A Fair Victory? House Democrats Pass the FAIR Act to Limit Mandatory Arbitration

Lynne Hermle and Roza PattersonPosted on October 2, 2019

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis—a decision that upheld the validity of class action waivers in arbitration agreements (discussed in our prior post). Since then, Democrats lobbied to overturn that decision. In 2018, Democrats introduced H.R. 7109, entitled the “Restoring Justice for Workers Act” to outlaw class action waiver provisions in employment contracts. Although that bill died in Congress, Democrats continue to pursue the fight to prohibit “forced” arbitration agreements and class action waivers. READ MORE →

Hut-Hut-Hike: The Second Circuit Tackles Hostile Work Environment Claims Under the ADA

Renee Phillips and Roza PattersonPosted on March 29, 2019

In a case of first impression, the Second Circuit has held that hostile work environment claims are cognizable under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). In Fox v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, No.17‐0936‐CV (2d Cir. Mar. 6, 2019), the Second Circuit joined the Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Tenth Circuits to recognize this cause of action under the ADA. The court also provided useful guidance on when teasing may or may not suffice to establish a hostile work environment. READ MORE →