Hannah Finnie is a writer in Washington, D.C. interested in the intersections of work and culture. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
A Black contract worker at Tesla who alleged he was racially discriminated against at the California-based Tesla factory he worked at won his lawsuit, though a federal judge this week pared down the damages that a jury awarded him. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing is suing the same factory for racial discrimination and harassment.
A lawsuit against Fox News alleging sexual harassment will test whether or not a new law carving out sexual harassment and assault claims from arbitration agreements will apply retroactively, according to a Bloomberg Law article. The question centers on whether or not the law, which was enacted in March, 2022, covers arbitration agreements made before the law was passed.
Since it was revealed that Starbucks hired Democrat-affiliated PR firm Global Strategy Group (GSG) to help prepare its anti-union strategy, a campaign has continued to get pro-labor Democrats in Congress to stop working with the organization. For example, Rep. David Cicilline, who supports the pro-labor PRO Act, continues to work with Global Strategy Group and has recently been targeted for the continuing connection. Other progressive groups have dropped their ties with Global Strategy Group, including MoveOn.
Finally, President Biden’s Department of Labor released an Equity Action Plan describing both actions the department has already taken to “embed equity in everything the department does” and how it plans to continue doing so moving forward. The plan is available here.
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February 11
Hollywood begins negotiations for a new labor agreement with writers and actors; the EEOC launches an investigation into Nike’s DEI programs and potential discrimination against white workers; and Mayor Mamdani circulates a memo regarding the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
February 10
San Francisco teachers walk out; NLRB reverses course on SpaceX; NYC nurses secure tentative agreements.
February 9
FTC argues DEI is anticompetitive collusion, Supreme Court may decide scope of exception to forced arbitration, NJ pauses ABC test rule.
February 8
The Second Circuit rejects a constitutional challenge to the NLRB, pharmacy and lab technicians join a California healthcare strike, and the EEOC defends a single better-paid worker standard in Equal Pay Act suits.
February 6
The California Supreme Court rules on an arbitration agreement, Trump administration announces new rule on civil service protections, and states modify affirmative action requirements
February 5
Minnesota schools and teachers sue to limit ICE presence near schools; labor leaders call on Newsom to protect workers from AI; UAW and Volkswagen reach a tentative agreement.