National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15 in recognition of the contributions of Hispanic and Latino people to the history, culture, and economy of the United States. During this...more
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who speak a language other than English at home nearly tripled from 23.1 million (approximately 1 in 10) in 1980 to 67.8 million (almost 1 in 5) in 2019. By 2050, the...more
The EEOC has recently filed an action in the Western District of Wisconsin entitled EEOC v. Baumann Farms, LLP alleging that the employer has an “English-only policy that discriminates against non-English speaking Hispanic...more
While class actions may prove lucrative for the plaintiffs who bring them, most cases just aren’t suitable for class action treatment and many would likely fare far better if the plaintiffs simply limited themselves to a...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 15, 2020, in Guzman v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., No. 17-CV-02606-HSG, 2020 WL 227567 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 15, 2020), Judge Haywood Gilliam of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of...more
A manufacturer has “subjected its employees to an ugly mix of sexism, racism, and xenophobia and violated federal law prohibiting harassment and retaliation” the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in a lawsuit...more
Parking Company Laid Off Workers Based on National Origin, Federal Agency Says - BALTIMORE - LAZ Parking, the second largest parking company in the United States, violated federal law when it terminated three long-time...more
The California Fair Employment and Housing Council has published new regulations that increase protections from national origin discrimination, including expanding the definition of “national origin.” The regulations will...more
As any reader of our blog knows, California employers are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of national origin (among other classifications).The Fair Employment and Housing Commission (“FEHC”) recently issued new...more
Issues related to immigration status, national security policy, and country of origin continue to be a hot topic of animated discussion at the federal level. In the midst of this national debate, California has amended its...more
The California Fair Employment and Housing Council has published an amended Regulation on national origin discrimination, which will take effect on July 1, 2018. In addition to defining "national origin" and providing...more
On May 17, 2018, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Commission (“FEHC”) published the final text of its “Regulations Regarding National Origin Discrimination” (to be codified at 2 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 11027 & 11028). The...more
Who knew you could pick up employee management lessons from the TV show Project Runway? The long running reality show, which pits multiple clothing designers against each other in a series of increasingly difficult design...more
Two pending federal cases could reveal situations in which employers with a significant multi-lingual workforce should provide translated versions of their COBRA election materials....more
On August 2, 2017 Republican Senators Tom Cotton (AR) and David Perdue (GA) unveiled an immigration bill titled The Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy Act (RAISE Act). While the stated purpose of this bill is...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 17, 2017, the California Fair Employment and Housing Council (FEHC) heard public comments on its proposed regulations covering national origin discrimination under the FEHA. Discussion centered on...more
On June 22, 2017, Antonella’s Restaurant & Pizzeria settled a national origin discrimination lawsuit for $50,000 following allegations of harassment and an alleged directive to speak “English Only” in the workplace....more
There has been a lot of animated discussion in the news recently about immigration status, national security policy, and country of origin as these issues relate to federal policy. Think “travel ban” and “extreme vetting” –...more
In 2000, 7,792 complaints of discrimination based on national origin were filed with the EEOC. By 2002, in part because of the societal effects of 9/11, the number had increased to 9,046. In 2010, 11,304 such complaints...more
As we observed, the heated tone of the recent presidential election poses unprecedented challenges for employers attempting to manage employee interactions in the workplace, especially when issues related to immigration and...more
On June 2, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) released a proposed guidance on national origin discrimination under Title VII, and is seeking public input. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination...more
The United States has long been referred to as a melting pot. But, some commentators challenge this notion, offering instead that the United States is more akin to a meal of separate and diverse ingredients; an orchestra of...more
A Higher Minimum Wage in Certain Counties - On March 14, 2016, a bill (A3471) was introduced that would require all employers in Essex, Hudson, Camden, Mercer, and Middlesex counties to pay their employees at least...more
On March 22, 2016, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Richard Griffin released Memorandum GC 16-01, entitled "Mandatory Submissions to the Division of Advice." The memorandum instructs the Board's regional...more
How consumer financial services providers can meet the needs of a growing population of "limited English proficiency" (LEP) consumers without running afoul of laws prohibiting deceptive practices and discrimination has...more