Uncategorized
Global diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) challenges
Diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) poses unique legal and practical challenges for employers with multicountry operations. To develop an effective global diversity equity and inclusion strategy, it’s important to understand some fundamental differences between U.S. employment law and the laws in most other countries. Is DEI irrelevant outside the U.S.? One can argue that diversity…
Read MoreThe corporate DEI cutbacks narrative
Verse Legal’s Bonnie Levine recently spoke to NPR about the confusing legal landscape surrounding corporate DEI initiatives, which are reportedly facing “cutbacks.” While NPR did not cite data about layoffs of DEI-focused employees in its August 19 report, it referred to shrinking DEI-related job postings on Indeed.com. The article also referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling…
Read MoreThe “Religious Liberty Training” complaint
Southwest Airlines plans to appeal a civil contempt order mandating religious liberty training for some of its attorneys amid a discrimination case that has placed it in a tough position with respect to legal risk, employee engagement, and workplace compliance. What is the case? Charlene Carter v. Transport Workers Union of America, Local 556, and…
Read MoreThe “Black Women-Owned Business Grants” complaint
Certain media have been amplifying the recently-filed case American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund Management LLC. Read the Complaint here. Who is the plaintiff? Here, the complaint speaks pretty well for itself: “Plaintiff, American Alliance for Equal Rights, is a nationwide membership organization dedicated to challenging distinctions and preferences made on the basis of race…
Read MoreGet versed: “Case or controversy”
Happy 229th birthday to an important constitutional limitation on the sometimes-frightening power of the federal judiciary! In recent dialogue about the United States Supreme Court’s high-profile decisions impacting civil rights, you may have heard the phrase “case or controversy.” History During the war between England and France in 1793, the just-established United States was presented…
Read MoreThe “Decentering Whiteness” complaint
Certain media have been amplifying the recently-filed case Lee v. Foothill-De Anza Community College District et al., in which a Black sociologist faculty member alleges she was illegally fired from a Community College for her views in favor of “decentering whiteness.” Read the Complaint here. Who is the plaintiff? Dr. Tabia Lee is an educational…
Read MoreSCOTUS’s affirmative action decision: what it is and isn’t for employers
The U.S. Supreme Court may have stricken a blow to affirmative action in higher education this week, but alarmist rhetoric about looming legal threats to workplace diversity are overblown. As Verse Legal Attorney and Founder Bonnie Levine told Quartz recently, employee activism and social consciousness are not going away, regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision.…
Read MoreEquitable Dinners commemorate Atlanta Race Massacre
The City of Atlanta marks the 116th anniversary of the Atlanta Race Massacre with ambition and conviction this month, as Equitable Dinners’ Atlanta 2022 series connects residents, businesses, and community organizations in various locations for a play and a meal, paired with constructive dialogue and call to action. By the time the event ends, over…
Read MoreFederal court stymies “Stop WOKE;” DEI-forward employers, do not let these laws faze you
The inevitable has come to pass: The “Stop WOKE” Act’s provisions limiting employer trainings are subject to preliminary injunction under an August 18 federal court ruling, giving Florida employers at least a temporary reprieve from the ongoing legal battle surrounding diversity-and-inclusion training efforts. DEI-forward employers must channel vigilance and resilience for the long haul —…
Read MoreGood DEI is worth the risk, assuming timely engagement with legal counsel
The difference between bad DEI and good DEI often hinges on the timing and quality of legal counsel’s involvement in the conversation, according to a Harvard Business Review article co-authored by Verse Legal Attorney and Founder Bonnie Levine. If they are willing to involve legal counsel in open conversations from the get-go, companies can pursue…
Read More