On February 8, 2022, three female graduate students filed suit against Harvard University, alleging that each was sexual assaulted, harassed, and retaliated against. The plaintiffs are women studying anthropology at the prestigious ivy league school and claim that Professor John Comaroff engaged...
$243 Million Settlement Reached for 200 UCLA Sexual Assault Survivors
After more than 200 sexual assault survivors came forward with similar allegations, the University of California system reached a $243.6 million settlement. Plaintiffs claimed they were sexually abused by former UCLA gynecologist Dr. James Heaps. Heaps worked at the university in the student health...
UPDATED: House and Senate Overwhelmingly Pass Bill To End Forced Arbitration for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment
On February 7, 2022 the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (335 to 97) in favor of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment Act (H.R. 4445). Three days later, the Senate voted affirmatively to pass the bill (S. 2342). This bill is a historic step...
House Overwhelmingly Passes Bill To End Forced Arbitration for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment
On February 7, 2022 the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (335 to 97) in favor of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault & Sexual Harassment Act (H.R. 4445). This bill is a historic step towards further bolstering the rights of survivors of sexual assault and sexual...
Teacher Sues School for Retaliation After Reporting Sexual Harassment
A 5th grade teacher is suing the school she used to work for in Utah. The teacher reported incidents of student sexual harassment, but claims she was retaliated against after doing so.
The lawsuit alleges violations of Title IX, among other claims, stemming from an alleged sexual assault incident...
$490 Million Sexual Assault Settlement Reached for University of Michigan Claimants
The University of Michigan has reached a settlement to resolve sexual assault allegations against former University sports physician Robert Anderson. The University will pay $490 million to settle allegations from over 1,000 plaintiffs—primarily male athletes—who claim they were sexually abused...
New Law Requires New York City to Disclose Pay in Job Ads
A new salary disclosure law was recently passed, impacting businesses with employees in New York City. Under the new law, which goes into effect in May 2022, any employer with more than four employees in New York City who advertises a job must state the minimum and maximum salary offered for that...
$100 Million Gender Discrimination Settlement For Riot Games Employees
Video game maker Riot Games has agreed to a $100 million settlement to resolve discrimination claims. Plaintiffs, comprised of more than 2,000 current and former employees, claimed that Riot Games engaged in gender discrimination. The lawsuit was filed in 2018, and originally sought $10 million...
Reports of College Sexual Assault on the Rise in 2021-2022 School Year
PBS reports that as college students returned to campus amid the pandemic this past fall, they faced a heightened risk of sexual assault on campus. Larger universities, such as Virginia Tech, University of North Carolina, and Indiana University, reported an increase in sexual violence incidents...
Jury Awards $1.7 Million to Black Teacher Retaliated Against for Discrimination Claims
A Boston teacher won a $1.7 million jury award after raising concerns of workplace discrimination. The jury awarded the sum after finding that the school retaliated against the teacher—the only black male teacher at the school—after he alleged discrimination. The teacher was hired part-time in...
Sexual Assault Training Program Launched at LSU to Educate Staff
Louisiana State University launched a new program designed to train faculty and staff on how to appropriately respond to sexual assault complaints. The program is called GRACE (Gaining Resilience and Cultivating Empowerment), and aims to support LSU students and connect staff with the resources...
$2.2 Million Settlement Reached After Transgender Inmate Hangs Herself
Following the death of a transgender inmate, a family has been awarded one of the largest wrongful death settlements in the history of Georgia’s prison system. The $2.2 million civil settlement was granted to the family of a woman who had a history of mental illness and hung herself while in solitary...