Supervisor: “Being Gay Is A Mental Disorder.” Such Comments Do Not Bode Well For An Employer’s Motion for Summary Judgment
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Discrimination in the Workplace, LGBTQ+, Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment
Since June, federal law protects employees from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This means that an employer, supervisor, or co-worker may not discriminate or harass an employee because he is gay or is gender non-conforming. If an employee appears to be man, but does not identify as one, that’s his…
Read More Ministerial Exemption Does Not Bar Hostile Work Environment Claim For Gay Church Employee
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | LGBTQ+, Race, Religion, and National Origin
Can an employee sue his church employer after his supervisor, a priest, created a hostile work environment claim because of the employee’s sexual orientation once the priest learned of the employee’s plans to marry his long-term partner? Yes, yes it can, according to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Demkovich…
Read More Is Switzerland Ready For This?
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
The United States has yet to endorse equality for people based upon their sexual orientation. Some states and municipalities have done so, and polls show that a majority of Americans support this – but that obviously is not enough. And now the Supreme Court is poised to rule on a case this Spring that will either…
Read More Employers, Can You Fire An Employee For Being Gay or Transgender?
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Abuse in the Workplace, Discrimination in the Workplace, EEOC, LGBTQ+, Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment
By: Amy Epstein Gluck We will soon see—at least under federal law. What am I talking about? Tomorrow, October 8, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will do what it does when states and federal courts and agencies are divided on an important issue: it will hear arguments on three cases in order to…
Read More Hey 2019, How Is Corporate America Doing With LGBT Policies?
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Abuse in the Workplace, Discrimination in the Workplace, Diversity and Inclusion, EEOC, LGBTQ+, Sexual Harassment
By: Amy Epstein Gluck The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation gives us some indicator to answer this question. Last week, the HRC released its 2019 Corporate Equality Index report— a national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. Some results are as follows: 571 US companies and law…
Read More You Should Dress More Gender Appropriate
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Discrimination in the Workplace, EEOC, LGBTQ+, Sex Discrimination
By: Amy Epstein Gluck The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is taking on Chili’s. No, it’s not because a server added to salt to a margarita when a customer specifically asked for no salt (this happens to me a lot), and it’s not because there were not enough jalapeños on the nachos. Rather, the ACLU…
Read More Another Appeals Panel In NYC Declines To Hold That Title VII Covers Sexual Orientation
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
Just two weeks after the federal appeals court in New York City held that Title VII does not cover sexual orientation discrimination claims, another panel of the same court has come to the same conclusion. And this comes on the heels of the federal appeals court in Chicago coming to the opposite conclusion on April…
Read More Groundbreaking Decision On Sexual Orientation!
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
In what today’s New York Times rightfully called “a significant victory for gay rights,” the full federal appeals court in Chicago, in an 8 to 3 decision, did what its sister court in NYC failed to do: it held that Title VII forbids employment discrimination based upon sexual orientation. By this decision, it reversed a…
Read More A How-To Guide to LGBT Corporate Policies
By Amy Epstein Gluck | | Discrimination in the Workplace, Diversity and Inclusion, LGBTQ+
By: Amy Epstein Gluck As Montell Jordan sang in the 90s—”this is how we do it.” Thanks to my partner Ken Thompson for finding me this awesome graphic! Anyway, need a good example of a corporate culture founded on equal treatment regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity? I’ve got one for you: powerhouse Dow…
Read More One Courageous Judge Contradicts Hand Wringing Appeals Courts On Sexual Orientation
By Richard Cohen | | Uncategorized
A truly historic decision was rendered today by a heroic federal judge. First, the background. Lately there’s been a whole lotta hand wringing and finger pointing in the federal courts over the issue of sexual orientation and Title VII. I commented thusly back on August 8th. I attributed to these courts my caustic quote: “What can I do, man? I know…
Read More RICHARD COHEN
Richard Cohen has litigated and arbitrated complex corporate, commercial and employment disputes for more than 35 years, and is a trusted advisor to business owners and in-house counsel both in the United States and internationally. His clients have included Fortune 100 companies, domestic and foreign commercial and investment banks, Pacific-rim corporations and real estate development companies, as well as start-up businesses throughout the United States.
AMY EPSTEIN GLUCK
Amy Epstein Gluck has represented individuals and corporate clients in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and various federal district courts for more than twenty years. Ms. Epstein Gluck’s current practice areas include employment law—advising on and drafting employment agreements; handling employment negotiations, severance agreements, noncompete and nondisclosure agreements, “wrongful terminations” and other EEO matters; representation at the EEOC level; advising employers about discrimination laws and how to remain in compliance, and employment negotiations.
