Podcasts about Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

What employers should know about key developments this week: Two Federal Agencies Target DEI: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is urging its employees to file whistleblower complaints and report diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities that violate the administration's ban. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a 2025-2029 National Enforcement Plan that prioritizes enforcement against DEI-related discrimination. DOL Opinion Letters: The DOL's Wage and Hour Division published four opinion letters addressing overtime exemptions, bonuses, meal breaks, and compensable work. While these letters do not signal dramatic shifts in the DOL's position, they provide greater clarity, consistency, and transparency. PAGA Standing: A California appeals court held that an employee who loses in individual arbitration may also lose standing to bring a representative claim under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). - Visit our site for this week's video edition and more news: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw437 Sign up for notifications: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw-subscribe Visit https://www.EmploymentLawThisWeek.com - Epstein Becker Green is a national law firm focused on health care and life sciences; employment, labor, and workforce management; and litigation and business disputes. This video is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this video does not create an attorney-client relationship.  EMPLOYMENT LAW THIS WEEK® and #WorkforceWednesday® are registered trademarks of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. © Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. All Rights Reserved. Attorney Advertising.

As part of a realignment of civil rights enforcement under President Trump, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is seeking to end its annual data collection while also getting rid of a 1979 regulation that allowed employers to take certain steps to address race and gender imbalances revealed by the data. NPR's Andrea Hsu reports. Support NPR and hear every episode of Trump's Terms sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Leftists in the media cannot stand the idea that Team Trump is coming to the defense of white males at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They believe white males should never file a complaint, given their centuries of massive white male privilege. Last week, The New York Times reported scornfully on how discrimination claims by white men and Jews are “Discrimination Cases That Match Trump's Agenda,” according to their headline. In their view, the EEOC should always match the leftist agenda. It's supposed to be a captive agency of the Left under every administration. This week, the EEOC sued The... Article Link

Leftists in the media cannot stand the idea that Team Trump is coming to the defense of white males at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They believe white males should never file a complaint, given their centuries of massive white male privilege. Last week, The New York Times reported scornfully on how discrimination claims by white men and Jews are “Discrimination Cases That Match Trump's Agenda,” according to their headline. In their view, the EEOC should always match the leftist agenda. It's supposed to be a captive agency of the Left under every administration. This week, the EEOC sued The... Article Link

Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for May 7, 2026. We open with the Tennessee redistricting spectacle — Republican lawmakers passed new congressional maps designed to create a 9-0 Republican advantage in the state's U.S. House delegation, and Democrats responded by standing on desks, blowing air horns, unfurling banners reading No Jim Crow 2.0, and getting escorted out of the building by state police. We call it what it is — not courage, not resistance, but buffoonery — and explain why the modern left has developed a habit of treating every democratic outcome they dislike as a moral emergency requiring theatrical protest rather than an actual argument. We also make the point that redistricting fights are ugly and both parties do it, but only one party responds to losing a vote by having members physically removed from the chamber. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, Tennessee officially adopted its new congressional maps on party line votes — expected to flip Memphis from Democrat to Republican. Then a federal judge ruled the FBI can keep the ballots and evidence seized from Fulton County, Georgia related to the 2020 election — rejecting the county's argument that the FBI had no business looking — while noting the bureau has identified irregularities but hasn't yet determined whether they were human error or intentional. And in the Los Angeles mayoral debate, Republican Spencer Pratt — whose home was destroyed in the Palisades fire — was declared the winner by 89% of viewers in an NBC post-debate poll, with 23% saying the debate changed their minds about who they're voting for. We ask how anyone is still considering voting for Karen Bass. We also play a Harry Enten clip from CNN — not Fox News, CNN — where the network's own senior data reporter dismantles the narrative that Trump is losing Republican support. Enten points out that Trump's approval among Republicans right now is 84%, nearly identical to his 85% approval at the same point in the 2018 midterm cycle. MAGA is not dead. The media just wants you to think it is. We note, however, that Republicans still lost the House in 2018 despite 85% Republican approval — so high base support doesn't automatically translate to midterm wins. Our American Mamas Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson tackle the question of why American cities aren't as beautiful as they used to be — and why you see people traveling to Europe for the architecture that America stopped building generations ago. We talk about the difference between buildings designed to last forever and boxes designed to last 30 years, why Fort Worth went from a city nobody visited to a booming destination because one family decided to pour private money into it, why the left's instinct to tax the wealthy destroys the very engine that beautifies cities, and why good leadership and private investment — not government programs — are what make cities worth living in. In our Digging Deep segment, we spotted a pattern across three news stories from three different Democrat-run states. In Boston, 26% of young adults aged 20 to 30 say they could leave within five years — with 46% of those drawn to red states in the South and Southwest. In Washington State, 24% of businesses are considering moving out of state, with 72% citing the overall tax burden as their top challenge. And in Chicago, violent retail crime is up 7% — with one in eight retail crimes now involving a weapon or physical threat. We connect all three stories to the same root cause — when the people you elect don't understand the purpose of government, you end up with high taxes, high costs of living, and high crime, every single time. And the people who suffer most are the poor and elderly who can't afford to leave. We also cover the federal government's lawsuit against the New York Times — filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of an anonymous white male employee who says the Times has been systematically discriminating in hiring and promotions based on race and sex since at least 2017. The evidence? The Times's own annual Diversity and Inclusion Reports, which the complaint says brag about giving preferential treatment to people of color and women. We make the simple point — if you are giving preferential treatment to people of one skin color, you are by definition discriminating against people of another skin color. That is racism. And the federal government is finally saying so. We also cover Secretary of State Marco Rubio's meeting with the Pope at the Vatican — reportedly to smooth over relations between the Holy See and President Trump, as well as to discuss the persecution of Christians in Africa. We briefly explore whether married men can become Catholic priests, which leads us somewhere we probably didn't need to go. Father Rubio has declined to comment. And we close with a milestone — Justice Clarence Thomas has officially become the second longest-serving justice in the history of the United States Supreme Court, surpassing John Paul Stevens, and is now just two years away from passing William Douglas to become the longest-serving justice in American history. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What employers should know about key developments this week: ·       False Claims Act Exposure: The Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Civil Rights Fraud Initiative is scrutinizing any entity that contracts with or receives funding from the federal government whose diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices may violate the False Claims Act. ·       April 25 Deadline for Federal Contractors: A new executive order requires federal contractors and their subcontractors to certify that they will not engage in discriminatory DEI programs. Federal contractors must act now to meet the looming compliance deadline. ·       Multifront Enforcement Risk for All Employers: Private employers should also take note—investigations, subpoenas, and contract obligations are hitting from multiple directions, often before litigation even begins, as the DOJ and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission signal aggressive enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. In this episode of Employment Law This Week®, Epstein Becker Green attorneys Leah Brownlee Taylor and Lauri F. Rasnick unpack the administration's escalating DEI enforcement actions. Visit our site for this week's Other Highlights and links: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw431 Subscribe to #WorkforceWednesday: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw-subscribe Visit http://www.EmploymentLawThisWeek.com - Epstein Becker Green is a national law firm that focuses its resources on health care, life sciences, and workforce management solutions, coupled with powerful litigation strategies. This video is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Viewing this video does not create an attorney-client relationship.  EMPLOYMENT LAW THIS WEEK® and #WorkforceWednesday® are registered trademarks of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. © Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. All Rights Reserved. Attorney Advertising.  

In today's Federal Newscast, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has upheld the Trump administration's decision to eliminate federal health insurance coverage of gender-affirming care.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This Day in Legal History: Triangle Shirtwaist FactoryOn March 25, 1911, the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire unfolded in New York City, marking a turning point in American labor law. A fire broke out on the upper floors of a garment factory, trapping workers inside due to locked exit doors and inadequate safety infrastructure. In total, 146 workers lost their lives, many of them young immigrant women who had limited means of escape. The horrifying conditions quickly became public knowledge and sparked widespread outrage. Investigations revealed that existing labor laws were poorly enforced and insufficient to protect workers in rapidly industrializing cities. In response, New York State created the Factory Investigating Commission to examine workplace conditions and recommend reforms. Over the next few years, the commission helped draft more than 30 new laws addressing fire safety, sanitation, and building access. These legal reforms significantly strengthened the regulatory role of the state in protecting workers. The tragedy also energized the labor movement, giving momentum to unions advocating for safer conditions and fair treatment. Courts and lawmakers increasingly recognized that employers had a responsibility to anticipate and prevent workplace hazards. The legacy of the Triangle fire continues to influence occupational safety standards and legal frameworks governing employer liability today.Baltimore has filed a lawsuit against xAI over its Grok platform, alleging it can create nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images from ordinary photos. The complaint, brought by the city's mayor and council, claims the technology has been used to generate explicit images of both adults and minors. Officials argue this exposes residents to harassment, emotional harm, and privacy violations. The city also alleges that Grok was marketed as a safe and regulated platform despite lacking meaningful safeguards. According to the filing, users can request the tool to “nudify” images of third parties, including private individuals and children. The complaint estimates that millions of sexualized images were generated shortly after a key feature was launched, including thousands appearing to depict minors. Baltimore claims that even casual users of X may encounter such content without seeking it out.The lawsuit further argues that users' personal photos could be altered into explicit deepfakes without their consent or knowledge. Baltimore contends this contradicts the companies' public claims about preventing harmful and illegal content. The city accuses the defendants, including X and SpaceX, of engaging in deceptive and unfair business practices. It is seeking penalties and a court order requiring changes to the platform. Officials emphasized that deepfakes involving minors can cause long-term psychological harm and are difficult to control once circulated. The case is part of a broader wave of scrutiny, as regulators and private plaintiffs in the U.S. and Europe have also raised concerns about Grok's capabilities.Baltimore Takes XAI To Court Over Grok's Sexual Deepfakes - Law360A New Mexico jury has ordered Meta Platforms Inc. to pay $375 million after finding the company misled the public about the risks its platforms pose to teenagers. The verdict followed a six-week trial and focused on claims brought by the state's attorney general. Jurors concluded that Meta engaged in both unfair practices and unconscionable conduct. They calculated damages based on tens of thousands of violations, applying the maximum statutory penalty for each.The state argued that Meta failed to adequately protect minors from harmful content, including bullying, sexual exploitation, and material related to self-harm. It also claimed the company allowed children under 13 to use its platforms despite official restrictions. According to the plaintiffs, Meta internally recognized these risks but presented a more reassuring picture to the public. Evidence at trial suggested that algorithm-driven content feeds increased compulsive use among teens. The state characterized this design as contributing to addiction and loss of user control.Meta countered that it has invested heavily in safety measures and employs thousands of people to monitor and remove harmful content. The company maintained that it has been transparent about the challenges of moderating online platforms. Despite these arguments, the jury ruled in favor of the state. Meta has said it will appeal the decision. The case is part of a broader wave of litigation across the country targeting social media companies over alleged harm to young users.Meta Owes $375M In NM Trial Over Harm To Teens - Law360Meta ordered to pay $375 million in New Mexico trial over child exploitation, user safety claims | ReutersA federal judge has expressed skepticism about the Pentagon's decision to blacklist Anthropic, suggesting it may have been retaliation for the company's public stance on AI safety. During a hearing in California, the judge indicated the designation appeared intended to “cripple” the company after it raised concerns about military uses of artificial intelligence. Anthropic had refused to allow its AI systems to be used for surveillance or autonomous weapons, citing safety and ethical risks.The U.S. Department of Defense labeled Anthropic a national security supply-chain risk, a designation that can block companies from receiving certain government contracts. Anthropic argues this move exceeded the authority of Pete Hegseth and caused significant financial and reputational harm. The company claims the action was unprecedented and followed a contract dispute with the military. It also alleges it was not given an opportunity to challenge the designation before it was imposed.In its lawsuit, Anthropic contends the government violated its First Amendment rights by retaliating against its views on AI safety. It also raises a Fifth Amendment due process claim, arguing it was denied fair procedures. Government lawyers responded that the designation was justified because Anthropic's resistance created potential risks to military systems. They argued the Pentagon must ensure that critical technologies remain secure and reliable.The judge has not yet issued a final ruling but is considering whether to temporarily block the designation while the case proceeds. The dispute highlights growing tensions between AI companies and the government over military applications of emerging technologies.US judge says Pentagon's blacklisting of Anthropic looks like punishment for its views on AI safety | ReutersNearly 50 U.S. law firms declined to provide demographic data for a major 2025 diversity survey conducted by the National Association for Law Placement, resulting in a significant drop in reported information. The number of participating firms fell from the previous year, reducing the dataset by about 29% and excluding tens of thousands of lawyers. The organization attributed this shift to growing political and regulatory pressure on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.Under the current administration, federal agencies have increased scrutiny of law firm hiring and diversity practices. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requested detailed hiring data from major firms, while the Federal Trade Commission warned firms that certain DEI-related practices could raise antitrust concerns. In response, many firms have scaled back public references to DEI or altered their policies. Some have also entered agreements with the administration to avoid penalties tied to their diversity initiatives.The reduced participation in the survey may limit transparency for law students and others who rely on the data to evaluate employers. It also affects the ability to track diversity trends across the legal profession. While the available data suggests that racial diversity among associates and summer associates declined in 2025, the smaller dataset makes year-to-year comparisons less reliable. Large firms, which typically report higher diversity levels, were disproportionately absent from the data.Facing DEI pressures, some law firms shield data in latest diversity survey | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In this episode, we unpack the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent decision to withdraw its prior enforcement guidance on workplace harassment, a move that has left many employers questioning what standards now apply. Listen as we explore the legal and practical implications of this shift, including how courts may interpret harassment claims without the withdrawn guidance and whether existing policies still hold up under scrutiny. Host: Tara Stingley (email) (Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, LLP)Guest Speaker: Ashlea Edwards (email) (GrayRobinson, P.A.)Support the showRegister on the ELA website here to receive email invitations to future programs. 

The scary (Dystopia)Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AIAI Will Destroy Millions of White Collars Jobs in the Coming Months, Andrew Yang Warns, Driving Surge of Personal BankruptciesRing cancels Flock deal after dystopian Super Bowl ad prompts mass outrageAmazon and Flock Safety have ended a partnership that would've given law enforcement access to a vast web of Ring cameras. The decision came after Amazon faced substantial backlash for airing a Super Bowl ad that was meant to be warm and fuzzy, but instead came across as disturbing and dystopian.Ring's Founder Knows You Hated That Super Bowl Ad. Since the commercial aired, Jamie Siminoff has been trying to quell an outcry over privacy concerns with his doorbell cameras.Platforms bend over backward to help DHS censor ICE critics, advocates say MMAnthropic is clashing with the Pentagon over AI useAnthropic's relationship with the Department of Defense is “under review” as the two sides negotiate over how the company's AI models can be used.The startup wants assurance that its models will not be used for autonomous weapons or mass surveillance.The DOD wants to use Anthropic's models “for all lawful use cases” without limitationDavid Sacks, the venture capitalist serving as the administration's AI and crypto czar, has accused Anthropic of supporting “woke AI” because of its stance on regulation.Our Big Data OverlordsMeta Begins $65 Million Election Push to Advance A.I. AgendaMark Zuckerberg faces jury in landmark trial over alleged youth harm linked to social mediaThe lawsuit, K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al., was filed by a 20-year-old California woman identified by her initials. She alleges that Meta and other tech companies deliberately engineered their platforms to hook young users, contributing to her depression and suicidal thoughts, and seeks to hold them accountable.Regarding Instagram's enforcement efforts, plaintiffs asked whether Meta removed all 4 million under-13 users the company had identified on the platform in 2018. Zuckerberg responded that while the company did not remove all of them, it had implemented tools to detect and address underage accounts and was working to improve those systems.According to reports, Zuckerberg has not directly answered the central question of the case: whether Instagram is addictive. The plaintiff's attorney, Mark Lanier, asked if people tend to use something more if it's addictive. “I'm not sure what to say to that,” Zuckerberg said. “I don't think that applies here.”He said he believes in the “basic assumption” that “if something is valuable, people will use it more because it's useful to them.”When he was asked about his compensation, Zuckerberg said he has pledged to give “almost all” of his money to charity, focusing on scientific research. Lanier asked him how much money he has pledged to victims impacted by social media, to which Zuckerberg replied, “I disagree with the characterization of your question.”Zuckerberg's courthouse entourage showed up in Meta Ray-BansMeta Adding Facial Recognition to Its Smart Glasses That Identifies People in Real Time, Hoping the Public Is Too Distracted by Political Turmoil to Care MMApple sued by West Virginia for alleged failure to stop child sexual abuse material on iCloud, iOS devicesSpaceX said to weigh dual-class IPO shares to empower MuskMacron Blasts Social Media's Free Speech Defense as ‘Bullshit'The stupid (ESG edition)Goldman Sachs to Drop D.E.I. Criteria for Board Members MMThe move would be the Wall Street firm's latest retreat from diversity mandates that its chief executive, David Solomon, had once made a priority.The decision is a result of a deal that Goldman struck with the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit group that has been pressuring numerous companies to drop diversity, equity and inclusion mandates, the people said.As part of its agreement with Goldman, the National Legal and Policy Center, which has a small investment in the bank, withdrew a shareholder proposal demanding that diversity criteria for the board be dropped.In March 2019, Mr. Solomon, his top deputy John Waldron and the firm's chief financial officer at the time, Stephen M. Scherr, declared diversity and inclusion “a top priority.”“When we unite around a common goal, we make progress together,” the men wrote in an email to the staff. They said they would “improve each year” toward goals that included a new recruiting class comprising “50 percent women, 11 percent Black professionals and 14 percent Hispanic/Latino professionals in the Americas, and 9 percent Black professionals in the U.K.”The next year, Mr. Solomon said Goldman would no longer take a company public in the United States or Europe unless it had at least one “diverse” board member. By 2021, a company would need at least two diverse board members in order for Goldman to agree to work on its initial public offering.Inspire Investing CEO: Nike's DEI Is A Legal Liability, Shareholders Coming For AnswersNike's DEI fight is no longer just a social media "culture war" argument. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating Nike over allegations the company's DEI practices discriminated against white employees and job applicants.Robert Netzly, CEO of Inspire Investing: "Discrimination, whether it's black people or white people, gay people or straight people, is discrimination."Robert Netzly is a globally recognized authority in the Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) movement, author of the book "Biblically Responsible Investing: On Wall Street As It Is In Heaven." Robert holds a B.S. degree in Liberal Studies from an online university. This article was from OutKick, which aims to expose the destructive nature of "woke" activism and is the antidote to the mainstream sports media that often serves an elite, left-leaning minority instead of the American sports fan. OutKick is owned by Fox Sports' parent company Fox CorporationFederal agency sues Coca-Cola bottler over work event that excluded menA Coca-Cola distributor and bottler is being sued for alleged sexual discrimination over a corporate networking event that excluded men, announced the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which filed the lawsuitAccording to the EEOC's lawsuit, in September 2024, Bedford, N.H.-headquartered Coca-Cola Northeast held a two-day employer-sponsored trip and networking event at the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Connecticut. Coca-Cola Northeast privately invited female employees and then excused the female employees who attended the event from their normal work duties on Sept. 10 and 11, 2024, and paid them their normal salary or wages without requiring them to use vacation or other paid time off. Coca-Cola Northeast did not invite any male employees to the event.Trump revokes landmark ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public healthUS President Donald Trump has reversed a key Obama-era scientific ruling that underpins all federal actions on curbing planet-warming gases.The so-called 2009 "endangerment finding" concluded that a range of greenhouse gases were a threat to public health. It's become the legal bedrock of federal efforts to rein in emissions, especially in vehicles.Bill Maher Eviscerates Donald Trump Over ‘Biggest Dick Move in American History'The boring (ESG edition)Starbucks' investor group urges shareholders to replace directors over labor rowStarbucks faced fresh pressure on Wednesday from a coalition of investors including public-sector pension funds that urged shareholders ‌to vote against the reelection of two directors, citing persistent failure ‌to manage labor relations.The move against Starbucks' lead independent director, Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, and Beth ​Ford, chair of the board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, comes as the company is locked in a prolonged effort to reach a collective agreement with its unionized baristas.Companies are cycling through CEOs—and replacing them with first-timers MMSome 168 new CEOs were appointed in 2025, the highest total since 2010. The defining shift was who got the job. Among incoming CEOs, 84% were serving in their first enterprise CEO role, reversing a multi-year tilt toward leaders with prior public-company experience.As recently as 2024, more than one in five new CEOs had already led a public company. That share fell sharply in 2025. Of the 140 first-time CEOs appointed, 116 had no prior enterprise CEO experience. Two-thirds had never served on a public company board, meaning many are stepping into the role without prior exposure to shareholder oversight or public company governance.CEO hopefuls have a new rival for the top job: their own board directorsAppointing board directors as CEOs was once a “break glass in case of emergency” strategy reserved for scandal, illness, or sudden resignation. While it remains a minority path compared with traditional internal promotions, it is no longer an anomaly.New data from Spencer Stuart highlights the shift. Of the 168 new S&P 1500 chief executives appointed in 2025, the highest annual total since 2010, 19 were drawn from their own company boards, the most since 2020. Spencer Stuart classifies directors as outsiders because they lack day-to-day operating responsibility. Even so, more boards are turning to them.Wall Street banks are paying their CEOs like it's 2006 againMorgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick's pay rises 32% to $45mlnBank of America Lifts Moynihan's Pay 17% to $41 Million for 2025Barclays Ceo Pay Hike: Barclays lifts CEO Venkatakrishnan's pay to over £15 million as bonus pool risesCitigroup bumps CEO Jane Fraser's pay to record $59mBro Culture (The Epstein Edition)Thomas Pritzker, Named in Epstein Files, Retires as Hyatt Executive ChairmanTom Pritzker Retires as Executive Chairman of Hyatt After 22 Years of Service and Will Not Stand for Reelection to Board of DirectorsThe Board has appointed Mark S. Hoplamazian, Hyatt's President and Chief Executive Officer, to succeed Mr. Pritzker as Chairman of the Board“Tom's leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt's strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” said Richard Tuttle, Chair of the Board's Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. “The Board has engaged in thoughtful succession planning, and we are confident that Mark's deep knowledge of Hyatt's business, strong relationships with owners and colleagues, and proven track record as CEO of nearly two decades positions him well to serve as Chairman and continue driving Hyatt's long-term success.”In a letter to the Hyatt Hotels' Board of Directors, Tom Pritzker wrote, “My job and responsibility is to provide good stewardship. That is important to me. Good stewardship includes ensuring a proper transition at Hyatt. Following discussions with my fellow Board members, I have decided, after serving as Executive Chairman since 2004, and with the company in a strong position, that now is the right time for me to retire from Hyatt. Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which I deeply regret. I exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner. I condemn the actions and the harm caused by Epstein and Maxwell, and I feel deep sorrow for the pain they inflicted on their victims.”Dubai's DP World replaces CEO after Epstein links emergeDubai's DP World announced Essa Kazim was the new chairman of its board of directors and Yuvraj Narayan was its new group chief executive officer, replacing Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.Sulayem had been the CEO of Dubai's largest port operator since 2016 and chairman since 2007.DOJ records showed years of exchanges with Epstein, but Sulayem has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.Casey Wasserman to sell talent agency following Jefferey Epstein controversyCasey Wasserman has confirmed that he has started the process of selling his talent agency after it was uncovered that he had ties with Jefferey Epstein. The announcement comes as artists began to leave the agency after it was uncovered that the Wasserman CEO had extensive ties with Jeffrey Epstein and had sent flirtatious emails to Ghislaine Maxwell. Despite denying that he had any personal or business ties with either, Wasserman sent an apology to the 4,000 employees who work at his sports marketing and talent agency, confirming that he would be stepping down from the company. He said: “I'm deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort […] It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about.”Former Victoria's Secret CEO Les Wexner testifies in House Epstein investigationThe billionaire behind the retail empire that once blanketed shopping malls with names such as Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch told members of Congress on Wednesday that he was “duped by a world-class con man” — close financial adviser Jeffrey Epstein. Les Wexner also denied knowing about the late sex offender's crimes or participating in Epstein's abuse of girls and young women.“I was naive, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man. And while I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.”Wexner described himself to the lawmakers as a philanthropist, community builder and grandfather who always strove “to live my life in an ethical manner in line with my moral compass,” according to the statement.Top Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathy Ruemmler to resign over Epstein linksThe latest Justice Department release revealed a trove of communication between the two, including about potential jobs, her romantic life and gifts Epstein had given her. (She called him “sweetie” and “Uncle Jeffrey.”)Goldman's CEO David Solomon says he 'reluctantly' let top lawyer Kathy Ruemmler go after Epstein fallout MMKing Charles' brother Andrew arrested on suspicion of misconductWhite House Shrugs Off Lutnick's Epstein TiesCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has acknowledged traveling to Jeffrey Epstein's island and meeting him on another occasion.Elon's bro quits Burning Man board amid outrage over Epstein connectionBlowhard IndexSalesforce cofounder 'not OK' with Benioff's ICE crack: 'Marc made a very bad joke.'The comments occurred during a keynote address at the company's annual internal "Company Kickoff" (CKO) event in Las Vegas, sparking a significant backlash from employees and leadership alike.During the keynote, Benioff reportedly asked employees who had traveled to the event from outside the United States to stand up for recognition. Once they were standing, he made a "joke" to the effect of: "Thank you! Just so the ICE agents [in the building] know [who you are]."He reportedly made a follow-up "callback" later in the presentation, suggesting that ICE agents were also monitoring those who hadn't yet used a specific new Slackbot tool.And another joke about ICE surveilling employee travel: when there are literally employees afraid to travel for work due to current situationSalesforce famously promotes a culture of "Ohana" (family) and equality.Parker Harris (Cofounder): In a follow-up meeting, Harris reportedly called the jokes a "violation of the Code of Conduct" and even noted they could be considered a "fireable offense" for a typical employee.Rob Seaman (Slack GM): The head of the Salesforce-owned platform Slack sent a memo to staff stating he "cannot defend or explain" the jokes and that they did not align with his values.Salesforce employees call on CEO Benioff to cancel ICE ‘opportunities'Elon Musk says Anthropic's philosopher has no stake in the future because she doesn't have kidsPalantir, Which Is Powering ICE, Says Immigration Crackdown May Hurt Hiring MMFrom 10-K filed 2 days ago: “if we are not able to recruit, hire, or retain the talent we need because of increased regulation of immigration or work visas … it could be more difficult to staff our personnel on customer engagements and could increase our costs … Additionally, laws and regulations, such as restrictive immigration laws, may limit our ability to recruit outside of the United States ... If we fail to attract new personnel or to retain our current personnel, our business and operations could be harmed.”

It's been over a year since Donald Trump returned to the White House and almost immediately made it a priority to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at large law firms. There's evidence that this effort is bearing fruit for the president, even after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission walked away from investigations into several firms. The EEOC recently told a court it dropped the probes without getting most of the information it sought on firms' recruiting programs and promotion decisions. Still, the move came after some of those firms struck deals with the White House and several others—including some not involved in the inquiries—scaled back diversity initiatives. Citing the cost of defending itself against Trump's attacks, a DEI nonprofit said it's shutting down its Mansfield Rule program that sought to have firms consider underrepresented candidates in hiring and promotions. To talk about all of this, Bloomberg Law reporter Tatyana Monnay joins our podcast, On The Merits. She explains all the recent developments on this front and also talks about the risks that firms may face if they shut down all of their DEI programs entirely. Do you have feedback on this episode of On The Merits? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.

Like many private companies, Nike has implemented diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in its workplace. The Trump Administration has long been a vocal critic of such policies. On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order, titled “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.“ The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently disclosed it's investigating Nike for “systemic allegations of DEI-related intentional race discrimination” against white workers. Nike does have regional ties – with headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. But... this is Nike: “Just Do It” and Air Jordans. We’re talking about a global entity, and this investigation could have wide ranging implications for employment practices nationwide. Guests: Rebecca Davis O'Brien, a labor reporter at The New York Times Related links: EEOC Files Subpoena Enforcement Action Against NIKE | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Nike, Accused of Bias Against White Workers, Is Under Federal Investigation - The New York Times What to Know About the Federal Investigation Into Nike - The New York Times Nike and Trump’s Supporters Have Been on a Collision Course for Years - The New York Times Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach Wahls for U.S. Senate It didn't take long after his historic 2011 appearance before the Iowa state legislature to testify about his two-mom family for 19-year-old Zach Wahls to take his place as a senator in that body. Now he's running to represent Iowa in the U.S. Senate (produced by Greg Gordon, archival interview by Steve Pride). A bouquet of January birthdays and ONE early movement legal victory are remembered in the Rainbow Rewind (produced by Brian DeShazor and Sheri Lunn). And in NewsWrap: federal guidance on workplace harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity is eliminated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. House Democrats claim victory over a raft of anti-transgender riders to major funding bills for the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and Labor, right-wing Texas federal judge Matthew Kacsmaryk upholds West Texas A&M University's ban on campus drag shows, financial woes force the closure of the organization that produces Tucson, Arizona's annual Pride event, the two heartthrobs of the wildly popular TV series “Heated Rivalry” will carry the flame in the Winter Olympics Torch Relay, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Tanya Kane-Parry and Joe Boehnlein (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the January, 26 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

Court Leader's Advantage Podcast Episode ReleaseDate: January 20th, 2026Workplace mediation is rapidly becoming an accepted management tool across the U.S. Organizations facing rising conflict, legal exposure, and employee burnout are increasingly turning to mediation to resolve disputes and restore working relationships. In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received more than 88,000 new discrimination and retaliation charges, a 9 percent increase from the prior year. At the same time, analysts project that the workplace mediation and conflict-resolution market will grow by more than 7 percent annually through 2030. These trends point to a simple reality: workplace conflict is increasing, and organizations are searching for better ways to manage it. The modern workplace itself is driving this change. Hybrid work, remote teams, generational turnover, and a more diverse workforce are creating new kinds of misunderstandings and tensions, many of which do not fit neatly into traditional HR investigations or disciplinary systems. Mediation offers a different model: one that emphasizes dialogue, accountability, and problem-solving rather than blame and punishment. Several forces are fueling the growth of workplace mediation. Employers are placing greater emphasis on employee well-being and mental health. They are alsorecognizing that mediation is typically faster, less expensive, and less disruptive than formal complaints, litigation, or turnover. At the same time, technology has made mediation more accessible, allowing parties to meet virtually and resolve disputes before they escalate. Yet mediation is not a cure-all. It requires both parties to engage in good faith. Some conflicts—particularly those involving serious misconduct or power imbalances—may not be appropriate for mediation. And when mediation is poorlydesigned or inadequately facilitated, it can do more harm than good. This month, we are taking a closer look at workplace mediation. Is resolving disputes through trained, neutral facilitators more effective than the traditional tools organizations rely on? And, most importantly for ouraudience, can this model be adapted to work inside the courts themselves?Today's Moderator: Erika Schmid Judicial Clerk Supervisor at the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon Today's Panel: Teshrie (Tess) Kalicharan ADR Director for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Orlando, FloridaBeth Moss Human Resources Director for the Alaska Court System, Jamie Giani founder of Third Branch Solutions in Wesley Chapel, Florida  Become Part of the Conversation Submit your comments and questions to: CLAPodcast@nacmnet.org Please take a moment to share this episode on your Facebook or LinkedIn pages. The more people we bring into this dialogue, the stronger our collective understanding of courts and court administration becomes.

Story of the Week (DR):Target silent after federal immigration agents arrest Twin Cities employees, operate near stores DRPress Release, January 14, 2026: Target Expands Its Style Offerings with Exclusive Bedding Collection from Acclaimed Interior Designer Jeremiah BrentQuote from the investors page: “Together, Target's purpose-driven team of more than 400,000 works daily to help all families discover the joy of everyday life.” Brian Cornell, Chair and Chief Executive OfficerBill Ackman defends donation to ICE officer who shot Minnesota woman: 'Presumed innocent until proven guilty'Chipotle clarifies Bill Ackman 'not affiliated' with chain after billionaire's ICE agent donationFord worker suspended for calling Trump 'pedophile protector' has 'no regrets' for 'embarrassing' presidentSuspended Michigan autoworker who heckled Trump gets outpouring of donationsGrok blocked from undressing images in places where it's illegal after global backlashI asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the appGrok was finally updated to stop undressing women and children, X Safety saysGrok Is Getting Access to Classified Military Networks Elon Musk's xAI probed by California DOJ over Grok's deepfake explicit imagesElon Musk's X Under UK Investigation Over Grok's Sexualized A.I. ImagesOpposition to Elon Musk's AI Stripping Clothing Off Children Is Nearly Universal, PollingMalaysia and Indonesia block Musk's Grok over sexually explicit deepfakesAshly St Clair, the conservative influencer who had Musk's baby, just sued Xai for sexualizing her - after saying in 2024 that X and Musk were “essential” to free speech, that Musk was the only one doing it, and that, “Truly, the only things they will ban are things that are against the law”... oops?Trump canceled or stopped enforcement against 166 corporations in his first year. Many of them were donorsNew analysis finds federal agencies halted or limited enforcement and prosecution, including many involving companies and individuals with ties to President Donald TrumpRipple, the cryptocurrency company behind XRP, donated $4.9 million — among the largest donation — to Trump's inauguration events. Shortly afterward, the Securities and Exchange Commission withdrew an appeal seeking nearly $2 billion in penalties against the company, settling instead for $125 million.After he and his wife donated $1.8 million to Trump's reelection, Trevor Milton — the CEO of electric vehicle startup Nikola, who was convicted in 2023 of defrauding investors — received a presidential pardon wiping out over $660 million in restitution. Milton's legal team included Attorney General Pam Bondi's brother, Brad Bondi.Amazon was facing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit for allegedly discriminating against pregnant workers. After Trump signed an April 2025 executive order directing agencies not to rely on disparate impact analysis — an important tool for proving discrimination — the EEOC then dismissed the case.The report details how Amazon donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, made another $1 million in-kind donation by streaming the inauguration on Amazon Video, and is backing Trump's $300 million “Golden Ballroom” in the White House's East Wing. The company also announced a deal to stream The Apprentice, resulting in "unspecified" payments to Trump, who starred in and executive-produced the show. The company reportedly also paid $28 million to first lady Melania Trump for a documentary.What's more, Attorney General Pam Bondi worked as a registered lobbyist for Amazon in 2020 and 2021, while Trump ally Brian Ballard lobbied on Amazon's behalf in 2024.Trump tries to reduce CEO pay and halt billions in stock buybacks at defense contractorsTrump threatens to sideline Exxon from Venezuela's oil: 'They're playing too cute'Justice department opens investigation into Jerome Powell as Trump ramps up campaign against Federal ReserveFed chair accuses DoJ of threatening criminal charges over building renovation projects because central bank defied Trump's interest rate demandsGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: MacKenzie Scott is using her $26 billion philanthropy push to rescue organizations in danger after the Trump administration's funding cutsMM: RFK Jr.'s Health Department Is Studying Health Effects of CellphonesNot that there are any doctors there, or that anything they do anymore is science, BUT THIS IS GREATEven if they end up with spurious research that says “your cellphone and wifi will give you ballsack cancer”, it means less phones, less online, and happier humans with human friends and going outside moreAssholiest of the Week (MM):Brian Cornell“That could have been one of my Target team members”.“We have to be the role models that drive change and our voice is important. And we've got to make sure that we represent our company principles, our values, our company purpose on the issues that are important to our teams.”“The eyes of America, and the eyes of the world were on Minneapolis.”“As a Target team, we've huddled, we've consoled, we've witnessed horrific scenes similar to what's playing out now and wept that not enough is changing. And as a team we've vowed to face pain with purpose.”“We've got to stand up and do more”Oh, wait, that's not when ICE shot a woman without due process or outside of every protocol? That was when there was a lot of money in saying “we're for DEI” and every other CEO put out the same statement? Ahhh… maybe one of your board members should say something… Derica Rice flipped on DEI at Disney, probably not himDmitri Stockton flipped on DEI at both Deere and Black & Decker, probably not him…Grace Puma is on the board of Phillips 66 who wants in on Venezuelan oil, probably not her…Christine Leahy is the CEO of CDW who has had 11bn of government contracts in the last decade, and 270m+ last year, so probably not her…David Abney is on the board of Northrup Grumman…Monica Lozano was on Disney… Brian Cornell and Michael Fidelke run the board…That leaves a minority of directors who MIGHT have said something! Bill Ackman DR The woman shot in the face was apparently NOT innocent until proven guilty, or at least Bill can't find a way to get her any money because “her GoFundMe had closed”... also, she's deadAckman needs to get punched in the mouth - no one should care what he thinks about anything, every, at all. He's the worst kind of blowhard - has he ever offered a full throated defense of a blank person? A woman he's not married to who's not on Fox News? Does he ever admit he's wrong, biased, or a fucking hypocrite? Oh, but he says we all are? Shut. Your. Mouth.But Ackman is part of a bigger problem - at this point you are either aiding ICE's tactics, which have crossed fully into unaccountable personal army of the US dictator, or you're not aiding them. ICE abetting includes: AT&TBooz Allen HamiltonComcastDellGeneral DynamicsL3Harris TechnologiesMotorola SolutionsMen from Stanford saying they love people who didn't go to schoolGoogle's Sergey Brin admits he's hiring ‘tons' of workers without degrees: ‘They just figure things out on their own in some weird corner'Go hire some homeless people, tooHeadliniest of the WeekDR: Tech Billionaire Forced to Rename Humongous Yacht After Realizing It Spelled Something Horrible BackwardsLarry Ellison: “Izanami.”MM: Opposition to Elon Musk's AI Stripping Clothing Off Children Is Nearly Universal, Polling ShowsNEARLY96 percent said they shouldn't be able to generate “undressed” images of minors only wearing clothing like underwearSo… should they release the names and addresses of the 4%?MM: Jamie Dimon slams DOJ probe of Jerome Powell, warning investigation could stoke inflationNot says, SLAMSWho Won the Week?DR: Acclaimed Interior Designer Jeremiah Brent and his new Exclusive Bedding Collection at TargetMM: Rhode Island - 350,000 homes will be powered by wind despite Trump's make believe “radar interference”PredictionsDR: Target lazily repurposes its October 20, 2025 news feature “Target's Partnership with RICE — fueling a more inclusive economy” to “Target's Partnership with ICE — fueling a more exclusive economy”MM: Brian Cornell, after seeing the error in his ways, is seen outside of ICE officer Jonathan Ross's house kneeling in solidarity and burning gay pride merchandise as a tribute

“Yes, that’s what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and President Trump want to know. The E.E.O.C chair took to social media to ask that very question, saying the commission - which was formed under the Civil Rights Act - wants to eliminate all forms of race discrimination, including against white male applicants and employees. President Trump went even further, telling the New York Times the Civil Rights Act resulted in the discrimination of white men.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Yes, that’s what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and President Trump want to know. The E.E.O.C chair took to social media to ask that very question, saying the commission - which was formed under the Civil Rights Act - wants to eliminate all forms of race discrimination, including against white male applicants and employees. President Trump went even further, telling the New York Times the Civil Rights Act resulted in the discrimination of white men.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Yes, that’s what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and President Trump want to know. The E.E.O.C chair took to social media to ask that very question, saying the commission - which was formed under the Civil Rights Act - wants to eliminate all forms of race discrimination, including against white male applicants and employees. President Trump went even further, telling the New York Times the Civil Rights Act resulted in the discrimination of white men.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Yes, that’s what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and President Trump want to know. The E.E.O.C chair took to social media to ask that very question, saying the commission - which was formed under the Civil Rights Act - wants to eliminate all forms of race discrimination, including against white male applicants and employees. President Trump went even further, telling the New York Times the Civil Rights Act resulted in the discrimination of white men.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We live in an upside down world. New reports say that the Trump administration is "encouraging white men to sue if they believe they've been victims of DEI-related discrimination." Huh?! The chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has even posted on social media to spread this message, and the Vice President has reposted this and doubled down on the assertions. In a year when Black people (Black women in particular) have experienced more job loss than any other demographic, this is the message coming from the white house? Join Don to break this craziness down. This episode is sponsored by Fatty15. Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to https://fatty15.com/LEMON and using code LEMON at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 3 of what your nice hosts are calling "Giving Lydia Therapy", we get into Lydia's thoughts on calling herself an artist and what it may mean to think of your self in this way. Also in the episode, Stephen describes some driving woes, Mark takes (deserved) pot shots at Steam and Valve, and Lydia Straight Line Was A Lie - The Beths, BandcampThe ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer - U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission0:13:28Lydia is an ArtistPart 2 of "Giving Lydia Therapy""I saw a Beatle."Part 1 of "Giving Lydia Therapy""Argue with me, I guess."Platforms and EcosystemsBlippo+PanicAn unsettling indie game about horses keeps getting banned from storesAsh ParrishThe VergeGamers really overestimated the sales of the Steam Deck...MewWeebTwoReddit

With full funding restored and a quorum in place, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is moving fast to enforce Trump administration executive orders. Here to discuss what employers should expect, and how to prepare, is Debra Leder, Partner in Labor and Employment at Akerman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What can you do to help turn the widening gender pay gap around? For 20 years, American workers watched as the discrepancy between men's and women's incomes slowly lessened. Then, this October, a new report showed that the positive trend is reversing. Women in the U.S. are now making 0.76 cents for every dollar men make—a difference of around $14,000 a year. In this episode, I'm breaking down why we're seeing this shift and what we can do about it. Do your part to close the gender wage gap:Learn 3 powerful ways you can make a positive difference in the fight for pay equality;Hear which 36 million households bear the brunt of this impact;And what the data has to say about this shift in momentum.Related Links:National Partnership for Women and Families, “America's Women and the Wage Gap” - https://nationalpartnership.org/report/americas-women-and-the-wage-gap/Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Executive Order 11246” - https://www.eeoc.gov/history/executive-order-no-11246Bossed Up, “The Definitive Guide to Negotiating as a Woman” - https://www.bossedup.org/negotiationLinkedIn Learning Course, “Negotiating Your Compensation Package” - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/negotiating-your-compensation-packageEpisode 462, “Understand Pay Transparency and Your Rights as a Job Seeker” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode462Episode 444, “Are Pay Transparency Laws Working?” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode444Episode 422, “What Actually Creates Gender Equality at Work?” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode422Episode 317, “Making Progress on Equal Pay Day” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode317Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, we dive into the Clarence Thomas hearings and the woman who changed the conversation forever: Anita Hill. Anita Hill made history in 1991 when she testified about the sexual harassment she had experienced while she was an aide to Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court nominee who had been her supervisor at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. We unpack her testimony, the senators who voted to confirm, and the legacy of a moment that still echoes today. TW: This episode contains discussions of sexual harassment Created and produced by: Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo For more RAM, go ⁠here.⁠ Join our premium channel for 3 bonus eps a month ⁠here⁠ and save 15% when you buy annually! Sources: Anita: Speaking Truth To Power, Politico , Wikipedia , You're Wrong About, NYTimes, CBS News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: Statute of MarlboroughOn November 18, 1267, the Statute of Marlborough was enacted during the reign of King Henry III of England. It is the oldest piece of English statute law still partially in force, with four of its original twenty-nine chapters remaining on the books. The statute emerged from a period of intense baronial conflict and civil unrest, notably the Second Barons' War, and was part of a broader effort to restore royal authority and stabilize governance through legal reform. It reinforced the crown's prerogatives while addressing grievances raised by rebellious nobles, making it a compromise between royal and feudal powers.Among its most enduring provisions were regulations on the practice of “distress,” which referred to the seizure of property to compel debt repayment or enforce court judgments. The statute restricted unlawful and excessive distresses, requiring them to occur only with legal justification and in the appropriate jurisdiction. These reforms curtailed private self-help remedies and emphasized formal court processes, laying foundational principles for due process and the centralization of judicial authority. It also addressed issues like wardship, waste of land, and the obligations of tenants—key concerns in the feudal legal structure.The Statute of Marlborough built upon earlier reforms such as the Provisions of Oxford and Westminster, but had a more lasting legal impact. Its survival into modern times speaks to the durability of certain legal concepts, especially those reinforcing procedural fairness. Some of its language has been modernized, but the essence of its rules remains intact in English law. The statute reflects an early attempt to systematize and limit both public and private power through legal mechanisms. Legal historians often point to it as a stepping stone on the path to the English common law tradition.The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case challenging the federal government's authority to limit asylum processing at official U.S.-Mexico border crossings under the now-rescinded “metering” policy. Originally implemented under President Trump and formalized in 2018, metering allowed border agents to stop asylum seekers before they crossed into the U.S. and decline to process their claims, even when they were physically present at ports of entry. The Biden administration repealed the policy in 2021, but Trump's return to office has revived interest in reestablishing it.At the core of the case is the legal meaning of the phrase “arrives in the United States,” with the Ninth Circuit ruling in 2024 that it includes people who reach official border entry points—even if still on the Mexican side. That ruling held that federal law requires asylum seekers at ports of entry to be inspected and allowed to apply, regardless of logistical constraints like capacity. The advocacy group Al Otro Lado, which brought the lawsuit in 2017, argues the metering policy illegally circumvented these obligations, leaving vulnerable migrants stranded in dangerous border conditions.Trump's Justice Department contends that “arrives in” means actual entry, not mere proximity—using analogies ranging from Normandy to football to make its point. The administration has also signaled that it intends to resume the policy if conditions warrant. The case, which will likely be decided by June, comes amid broader efforts to restrict asylum protections globally and may clarify the limits of executive power over humanitarian migration policy.Supreme Court to review US government power to limit asylum processing | ReutersA California judge has blocked a proposed class action lawsuit involving 6,000 Black workers at Tesla's Fremont factory who alleged systemic racial harassment, marking a significant legal win for the company. Judge Peter Borkon ruled that the case could not proceed as a class action because the plaintiffs' attorneys failed to secure testimony from at least 200 workers—raising doubts about whether the experiences of a smaller group could represent the broader workforce. This reverses a 2024 decision by another judge who had previously allowed the class to move forward.The original lawsuit, filed in 2017 by former worker Marcus Vaughn, alleged pervasive racism at the facility, including slurs, racist graffiti, and even nooses in work areas. Tesla has denied allowing harassment and said it takes disciplinary action against those who violate company policy. While this ruling narrows the scope of Vaughn's lawsuit, Tesla still faces other legal challenges, including a similar case from California's civil rights agency and a separate federal suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Tesla has previously settled other race discrimination lawsuits brought by individual employees.Tesla wins bid to undo race bias class action by Black factory workers | ReutersAshurst and Perkins Coie have agreed to merge, forming a global law firm with 3,000 lawyers and $2.7 billion in revenue—placing it among the world's top 20 legal outfits by size. The merger, expected to close in late 2026 pending partner approval, will create Ashurst Perkins Coie, with 52 offices across 23 countries. The move is part of a broader trend of transatlantic law firm consolidation aimed at scaling up to serve cross-border clients more effectively.Leadership will be shared between Ashurst's global CEO Paul Jenkins and Perkins Coie's managing partner Bill Malley, who emphasized the merger's value for clients in technology, financial services, and energy. Talks began in early 2025, with both firms framing the deal as a long-term strategic alignment. Perkins Coie recently gained attention for its role in successfully challenging executive orders from President Trump's administration targeting the firm and others tied to his political adversaries. While the firms say they have no current plans to expand their office footprint, the combination signals a deepening of U.K.-U.S. legal market integration.Law firms Ashurst, Perkins Coie agree merger to create global top-20 outfit | ReutersMy column for Bloomberg this week looks at OpenAI's effort to expand the CHIPS Act tax credit into a broad-based AI infrastructure subsidy—and what it reveals about the government's evolving role in underwriting the AI economy. OpenAI has asked the federal government to stretch the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit—originally designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing—to cover the entire AI stack, from servers to steel. That request arrives as data centers' energy consumption and land use start imposing real costs on local grids, budgets, and communities, raising the question: who's actually footing the bill for AI?I argue that this isn't a bailout so much as a bid for taxpayer-backed central planning, with a venture-capital gloss. AI infrastructure projects like OpenAI's Stargate centers already benefit from layers of state and local tax breaks, discounted electricity, and favorable land deals. Adding a 35% federal credit on top creates a subsidy stack that warps local priorities—school districts lose tax revenue, utilities are forced to reroute energy, and residents pay more on their bills. The public impact is mounting, even as the private benefit remains largely proprietary and insulated.Rather than offering blank checks, Congress should condition federal support on clear benefit-sharing requirements: job thresholds, emissions transparency, energy sourcing obligations, and clawbacks for missed targets. I propose a framework that makes federal aid contingent on upfront impact disclosures, co-investment in the grid, and full accounting of overlapping subsidies. Industrial policy isn't inherently bad—but without enforceable terms, we're not funding a public-private partnership. We're subsidizing a corporate buildout dressed up as a national security imperative. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

The holidays are here—and for many moms-to-be, that means sharing pregnancy news with family. But after the excitement comes another big question: when and how do I tell my boss?In this episode, Sarah talks with Aria Allen, attorney and workplace rights advocate, about what every pregnant employee should know. From timing your announcement to accommodations and maternity leave, this conversation will leave you feeling prepared and confident heading into the season.Filing A Charge of Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

After beginning his second term in office on January 20th, 2025, President Trump has launched an unprecedented assault on large private law firms in the US. Fondly referred to as "Big Law" by lawyers and law students alike, these law firms have adopted different strategies to respond to executive orders and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission actions. To break down how Big Law is grappling with the administration's assault, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Christopher Hampson, and Assistant Professor of Law at Michigan State University, College of Law, Elise Maizel, join us to discuss their article, Ethics and Independence in Trump's War on Big Law. Authors: Christopher Hampson (Associate Professor of Law at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law); Elise Maizel (Assistant Professor of Law at Michigan State University, College of Law) Host & Script: Juliette Draper (Volume 114 Podcast Editor) Transcript: Juliette Draper (Volume 114 Podcast Editor); Adrianna Vaca (Volume 114 Publishing Editor) Production: Carsten Felicitas Grove (Volume 114 Senior Technology Editor); Maya Parthasarathy (Volume 114 Technology Editor) Soundtrack: Composed and performed by Carter Jansen (Volume 110 Technology Editor) Introductory Quote: Judge Thelton E. Henderson

On this episode hosts Tiffany Cross, Angela Rye, and Andrew Gillum answer YOUR questions at the AfroTech conference in Houston, Texas. AfroTech is a hub for Black S.T.E.M professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, & visionaries. It was founded in 2016 by Blavity Inc. and aims to inspire future Black leaders within the tech industry where Black professionals are significantly underrepresented. Black workers accounted for just 7.4 percent of the high-tech workforce and 5.7 percent of high-tech managers, despite making up nearly 12 percent of the total U.S. workforce, according to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If you’d like to submit a question, check out our tutorial video: http://www.instagram.com/reel/C5j_oBXLIg0/ and send to @nativelandpod. Welcome home y’all! —--------- We want to hear from you! Send us a video @nativelandpod and we may feature you on the podcast. Instagram X/Twitter Facebook NativeLandPod.com Watch full episodes of Native Land Pod here on YouTube. Native Land Pod is brought to you by Reasoned Choice Media. Thank you to the Native Land Pod team: Angela Rye as host, executive producer, and cofounder of Reasoned Choice Media; Tiffany Cross as host and producer, Andrew Gillum as host and producer, Bakari Sellers as host and producer, and Lauren Hansen as executive producer; LoLo Mychael is our research producer, and Nikolas Harter is our editor and producer. Special thanks to Chris Morrow and Lenard McKelvey, co-founders of Reasoned Choice Media. Theme music created by Daniel Laurent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharon Rennert, senior attorney with the ADA Division of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has played a leading role in the development of their policy interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. In this podcast, Sharon explains the protections for people with disabilities in employment and how they apply to people with Long COVID. Rennert describes the importance for employers to understand the protections that job applicants and employees with disabilities have in the workplace, and the related responsibility for people with disabilities to understand the process for securing needed accommodations that enable them to perform the essential functions of their job.

Affirmative action and DEI have become lightning rods in today's culture wars, but how much do we really know about where they came from and why they exist? In this episode, Sergio breaks down the long history of systemic racism in America, from slavery and Jim Crow to redlining and modern hiring bias. You'll learn what affirmative action actually is, what DEI really means, and how both have shaped access, opportunity, and fairness for everyone not just a few. This isn't about guilt. It's about awareness. Because when you understand the history, you start to see the patterns. And once you see them, you can't unsee them.1.Intro2. America's Original Construction Project3. The Evolution of Inequality4. Who's Really Getting the Handout?5. Before Affirmative Action, There Was Just...Discrimination6. DEI for Dummies: The Part They Never Told YouSources & References:• Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2004). Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A field experiment on labor market discrimination. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w9873• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). EEOC history: 1964–1969. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/history/eeoc-history-1964-1969• National Park Service. (n.d.). Equal Pay Act of 1963. U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.nps.gov/articles/equal-pay-act.htm• Pittsburgh Press Co. v. Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations, 413 U.S. 376 (1973). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Press_Co._v._Pittsburgh_Commission_on_Human_Relations• University of Washington. (n.d.). Racial restrictive covenants: Enforcing neighborhood segregation in Seattle. Civil Rights & Labor History Consortium. https://depts.washington.edu/civilr/covenants_report.htm• Jones-Correa, M. (2000). Origins and diffusion of racial restrictive covenants. Political Science Quarterly, 115(4), 541–568. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2657609• Urban Institute. (2023). Addressing the legacies of historical redlining. https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/Addressing%20the%20Legacies%20of%20Historical%20Redlining.pdf• Nardone, A., Casey, J. A., Morello-Frosch, R., Mujahid, M., Balmes, J., & Thakur, N. (2020). Associations between historical residential redlining and current age-adjusted rates of emergency department visits due to asthma across eight cities in California. The Lancet Planetary Health, 4(1), e24–e31. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9901820/• Pager, D., Western, B., & Bonikowski, B. (2009). Discrimination in a low-wage labor market: A field experiment. American Sociological Review, 74(5), 777–799. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2915472/• Corrigan v. Buckley, 271 U.S. 323 (1926). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrigan_v._Buckley• ADA National Network. “Timeline of the Americans with Disabilities Act.” adata.org. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://adata.org/ada-timeline• Administration for Community Living. “Origins of the ADA.” acl.gov. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://acl.gov/ada/origins-of-the-ada• U.S. Department of Justice. “Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act.” ada.gov. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://www.ada.gov/topics/intro-to-ada/• Section508.gov. “IT Accessibility Laws and Policies.” section508.gov. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies/• BrownGold. “DEI & A: The Effect of Donald Trump's DEI Executive Order on Accessibility.” browngold.com. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://browngold.com/blog/dei-a-the-effect-of-donald-trumps-dei-executive-order-on-accessibility/• Wikipedia. “Architectural Barriers Act of 1968.” Wikipedia.org. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_Barriers_Act_of_1968• Michigan State University Libraries. “Advancing Accessibility: A Timeline.” lib.msu.edu. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://lib.msu.edu/exhibits/advancing-accessibility/timeline• Duane Morris LLP. “ADA Considerations for Neurodiversity Hiring Programs.” duanemorris.com. August 3, 2023. https://www.duanemorris.com/articles/ada_considerations_for_neurodiversity_hiring_programs_0803.html• Autism Spectrum News. “Neurodiversity Hiring Programs: A Path to Employment.” autismspectrumnews.org. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://autismspectrumnews.org/neurodiversity-hiring-programs-a-path-to-employment/Institute for Diversity Certification. “What Does It Mean to Provide Reasonable Workplace Accommodations for Your Neurodiverse Employees?” diversitycertification.org. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://www.diversitycertification.org/deia-matters-blog/what-does-it-mean-to-provide-reasonable-workplace-accommodations-for-your-neurodiverse-employeesKatznelson, I. (2005). When affirmative action was white: An untold history of racial inequality in twentieth-century America. W. W. Norton & Company. (See summary: History & Policy).• Onkst, D. H. (1998). “'First a negro… incidentally a veteran': Black World War II veterans and the G.I. Bill of Rights in the Deep South, 1944–1948.” Journal of Social History, 32(3), 517–543.• Blakemore, E. (2019; updated 2025). “How the GI Bill's promise was denied to a million Black WWII veterans.” History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/gi-bill-black-wwii-veterans-benefits.• Heller School, Brandeis University. (2023). “Not all WWII veterans benefited equally from the GI Bill” (impact report). https://heller.brandeis.edu/news/items/releases/2023/impact-report-gi-bill.html.• Perea, J. F. (2014). [Law review article on GI Bill and race]. University of Pittsburgh Law Review (available as PDF).• NBER working paper(s). (2024–2025). “Quantifying Racial Discrimination in the 1944 GI Bill” (authors and links in NBER repository). 

Machinists on strike at Boeing in the St. Louis area have a federally-mediated agreement that will be voted on by members on October 26, the national No Kings march takes place in Madison with labor support, federal workers who have been shut out from work rally outside the Madison-area Social Security office, national flight attendants union leader Sara Nelson has raised the idea of a general strike as the Trump administration runs wild, the Chicago Teachers Union leads the fight against that city's federal invasion, a worker sues the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for not doing its job, and the attack on immigrant workers is beginning to tank the GDP.

This week, we're covering the new H-1B visa fee, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC's) closure of disparate impact cases, and recent key labor appointments. New Fee for H-1B Visas Employers must now pay $100,000 for each first-time H-1B petition filed on or after September 21, 2025. Current visa holders are not affected. Exceptions may apply, but details are limited. EEOC Shuts Down Disparate Impact Cases The EEOC has closed nearly all disparate impact cases following a recent executive order. These claims can still be pursued in court. The agency will also dissolve its Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics, although EEO-1 reporting requirements appear unchanged. Key Labor Roles Confirmed The Senate has confirmed Daniel Aronowitz as Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration. Additionally, the Senate has confirmed over 100 other labor-related appointments—including 11 top labor positions—restoring a quorum at both the EEOC and the Merit Systems Protection Board. Visit our site for this week's Other Highlights and links: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw407 Download our Wage & Hour Guide for Employers app: https://www.ebglaw.com/wage-hour-guide-for-employers-app. Subscribe to #WorkforceWednesday: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw-subscribe Visit http://www.EmploymentLawThisWeek.com This podcast is presented by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. All rights are reserved. This audio recording includes information about legal issues and legal developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances, and these materials are not a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. The content reflects the personal views and opinions of the participants. No attorney-client relationship has been created by this audio recording. This audio recording may be considered attorney advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. The determination of the need for legal services and the choice of a lawyer are extremely important decisions and should not be based solely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.    

This Day in Legal History: Anita HillOn October 6, 1991, Anita Hill, a law professor at the University of Oklahoma, accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment, dramatically shifting the course of his confirmation process. Hill, who had previously worked under Thomas at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleged that Thomas made repeated sexually inappropriate comments during their professional relationship. Her allegations were leaked to the press after the Senate Judiciary Committee had already voted to send Thomas's nomination to the full Senate. In response, the Committee reopened the hearings, and Hill testified publicly on October 11, describing in detail the behavior she claimed to have experienced. Her testimony was televised nationally, drawing intense media coverage and sparking widespread public debate about sexual harassment, gender dynamics, and power in the workplace.The hearings were often contentious, with Hill subjected to sharp questioning from senators, many of whom expressed skepticism about her motives. Thomas categorically denied the allegations, famously calling the proceedings a “high-tech lynching” during his own testimony. Despite the controversy, the Senate narrowly confirmed Thomas to the Supreme Court by a 52-48 vote on October 15, one of the closest margins in modern confirmation history. Hill's testimony, however, had a lasting impact beyond the nomination itself.The episode galvanized public awareness of workplace sexual harassment and is often credited with sparking a surge in women seeking elected office in 1992, dubbed the “Year of the Woman.” It also led to changes in how such allegations were addressed in professional and legal contexts. The legacy of the hearings continues to influence discussions of gender and accountability in government and law.The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term today with a docket that includes significant cases related to President Donald Trump's exercise of executive power. Key cases center on Trump's efforts to impose tariffs and remove certain federal officials—moves that could test the constitutional boundaries between presidential authority and congressional control. The Court has already sided with Trump in several emergency rulings this year, including a June decision that curtailed judges' ability to block presidential policies nationwide.In addition to executive power disputes, the justices will take up cases touching on contentious social issues, including the legality of a Colorado law banning “conversion therapy” for minors, rights of transgender student athletes, gun control, and race-related policies. The Court's conservative 6-3 majority, including three Trump appointees, is expected to play a crucial role in shaping these outcomes.Other notable cases this term involve a Texas murder conviction potentially violating the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel, and a malpractice suit that questions whether federal courts must apply state laws requiring expert affidavits in medical negligence claims. The justices will also consider a campaign finance case involving Vice President JD Vance and a law allowing lawsuits over property seized by the Cuban government.US Supreme Court opens new term, with major Trump cases in store | ReutersA federal judge in Oregon, Karin Immergut, has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's administration from deploying any National Guard troops—whether from Oregon or other states—to Portland. The order, issued on Sunday, follows an earlier ruling by the same judge that stopped Trump from sending 200 Oregon National Guard troops. In response, the administration tried to redirect troops from California and Texas, arguing that their prior federalization allowed for deployment anywhere. Judge Immergut rejected that argument, stating there was no justification for military presence given the current protest activity in Portland.Oregon officials accused the administration of legal “gamesmanship,” calling the attempt to bypass the initial order an affront to the court's intent. The ruling will remain in place until at least October 19 while broader legal challenges play out. The Pentagon had planned to send troops to support federal agencies like ICE and protect federal property. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had also called up Texas troops for deployment in multiple cities, including Chicago and Portland.National Guard units are generally controlled by state governors unless federalized, a point central to Oregon's legal argument that Trump was overreaching by seizing control of state resources. Governor Gavin Newsom of California called the deployment an abuse of power, echoing broader concerns about the erosion of state sovereignty. Judge Immergut emphasized that presidential military authority, while broad, is not unlimited and cannot override facts on the ground or constitutional limits.US judge blocks Trump from sending any National Guard troops to Portland for now | ReutersA coalition of unions, employers, and religious groups has filed a federal lawsuit in San Francisco challenging a recent proclamation by President Donald Trump that imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications. The plaintiffs, including the United Auto Workers, the American Association of University Professors, and others, argue that Trump exceeded his legal authority by unilaterally altering a visa program created and regulated by Congress. They claim the president cannot impose such a fee without congressional approval, calling the move unconstitutional and a misuse of executive power.The H-1B visa program, widely used by tech companies and other industries to hire skilled foreign workers, currently costs employers between $2,000 and $5,000 per application. Trump's new order blocks new visa recipients from entering the U.S. unless their sponsoring employer pays the additional $100,000. The administration claims the measure is necessary to protect American jobs, prevent wage suppression, and safeguard national security.Critics of the new policy say it amounts to a “pay-to-play” system that grants exemptions only at the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security, opening the door to arbitrary enforcement. Plaintiffs also accuse government agencies of failing to follow proper administrative rulemaking procedures and warn that the excessive fee could stifle innovation and deter employers from hiring needed talent. The lawsuit underscores ongoing tensions over the scope of executive authority in shaping immigration policy and regulating labor markets.Trump's $100,000 fee for H-1B worker visas challenged in lawsuit | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Stu Levitan welcomes Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride for a conversation about his new book A City on the Edge: Pandemic, Protest and  Polarization. It's a gripping and insightful first-person account of what it was like to be the newly elected chief executive of a Wisconsin city during the twin traumas of 2020 – the onset of COVID and the murder of George Floyd.  In particular, a city with its own unique history of racial extremes – founded by east coast abolitionists in the mid-nineteenth century who made it a stop on the Underground Railroad, which by the early twentieth century had passed a “sundown law” requiring nonwhites to leave before dusk. And in the 21st century, a city where a Black police officer had fatally shot three persons of color in five years, the third coming less than four months before Black Lives Matter protests rocked urban areas around the country. Wauwatosa is politically liberal, home to the state's largest medical center, the state's busiest mall, leading manufacturers, research parks, and several college campuses. Th best thing about Wauwatosa, of course, is that Bob Dylan immortalized it as Wow Wow Toaster in lyrics he wrote in late 1961 he called “On, Wisconsin,” which Milwaukee musician Trapper Schoepp developed into an actual song. Dennis McBride is Tosa's 17th Mayor, elected to four-year terms in 2020 and 2024.  He earned a journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a master's degree in public administration from Princeton University, and a law degree from New York University, and served 24 years as a Senior and Supervisory Trial Attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Prior to his election as mayor, he served ten years on the Wauwatosa common council, including two terms as its president. He's also a member of the UWM and Tosa East Athletics Halls of Fame.  Attentive longtime BookBeat listeners may recall the name Dennis McBride from an episode in 2022 featuring his twin brother, UW Prof. Emeritus Dr. Patrick McBride talking about his memoir as the youngest Equipment Manager and Assistant Trainer in professional sports history, “The Luckiest Boy in the World,” which Dennis helped write.  

This week, we're covering four key employer-focused developments: a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit challenging the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB's) authority, another Fifth Circuit decision restoring pregnant worker protections, the White House's reversal of a key non-compete executive order, and a court ruling against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC's) early right-to-sue policy. NLRB Authority in Jeopardy The Fifth Circuit has ruled that the structure of the NLRB is likely unconstitutional, setting the stage for a potential U.S. Supreme Court review. Epstein Becker Green attorney Erin E. Schaefer tells us more. Fifth Circuit Restores Pregnant Worker Protections The Fifth Circuit also upheld the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), reversing a lower court's preliminary injunction. Employers must now ensure reasonable accommodations for pregnancy-related conditions under the PWFA. White House Rescinds Non-Compete Order The current administration has reversed President Biden's 2021 executive order on expansive antitrust enforcement, signaling a return to a more traditional approach to competition reviews. Court Strikes Down EEOC Right-to-Sue Policy A federal court has ruled against the EEOC's policy of automatically issuing early right-to-sue notices in discrimination cases, limiting the practice and its impact on claimants. - Download our Wage & Hour Guide for Employers app: https://www.ebglaw.com/wage-hour-guide-for-employers-app. Visit our site for this week's Other Highlights and links: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw402 Subscribe to #WorkforceWednesday: https://www.ebglaw.com/eltw-subscribe Visit http://www.EmploymentLawThisWeek.com This podcast is presented by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. All rights are reserved. This audio recording includes information about legal issues and legal developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances, and these materials are not a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. The content reflects the personal views and opinions of the participants. No attorney-client relationship has been created by this audio recording. This audio recording may be considered attorney advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. The determination of the need for legal services and the choice of a lawyer are extremely important decisions and should not be based solely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1790: Heston Lubiano explains practical ways to assess how inclusive your workplace really is, using measurable indicators like employee surveys, diversity data, and retention rates. He emphasizes that an inclusive culture is not just about representation but about ensuring all team members feel valued, heard, and able to contribute fully. The strategies outlined help leaders pinpoint gaps and take meaningful steps toward genuine inclusion. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://moneyminiblog.com/business/measure-company-inclusive-culture/ Quotes to ponder: "An inclusive culture means everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their differences." "Measuring inclusivity can help you identify gaps and create strategies to close them." "It's not just about diversity; it's about making sure everyone feels like they belong." Episode references: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: https://www.eeoc.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1790: Heston Lubiano explains practical ways to assess how inclusive your workplace really is, using measurable indicators like employee surveys, diversity data, and retention rates. He emphasizes that an inclusive culture is not just about representation but about ensuring all team members feel valued, heard, and able to contribute fully. The strategies outlined help leaders pinpoint gaps and take meaningful steps toward genuine inclusion. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://moneyminiblog.com/business/measure-company-inclusive-culture/ Quotes to ponder: "An inclusive culture means everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their differences." "Measuring inclusivity can help you identify gaps and create strategies to close them." "It's not just about diversity; it's about making sure everyone feels like they belong." Episode references: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: https://www.eeoc.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1790: Heston Lubiano explains practical ways to assess how inclusive your workplace really is, using measurable indicators like employee surveys, diversity data, and retention rates. He emphasizes that an inclusive culture is not just about representation but about ensuring all team members feel valued, heard, and able to contribute fully. The strategies outlined help leaders pinpoint gaps and take meaningful steps toward genuine inclusion. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://moneyminiblog.com/business/measure-company-inclusive-culture/ Quotes to ponder: "An inclusive culture means everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their differences." "Measuring inclusivity can help you identify gaps and create strategies to close them." "It's not just about diversity; it's about making sure everyone feels like they belong." Episode references: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: https://www.eeoc.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently announced that it has been able to get more than $55 million in compensation to American workers who were impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including those who had sought religious accommodation. Let's go through some of the more recent cases.

Comment on the Show by Sending Mark a Text Message.This episode is part of my initiative to provide access to important court decisions  impacting employees in an easy to understand conversational format using AI.  The speakers in the episode are AI generated and frankly sound great to listen to.  Enjoy!What happens when a workplace harbors shocking racial hostility beneath its surface? Today we're peeling back the layers of a riveting discrimination case that reveals the stark contrast between public corporate images and the reality some employees face behind closed doors.Our investigation centers on a lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against TNT Crane and Rigging in Texas federal court. The allegations are deeply disturbing: Black employees subjected to regular racial slurs from managers, nooses displayed at company facilities, white supremacist symbols affixed to equipment, and swift retaliation against those who dared to speak up. When a white employee reported witnessing these conditions, he allegedly faced vandalism, threats, reduced hours, and ultimately felt forced to resign.Throughout the legal proceedings, TNT Crane and Rigging maintained their innocence, denying all substantive allegations. Yet the case concluded with a $525,000 settlement split among five employees and a court-mandated overhaul of company policies. This resolution—achieved without any admission of guilt—reveals a fascinating dynamic where the sheer weight of allegations and the desire to avoid prolonged litigation can drive significant corporate change.The comprehensive consent decree now requires TNT to implement detailed anti-discrimination policies, establish multiple reporting channels including a direct hotline to HR leadership, conduct mandatory training for all employees, and submit to three years of EEOC oversight. It's a powerful example of how legal pressure can transform workplace culture regardless of whether wrongdoing is ever formally acknowledged.What does it say about our systems of accountability when half a million dollars changes hands while responsibility remains officially unacknowledged? Join us as we explore this question and examine what real justice looks like for employees facing discrimination in today's workplace. Has this case sparked thoughts about your own workplace experiences? We'd love to hear your perspective.EEOC Press Release: August 1, 2025 If you enjoyed this episode of the Employee Survival Guide please like us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We would really appreciate if you could leave a review of this podcast on your favorite podcast player such as Apple Podcasts. Leaving a review will inform other listeners you found the content on this podcast is important in the area of employment law in the United States. For more information, please contact our employment attorneys at Carey & Associates, P.C. at 203-255-4150, www.capclaw.com.Disclaimer: For educational use only, not intended to be legal advice.

This Day in Legal History: Apollo 11On July 24, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission concluded when astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, returning from the first successful lunar landing. While the event was widely celebrated as a scientific and political triumph, it also raised an unexpectedly terrestrial legal issue: customs law. Upon returning to Earth, the astronauts were required to fill out a standard U.S. Customs declaration form. The departure point was listed as “Moon,” and the flight number: “Apollo 11.” Among the items declared were “moon rock and moon dust samples,” brought back from the lunar surface.Despite their unprecedented journey, the crew still had to comply with Department of Agriculture and Customs rules designed to monitor and control potentially hazardous biological materials. In the “Declaration of Health” section of the form, they noted that the presence of any condition that could spread disease was “To be determined.” This moment captured how U.S. law, even in its most routine forms, extended to the edge of human experience.The astronauts' re-entry into the U.S. technically triggered the same legal processes that greet travelers arriving from abroad. This event also underscored the broader legal challenge of adapting existing statutes to cover entirely new domains like space travel. Though humorous in hindsight, the customs declaration reflected a serious concern: whether extraterrestrial material might carry unknown biological risks.The completed form, now a historical artifact, reminds us that legal frameworks often evolve reactively. In 1969, space law was largely uncharted territory. Today, those early steps form part of the foundation for international agreements like the Outer Space Treaty and modern debates over resource rights beyond Earth.The U.S. Supreme Court granted President Donald Trump the authority to remove three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), reversing a lower court ruling that had temporarily blocked the dismissals. The CPSC was established by Congress in 1972 as an independent agency to protect the public from hazardous products, and its members were traditionally shielded from at-will removal by the president. The justices, in a brief unsigned order, suggested that Trump was likely to prevail in arguing that the Constitution gives him broad authority to remove executive officials, even from agencies Congress meant to be independent.This move followed a June ruling by District Judge Matthew Maddox, who sided with the ousted commissioners, citing a 1935 Supreme Court precedent (Humphrey's Executor v. United States) that upheld removal protections for independent agency officials. The Supreme Court's majority, with all three liberal justices dissenting, appeared to undermine that precedent. Justice Elena Kagan's dissent warned that using the Court's emergency docket to erode agency independence risked shifting constitutional power toward the presidency.The fired commissioners, whose terms extended through 2025 to 2028, had sued Trump, arguing their removal lacked legal justification. Their attorney, Nicolas Sansone, criticized the Court's decision as harmful to public safety oversight. The Justice Department, however, contended that limiting the president's removal power was unconstitutional.This decision echoes a similar ruling in May allowing Trump to remove members of other federal boards, reinforcing a pattern of the Court endorsing expanded executive control over federal agencies.US Supreme Court lets Trump remove consumer product safety commissioners | ReutersSupreme Court Lets Trump Oust Top Consumer-Safety Officials - BloombergU.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals withdrew a June 30 opinion in a securities fraud case against CorMedix Inc. after attorneys pointed out significant factual and legal errors. Lawyers flagged that the opinion included invented quotes, misattributed statements, and references to non-existent or misidentified cases. Among the problems was a supposed quote from Dang v. Amarin Corp. about “classic evidence of scienter,” which does not appear in the actual case, as well as misquoted content from a case involving Intelligroup and a fabricated citation to a Verizon case in the Southern District of New York.The withdrawn opinion had denied CorMedix's motion to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit alleging the company misled investors about its FDA approval efforts for the drug DefenCath. CorMedix's counsel, Andrew Lichtman of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, raised concerns but clarified he wasn't seeking reconsideration, only correction of the record. The same opinion had been cited as persuasive authority in a separate but similar shareholder lawsuit against Outlook Therapeutics Inc., before being discredited due to its inaccuracies.The incident drew attention not just for the mistakes themselves, but because judicial errors of this nature are rare—especially when resembling the kind of AI-generated errors that have recently led to lawyer sanctions. There is no indication AI was involved in drafting Judge Neals' opinion, but the situation reflects heightened scrutiny of legal drafting in an era where reliance on technology is increasing.Judge Withdraws Pharma Opinion After Lawyer Flags Made-Up QuotesColumbia University has agreed to pay over $200 million to the U.S. government in a settlement with the Trump administration, resolving federal investigations and securing the reinstatement of most of its previously suspended federal funding. The dispute stemmed from Columbia's handling of pro-Palestinian campus protests and alleged antisemitism, which led the administration in March to freeze $400 million in grants. In addition to the main settlement, Columbia will pay $21 million to resolve claims brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.The agreement includes several conditions: Columbia must discipline students involved in severe campus disruptions, reform its Faculty Senate, review its international admissions process, and overhaul its Middle Eastern studies programs to promote “viewpoint diversity.” The university is also required to eliminate race-based considerations in hiring and admissions and to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.Columbia has agreed to appoint two new administrators: one to oversee compliance with the settlement and another to address antisemitism. The university has also severed ties with the pro-Palestinian group Columbia University Apartheid Divest and adopted a new definition of antisemitism that equates it with opposition to Zionism—moves that have sparked backlash among students and faculty.Rights advocates have voiced alarm over academic freedom and due process, especially amid reports of deportation attempts against foreign pro-Palestinian students. Critics say the government is equating legitimate political protest with antisemitism, while ignoring rising Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.Columbia University to pay over $200 million to resolve Trump probes | ReutersFrench President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a defamation lawsuit in Delaware against U.S. right-wing podcaster Candace Owens, alleging she spread false and harmful claims about Brigitte's gender identity. The suit centers on Owens' podcast series Becoming Brigitte, which claims Brigitte was born male under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux—actually the name of her older brother—and accuses the couple of incest and identity fraud. The Macrons argue these assertions amount to a global smear campaign intended to boost Owens' profile and cause personal harm.Owens responded by labeling the lawsuit a politically motivated PR move and maintained it is an attack on her First Amendment rights. Her spokesperson framed the suit as a foreign government's attempt to silence an American journalist. The Macrons, however, stated that they had made multiple requests for a retraction, all of which Owens ignored.Defamation lawsuits by sitting world leaders are rare, and as public figures, the Macrons must meet the high legal bar of proving “actual malice”—that Owens knowingly spread falsehoods or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The complaint also notes the rumors originated in 2021 and were amplified by other high-profile commentators like Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan. A similar French court case involving Brigitte ended in a temporary victory, but was later overturned on appeal and is now pending before France's highest court.French president Macron sues right-wing podcaster over claim France's first lady was born male | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Seattle Mayor’s office backs sidewalk murals for fentanyl addicts to pass out on. Employees at Seattle’s federal building protested ICE raids. A Spokane teacher was fired for saying the “N-Word” while reading ‘To Kill a Mockingbird” to his class. // LongForm: GUEST: Fox Business host Dagen McDowell on why college isn't for everybody and the value of trade schools. // Quick Hit: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission fired a judge that fought Trump’s order stating there’s only two genders.

Our top story today is that the Fed has decided to not cut interest rates and the president is not...happy.  This is the Business News Headlines for Wednesday the 18th day of June, thanks for being with us. In other news, Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel have completed their partnership. Transgender rights are under the microscope from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  It has been feared that AI will reduce jobs…and now Amazon confirms that notion. Honda has issued a recall of over a quarter of a million vehicles. A former KC Chiefs player is suing the football club for…discrimination.  We've got the Wall Street Report and white collar job cuts accelerate and why.  Let's go… Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2025 podcast series, Sherry Talton (shareholder, Houston/Seattle) and Fiona Ong (shareholder, Baltimore) discuss the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) 2024 updated workplace harassment guidance. With the shift in enforcement focus under the new administration, Fiona and Sherry emphasize the importance of staying informed and adapting to the evolving legal landscape. This includes awareness of state and municipal laws that may provide specific protections against harassment, especially regarding sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). They offer practical tips for developing an effective anti-harassment policy, establishing a robust complaint and reporting process, and implementing sound training and investigation protocols.

Dylan Bringuel remembers the exact moment they got hired by the Holiday Inn Express in Jamestown, New York. It was late August 2022, and Bringuel—who uses they/them pronouns—had recently moved across the country and was struggling to find work. Bringuel is transgender and was upfront about their gender identity during the job interview. “ I was like, ‘Just so you're aware, I am transitioning from female to male,'” they remember saying. “And they said, ‘Okay, we respect that. We'll do our best to make sure you fit and you're comfortable here.'”That wasn't the case. Bringuel said that the first day on the job, the housekeeping manager called them an “it” and a “transformer” and said people like Bringuel are “what is wrong with society.”Bringuel reported the harassment to hotel management. Within a day, they were fired. In 2024, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stepped in to help Bringuel sue the hotel for workplace discrimination.But earlier this year, something unusual happened. The EEOC dropped Bringuel's case, not because their allegations lacked merit, but because of President Donald Trump's executive order on “radical gender ideology.” This week on Reveal, Mother Jones national politics reporter Abby Vesoulis walks through how the anti-DEI movement evolved from a niche legal fight to an all-out culture war—and what that means for the EEOC and the marginalized people it has historically protected. Support Reveal's journalism at Revealnews.org/donatenow Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get the scoop on new episodes at Revealnews.org/weekly Connect with us onBluesky, Facebook and Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In episode 202, Coffey talks with Shannon Norris about a federal court ruling that invalidated portions of the EEOC's 2024 harassment guidance related to sexual orientation and gender identity.  They discuss Norther District of Texas Federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's decision in State of Texas v. EEOC; the narrow scope of the Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County; the EEOC's broad interpretation of the Bostock ruling in its 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace; the elimination of courts' deference to agency's opinions under the Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision; the distinction between agency guidance and actual law post Loper; practical workplace challenges concerning bathrooms, pronouns, misgendering, and dress codes; the difference between harassment based on biological sex versus sexual orientation or gender identity; why the Texas v. EEOC ruling doesn't change existing anti-harassment law; the importance of maintaining respectful workplaces regardless of legal requirements; and advice for employers to avoid becoming test cases in emerging litigation. Links to stuff they talked about are on our website at https://goodmorninghr.com/EP202 and include the following topics: State of Texas and The Heritage Foundation v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, et al: Memorandum Opinion and Order EEOC  Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit  Federal judge in Texas rules LGBTQ+ people can be discriminated against at work Federal Judge Scraps Biden EEOC's Gender Identity Guidance: Here's What It Means for the Workplace Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.  If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.  About our Guest: Shannon Norris has represented a broad range of clients since he began practicing in 1993 in the areas of employment law, business litigation, trade secrets, civil fraud, and employee benefits.  During that time, he has represented Fortune 100 companies to small businesses and individuals.  Mr. Norris has extensive experience with employment litigation, noncompete agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, and occupational fraud.  He is a regular speaker on topics relating to employment law, civil litigation, and human resources. Mr. Norris began his career in 1993 at the law firm of Jones Day, where he was a member of the Labor & Employment Law Section.  He formed his own practice in the year 2000.  He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Mr. Norris is Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated.  Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary.  Martindale-Hubbell® PEER REVIEW RATINGS™ fall into two categories—legal ability and general ethical standards. Shannon Norris can be reached athttps://www.norrisfirm.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sdnorris/ About Mike Coffey: Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher.In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies.Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community.Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee.Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives: 1.       Understand the constitutional limitations on federal agencies like the EEOC under current law.2.       Understand the limitations of State of Texas v. EEOC and continue to prohibit any workplace harassment or disparate treatment based on sex.3.    &n...

It's Monday, May 26th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Armenian Christian details abuses in Iranian prison Hakop Gochumyan, an Armenian Christian arrested in Iran in 2023 for his Christian faith, recently sent a letter to Christian Solidarity Worldwide detailing abuses he's endured while imprisoned, reports International Christian Concern.  In the letter, published on May 9, Gochumyan explained that Iranian authorities have “subjected [him] to psychological violence” and threatened to take his life and the lives of his family.  Mervyn Thomas, president and founder of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, called for “Gochumiyan's immediate and unconditional release” and rallied the “international community … to hold Iranian authorities to account” for their human rights abuses.  Gochumyan was detained just outside of Tehran, in Pardis, in August 2023 and sentenced to 10 years in prison in February 2024. His charges include “engaging in deviant proselytizing activity that contradicts the sacred law of Islam” by allegedly associating with “a network of evangelical Christianity.”  The couple, along with their two children, were in Iran to visit family and, while attending a dinner at a friend's house, police arrived, and arrested them. Allegedly, Gochumyan possessed copies of Farsi-language New Testaments, which are banned in Iran, and had attended several churches during his visit.  Spreading the Gospel of Christ to non-Christians is illegal in Iran. Additionally, possessing Bibles written in Farsi, the nation's official language, isn't allowed as it could draw a non-Christian to Jesus. Christian conversion is something the Iranian regime strongly discourages and attempts to dissuade, often through psychological manipulation, overt intimidation, physical abuse, and imprisonment.  However, the light of Christ continues to shine in the region and cannot be extinguished. In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Trump vows a 25% tariff on iPhones if made in China or India President Donald Trump vowed to enact “at least” a 25% tariff on iPhones that are not manufactured and built in the United States — in a sharp warning to Apple CEO Tim Cook, reports One America News. Apple currently manufactures the majority of its iPhones in China, and does not have a domestic smartphone production supply chain.  Apple announced a move to India in an effort to “diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on China.” But Trump wants the iPhones built here in America. Judge overturns Biden rule forcing employers to allow time off for abortions A federal judge in Louisiana has struck down regulations that would have forced most U.S. employers to provide pregnant workers with time off to kill their babies by abortion, reports LifeNews.com. Issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge David Joseph, the ruling invalidated a provision of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's regulations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which had been pushed during the Biden administration. Initially, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which passed with bipartisan support in December 2022, was designed to ensure that employers, with 15 or more employees, provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, such as time off for medical appointments or relief from heavy lifting. However, the Biden administration, to its shame, twisted the initial intent of the law to classify abortion as a “related medical condition” to pregnancy and childbirth. That forced pro-life employers to facilitate the termination of unborn lives against their moral and religious convictions. Alaskan volcano could blow Located 80 miles from Anchorage, Alaska, Mount Spurr is about to blow, reports the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The last time it blew was 1992. If you're picturing massive lava flows, think again, explains Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  The biggest threat will actually be the ash which could reach as high as 50,000 feet into the sky, according to DailyGalaxy.com.    Volcanic ash could blanket Anchorage. If the eruption happens during daylight, the ash cloud could block out the sun for hours, plunging the area into total darkness. Ash is dangerous to breathe. It damages cars and machinery and can disrupt daily life.   And then there's air travel. Ash could rise high into the atmosphere, and the tiny glass-like particles, can reharden inside jet engines, posing a serious threat. Since Alaska's airspace is a major route for Trans Pacific flights, this eruption could affect a lot more people than just those in Anchorage, including flights from Toronto to Seoul or Hong Kong to Memphis. Psalm 95:4-5 reminds us that God, Who created Mount Spurr, is in control. “In His hand are the depths of the Earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” Tapper confessed: Conservative media was right about Biden's decline And finally, in an intriguing interview with Megyn Kelly, CNN's Jake Tapper confessed that “conservative media was right” about Biden's dramatic mental decline. Tapper's new book is entitled, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Listen. KELLY: “Leading up to the debate which you anchored, that June 27 debate, 2024 there was a ton of news leading into that debate in that month. We looked back at your coverage and found that you ignored the freeze up that he had at the Juneteenth Celebration. You ignored what happened at the G7 when he, [Biden], wandered off and Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, had to go find him." TAPPER: “Megyn,” KELLY: “You ignored the freeze up at the George Clooney L.A. fundraiser. You didn't cover it. You only covered it after the debate, after George Clooney wrote his op-ed. Your network at every turn was telling us those were, ‘cheap fakes.'  And you're not combating that narrative. CNN was actively misleading us on what our very eyes were showing us. That's the truth. That's the record.” TAPPER: “I will acknowledge that after I was named co-moderator of the [presidential] debate, I tried to make sure that my coverage was fairly vanilla, both about Trump and about Biden, because I just wanted to get to the debate. I remember that moment, the glitch at the immigration event, and not getting much attention outside of conservative media at all. “Alex and I are here to say the conservative media was right and conservative media was correct. There should be a lot of soul searching, not just among me, but among the legacy media to begin with, all of us, for how this was covered or not covered sufficiently. 100%. I mean, I'm not here to defend coverage that I've already acknowledged I wish I could do differently.” Prior to the release of this book, CNN's Jake Tapper, in his refusal to tell the truth about Biden's mental decline, did not heed the commandment found in Exodus 20:16. It says, “You shall not bear false witness.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, May 26th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

The 411 on Ageism & How To End It Faster I Janine Vanderburg   For the life of me, given the choice between a strong, more profitable business and letting go of the back-assward stigma around age, the logic is clear. But is it?    Like me, Janine Vanderburg isn't shy about why the math isn't mathing the business reasons why it's about impact not age..    Here's what you'll find out:  What employers don't want you to know  You think it's your resume that needs tweaking or  your interview techniques but What if the real obstacle was something entirely different? What if the system itself was rigged against you in ways you've never considered—not because you're not qualified, but because of your date of birth.  Who's impacted by ageism, or who isn't? When there's a problem like ageism in hiring, it "goes in both directions." As Janine Vanderburg reveals, we're not just talking about discrimination against those 40-plus. "Youngerism" is equally "alive and kicking." If you've been ghosted after interviews, if you've watched less qualified candidates get positions you were perfect for, it might not be you—it might be your birth year. Let's talk about the numbers they're not talking about Last year alone, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 16,000 complaints of age discrimination. When surveyed, over 80% of respondents believed they had experienced workplace age discrimination. Even more shocking: Resume Builder's surveys found hiring managers systematically screen out both applicants over 60 AND those under 27. And if you work with AI? 90% of hiring managers don't want to hire anybody over 35 for roles involving artificial intelligence—despite experienced professionals often being the best AI power users. Three Places Ageism Is Sabotaging Your Career (And What to Do About It) Inside your own mind: When you think "I'm too young/old for this position" before even applying In hiring practices: When recruiters make assumptions about your abilities based solely on graduation dates Embedded in systems: When AI screening tools filter you out before a human ever sees your application The Demographic Shift That Will Change Everything By 2030—just five years away—there will be more people over 65 than under 18. Companies unprepared for this reality will be scrambling for talent while others thrive. Will you be positioned to capitalize on this inevitable shift? What Smart Job Seekers Do Differently As Janine advises, "You can be willing to fight to end ageism, and you can also try to preserve your financial security." Both can be true at once. The wisest approach? Learn the unwritten rules, navigate the system strategically, and position yourself where your true value is recognized. Listen now to discover how to turn what looks like an obstacle into your greatest competitive advantage. Janine Vanderburg (https://www.linkedin.com/in/janinevanderburg/) is a Keynote Speaker, and Founder/Director of Changing the Narrative is the leading effort in the U.S. to change the way people think, talk and act about aging and ageism through evidence-based strategies and innovative public campaigns. Her end game? To end ageism."   Chapters: 00:00-01:32 - Introduction & The Firestarter 01:32-05:58 - Understanding the Landscape of Ageism 05:58-09:23 - Janine's Awakening to Ageism 09:23-10:41 - Cliff Notes from the Training 10:41-13:34 - Employer Messaging Shift 13:34-16:05 - The Math Isn't Mathing 16:05-18:14 - Progress & Reality Check 18:14-29:09 - Staying in the Fight Without Burning Out   Like what you hear?  Subscribe and leave a 5-star review!  Suggest a topic or ask a question for me to answer on the show!  Want  FREE executive job search tips each week? Click here to join my newsletter. Get a copy of my ebook Turn Age Into Your Advantage Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorengreiff/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portfoliorocket/ Watch my podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGM7j8croBkkZ4bLqN7DOQ/

As enforcement guidance sharpens and the legal spotlight intensifies, how are organizations supposed to navigate DEI now?In this episode, we take a deeper look at what has unfolded since Executive Order 14173, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” was signed in January 2025. While the order targeted federal agencies, its ripple effects are reshaping how private companies, nonprofits, and universities approach diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.So what exactly has changed—and what's still allowed?Women Offshore walks through the Department of Justice's new enforcement role, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) March 2025 guidance, and how leaders can keep building opportunity-driven workplaces while staying aligned with the law.In this episode, we cover:What the Department of Justice (DOJ) was instructed to do under Executive Order 14173What the new EEOC guidance says about hiring, training, and employee groupsWhat merit-based hiring meansHow outreach, mentorship, and leadership development can (and should) continueWhy This MattersThe maritime workforce shortage isn't going away. If anything, it's becoming more urgent. Offshore rigs, shipping companies, and maritime employers need to attract and retain talent across a broader spectrum to meet demand—and create resilient, future-ready teams.Smart, sustainable DEI practices aren't just about compliance. They are critical to solving the workforce crisis ahead.Join Us at the Women Offshore Leadership Summit

OA1151 - We're (kind of) live from New York! Thomas, Matt, and OA regular Liz Skeen meet up in person for the first time on Liz's home turf to review the state of the law three months into the second Trump administration. We begin with a brief update on some  recent developments in Trump's war against Biglaw before turning to some encouraging developments in two of the most significant federal civil cases of our lifetimes. Finally, Matt cedes today's footnote to a New York minute from Liz about a welcome legal setback for Andrew Cuomo's mayoral campaign.  Letters from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sent to major law firms demanding data on DEI hiring policies (3/17/2025)  DC District Court Judge James Boasberg's 46-page findings of probable cause for criminal contempt against defendants in JGG v Trump (4/16/2015) Fourth Circuit Judge J. Harvey Wilkinson's order in JGG v. Trump (4/17/2025) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do! To support the show (and lose the ads!), please pledge at patreon.com/law! This content is CAN credentialed, which means you can report instances of harassment, abuse, or other harm on their hotline at (617) 249-4255, or on their website at creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org.