Circuit Strikes Down Religious Accommodation Claim Lacking Specific Beliefs
The Seventh Circuit upheld the dismissal of religious‑accommodation claims by three Illinois school employees who refused COVID‑19 vaccination and weekly testing. The court ruled that invoking a vague moral conscience without linking the objection to a specific religious belief does...
TEKsystems Loses Overtime Battle: Court Says Recruiters Are Producers, Not Admins
A Pennsylvania federal judge ruled that TEKsystems misclassified its recruiters as exempt, finding they perform core sales functions and are therefore entitled to overtime. The decision highlights that actual job duties, not titles, determine exemption status under the Fair Labor...
Court Rules Medicare Compliance No Defense Against OSHA Workplace Violence Citations
A Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals decision rejected Cedar Springs Hospital's claim that Medicare compliance shields it from OSHA workplace‑violence citations. The Colorado psychiatric facility was cited for seven safety deficiencies and fined $13,494. The court clarified that CMS regulations...
Law Professors Sue EEOC to Expose Secret BigLaw DEI Settlement Terms
Two law professors have filed a lawsuit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission seeking the release of secret settlement agreements the agency reached with several major law firms over their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The settlements, signed between...
Home Depot Faces Lawsuit Alleging FMLA Retaliation and Race Discrimination
A former Home Depot sales associate in Philadelphia has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the retailer of retaliating for his request for intermittent FMLA leave and of race discrimination. The complaint alleges that a store manager referenced the employee’s epilepsy...
Worker Sues Red Bull, Says HR Brushed Off His Racial Bias Complaints
Former Red Bull sales manager Jywaun Williams filed a federal lawsuit on Feb. 15, alleging he was fired because of his race and for reporting racial bias. Williams claims his supervisor repeatedly used the term “boy,” treated him differently from...
Burlington Fires 24-Year Employee over 50-Cent Purchase, Faces Age Bias Suit
Long‑time Burlington associate Ana Teixeira, 59, was fired after a 50‑cent purchase triggered a newly revised discount rule. The retailer had altered its associate discount policy five weeks earlier, barring purchases of 25‑cent final markdown items, but failed to notify...
Federal Court Rules Employee Health Mentions Don't Automatically Trigger ADA Protections
The Eighth Circuit ruled that merely mentioning a medical condition does not automatically trigger ADA protections. In the Stephens case, the court found his heart condition did not constitute a disability because it did not limit his work activities. The...
Indiana University Wins Case After Firing Employee Who Emailed Executives Complaints
The Seventh Circuit upheld Indiana University’s termination of online instructional designer Jennifer Shirk, who was fired after sending critical emails to senior executives despite having approved FMLA leave and most requested accommodations. The court distinguished retaliation claims from discrimination claims,...
Editor Sues Emerson Collective for Retaliation After LGBTQ+ Complaint
Emerson Collective, the Laurene Powell Jobs‑founded organization, is being sued by former editor Andrew Giambrone for alleged retaliation after he raised a discrimination complaint over the removal of LGBTQ+ Pride Month content. Giambrone claims the Office of the President deemed...
Senior Manager Sues Walmart over Alleged Retaliation for Disability Accommodation
A senior Walmart manager, Scott Carrasquillo, filed a federal lawsuit alleging retaliation after requesting disability accommodations following a workplace injury. He claims his supervisor dismissed his injury, issued inaccurate performance reviews, and placed him on a Performance Improvement Plan despite...
Are Workplaces Overlooking Gen X Employees?
A new Mather Institute report finds Generation X employees are being sidelined despite their unique ability to bridge younger and older workers in multigenerational workplaces. Only 15% of Gen X hold executive roles, lagging behind Millennials, creating a “leapfrog” effect. The report...
Worker Sues Frito-Lay Alleging HR Dismissed Her Discrimination Complaint
A former Frito‑Lay merchandiser, Diana Truitt, filed a federal lawsuit alleging age and gender discrimination after being denied a higher‑paying co‑lead position in favor of younger male colleagues. When she raised the issue with HR, the complaint was dismissed as...
AT&T Employee Sues over Explicit Images in Workplace Group Chat
AT&T faces a federal lawsuit from senior specialist Bridgette Tolbert, who alleges a workplace group chat circulated explicit images and sexual innuendos. After reporting the harassment to HR, she claims the company failed to act, and instead subjected her to...
Judge Forces DC Fire Department to Face Supervisor Sexual Harassment Trial
A federal judge ruled that the sexual harassment allegations brought by DC fire investigator Whitney Ward against her former supervisor can proceed to trial. The court dismissed her discrimination and retaliation claims but allowed the hostile work environment claim to...
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Accusing Musk of Scheming to Strip Disability Accommodations
A federal judge in Washington dismissed a lawsuit filed by USDA Equal Employment Specialist Fenyang Ajamu Stewart, who alleged Elon Musk, the department secretary, and senior officials conspired to eliminate his remote‑work accommodation for disabilities and force him out of...
New York Court Forces Freight Company to Pay for COVID-19 Workplace Death
A New York appellate court ruled that ABF Freight System must pay death benefits after a truck driver died from COVID‑19 contracted at the company’s Brooklyn terminal in 2020. The decision affirms the driver’s death as a work‑related accident under...
Employer Loses Appeal Ruling on 'Thief' Comments About Ex-Worker to Clients
An Ohio appellate court ruled that a former copier‑services company breached its nondisparagement agreement by calling a ex‑employee a “thief” to prospective clients, overturning a lower court’s reliance on qualified privilege. The decision holds that disparaging remarks unrelated to the...
Former Walgreens IT Director Sues over Firing After Bias Complaint
Former Walgreens IT director Sachin Sangamnerkar filed a federal lawsuit alleging he was fired after reporting racial and national‑origin discrimination. He claims a hostile work environment intensified following his HR complaint, including micromanagement and exclusion from meetings. The suit cites...
HR Job Demand Lags 20% Behind Pre-Pandemic Levels
A new SHRM report shows active HR job postings have fallen to 78% of their February 2020 levels, a drop of more than 20%, even as HR employment rose roughly 16% through September 2025. The decline is linked to economic pressure, rapid...
Worker Sues American Airlines After FMLA Leave Branded 'Timecard Fraud'
Mayra Bonilla, a former American Airlines customer service agent, filed a federal lawsuit alleging the carrier labeled her approved FMLA leave as "timecard fraud" and terminated her after a 30‑minute discrepancy. Bonilla claims she followed an ADA‑coordinated procedure for acute...
AI Productivity Gains Offset by Rework Costs, Study Finds
Workday’s global study of 3,200 employees reveals that nearly 40% of AI‑driven productivity gains are erased by rework, as staff spend significant time correcting low‑quality outputs. While 77% of workers report faster workflows, roughly 37% of saved time is consumed...
Report Exposes Hidden Wave of Workplace Misconduct and Weak Accountability
A TalentLMS survey of 1,000 employees reveals a stark gap between perceived safety and actual workplace misconduct. While 71 % feel protected, only 38 % report no incidents in the past year, with incivility, exclusion, physical violence and sexual harassment still common....
