Rechazando la decisión de un tribunal federal del Distrito Sur de Texas que negó una demanda de discriminación por la Comisión Para la Igualdad de Oportunidades en el Empleo de los EE.UU., el Tribunal de Apelaciones del Quinto Circuito de los EE. UU. decidió  ayer con unanimidad que despedir a una mujer porque está dando de lactar o extrayéndose la leche es discriminación sexual ilegal violando el Título VII del Acta de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (modificada por la Ley de Discriminación por Embarazo de 1978). El Congreso aprobó la Ley de Discriminación por Embarazo para proteger a las mujeres que trabajan contra la discriminación por motivos de embarazo, parto o una condición médica relacionada.

Overturning a federal trial court's decision from the Southern District of Texas denying the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's discrimination lawsuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held unanimously yesterday that firing a woman because she is lactating or expressing milk is unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978).  Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to protect working women against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.

Luminant Mining Company LLC, a Dallas, Texas coal mining company, will pay $150,000 to a former equipment operator to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. 

In a closely watched case, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a written order denying air transportation giant United Airlines's petition for high court review of a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  This means the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeal's Sept. 7, 2012 decision will stand, holding that "reasonable accommodation" under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may require employers to provide employees with disabilities with "reassignment to a vacant position" when the employee cannot be accommodated in his or her current position.  (EEOC v. United Airlines, 1:10-CV-01699, U.S. Dist. Court, No. Dist. of Illinois; EEOC v. United Airlines, No. 11-1774. 7th Cir.)

Chinese quick service restaurant giant Panda Express will pay $150,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit on behalf of at least three female teenagers who were allegedly sexually harassed between 2007 and 2009 while working in a restaurant in Kauai, Hawaii, the federal agency announced today.

Star Transport, Inc., a trucking company based in Morton, Ill., violated federal law by failing to accommodate two employees because of their religion, Islam, and discharging them, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.

Torqued-Up Energy Services, Inc., a Tyler, Texas-based petroleum and gas industry equipment provider, will pay $150,000 and furnish other relief to settle a racial harassment and retaliation suit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Joe-Ryan Enterprises, Inc., a trucking company located in Phenix City, Ala., which does business as Joe Ryan Trucking, will pay $15,000 and offer other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

Grace Episcopal Church of Whitestone, Inc., a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, will pay $192,500 to settle a sex harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

The Birmingham District of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the New Orleans Consulate of Mexico at the EEOC's Jackson Area Office in Jackson on May 23.  The agreement establishes an ongoing collaborative relationship between these two entities to provide Mexican nationals with information, guidance, and access to resources on the prevention of discrimination in the workplace, regardless of documentation status.  Andrea García Guerra, consul general of Mexico in New Orleans, and Delner Franklin-Thomas, director of the EEOC's Birmingham District, will sign the agreement.