For years, employers have relied on arbitration agreements to keep employment disputes out of court. In 2022, Congress carved out an exception for sexual harassment and sexual assault claims, but the law didn’t clearly say what happens to the other claims in the same lawsuit.
The Second Circuit has now sided with employees on that
On September 2, 2026, the Second Circuit handed employers a win in Siren Retail Corp. v. NLRB, No. 24-3168, rejecting the NLRB’s Tesla test and calling for a more balanced approach to evaluating workplace dress code restrictions.
Background
Back in 2022, several employees at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in New York City wore
Employers in Connecticut and New York who thought they had a solid handle on religious accommodation law just got a new wrinkle. Last week, the Second Circuit adopted a new prima facie standard for failure-to-accommodate-religion claims under Title VII. The decision vacates summary judgment for an employee who was terminated for refusing to comply with
On May 19, 2026, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously held in Sabatini v. Knouse, SJC-13781, that individuals in academic settings can be held personally liable for sexual harassment under M.G. L. c. 214, § 1C. Until this decision, professors and advisors accused of sexual harassment could argue that the statute permitted suits only
A recent decision from the Connecticut Appellate Court provides employers with important guidance on disability discrimination claims under the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA). In Stuart Hanke v. Electric Boat Corporation, the court affirmed summary judgment for the employer, holding that an employee who applies for short-term and/or long-term disability benefits has not
If you manage employees, you’ve faced FMLA requests that raise questions about compliance. The American Bar Association’s 2025 FMLA litigation summary reveals four key trends that should inform how you handle employee leave.
A recurring pattern emerged in 2025: courts rejected the argument that providing an
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In a novel decision, the New Jersey Supreme Court held in Rutgers v. AFSCME, Local 888, that the 2020 Title IX regulations preempted the grievance procedure in a collective bargaining agreement with a state university because the grievance procedure was in direct conflict with Title IX regulations. The decision tracks the well-known principle
A challenge by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (“CBIA”) to Connecticut’s so-called “captive audience” law failed when a federal court in Connecticut found that the CBIA lacked standing to bring the claim. The decision is a setback to those challenging the law, which bars mandatory employer meetings on political and religious topics.
The decision by
In a significant decision for Connecticut employers, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in Del Rio v. Amazon.com Services, Inc. (SC 21109) that employees must be compensated for time spent undergoing mandatory security screenings on their employer’s premises. The unanimous decision establishes that Connecticut wage laws are more protective than federal law on this issue.