It is perhaps the most significant shift in civil rights enforcement in a generation or longer. In a last-minute proposal, the U.S. Department of Justice has proposed a rule change that would change how it enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars...
Civil Rights Litigation
What is a Section 1983 civil rights lawsuit?
We all know that the U.S. Constitution and some federal laws give us certain rights. For example, we have freedom of speech, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and arrests, and the right to access public accommodations. Sometimes, however, local, state...
HUD will enforce the Fair Housing Act on behalf of LGBTQ people
After an executive order by President Biden, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will consider sexual orientation and gender identity as protected from discrimination in housing. This also follows a Supreme Court ruling establishing that the Civil...
Does relying on consumer surveys lead to workplace discrimination?
When companies rely on customer satisfaction surveys to evaluate their workers, it can lead to discrimination. This is because consumers’ ratings are often infected by racism, ageism, sexism or anti-disability bias. A recent lawsuit argues that Uber’s use of its...
Supreme Court: LGBTQ employees are protected by Title VII
In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court announced this week that the language of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination "because of sex" applies to sexual minorities, including people who are gay or openly transgender. Therefore, it is...
Is Facebook failing its Black employees and users?
Diversity is about more than fairness. It is also about helping your company build relationships with a diverse audience and customer base. Without sufficient diversity inside the company, it’s hard to draw in users of color, and mistakes can easily be made that will...
6 key areas where students have rights at school
Students in American schools have constitutional rights. It is true that there are areas where their rights are not as protected as those of adults, but the courts have laid out substantial, protectable rights in many areas. Students generally have the right to a...
Should DHS use face recognition technology on Americans?
The government of China is running one of the most expansive surveillance networks in history, but the United States isn't far behind. Is a society where we are constantly tracked, compared to watchlists and hauled in for legal violations the society we really...
Survey: 25.9% of undergrad women experience sexual assault
According to a recent survey by the Association of American Universities (AAU), more than a quarter of undergraduate women say that they have been sexually assaulted since starting college. That is, they were sexually touched or penetrated without their consent,...
This October, support National Bullying Prevention Month
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and we should all work together to end bullying in school. When bullying is allowed to continue at school, it can be a civil rights issue and can also create significant suffering for victims. Moreover, bullying is not a...