Supreme Court Alert – Who Says Scalia is Anti-Plaintiff?
In February 2003, North American Stainless (NAS) received notice that Miriam Regalado had filed an EEOC charge against it. Three weeks later, NAS fired Ms. Regalado’s fiancée, Eric Thompson. Mr. Thompson thereafter brought a Title VII retaliation claim against NAS in federal court in Kentucky. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of NAS on the theory that Title VII did not allow “third party retaliation claims.” That decision was ultimately affirmed by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Earlier today, however, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Sixth Circuit and held 8-0 (the majority opinion was drafted by Scalia, with Kagan not participating) that Mr. Thompson’s suit could proceed even though it was not he who had engaged in protected activity under Title VII. A link to the decision is below. Bottom line — In 2006, the Supreme Court adopted a pretty broad standard for what types of employment actions could be retaliatory under Title VII. The Court has now used some of the rationale from that decision to essentially prohibit “associational retaliation.”
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Chris Parker's practice focuses on the representation and counseling of companies in matters pertaining to the workplace and the protection of their intellectual property and trade secrets. In addition to serving as an advocate for clients, Mr. Parker is also trained as a mediator and frequently serves as a third-party neutral.
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Jimmy Daniel provides counseling to businesses of all sizes related to the employment relationship. He assists in the drafting of employment agreements, policies, and handbooks, as well as provides guidance related to compliance with federal, state, and local legislation such as the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
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While serving in an Of Counsel relationship with the firm, Mr. Bridgesmith also serves as the Executive Director at the Institute for Conflict Resolution at Lipscomb University and as an officer and principal in Strategic Resolutions Group, LLC. In these roles, Mr. Bridgesmith brings over 30 years of legal experience in dispute resolution and innovative workplace strategies to clients, students and business entities alike.
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