#lawsuit

https://www.napa-net.org/news/2026/5/schlichter-bogard-targets-ford-401k-plans-with-broad-breach-claims/

• IBM (NYSE:IBM) is facing a lawsuit that accuses the company of racially discriminatory layoffs targeting Black executives.

• The suit alleges a pattern of race based terminations tied to shifts in regulatory and compliance priorities.

• The case raises questions about IBM's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and its internal governance controls.

https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/ibm-lawsuit-over-black-executive-211421488.html

Scharf's mandatory RTO against the disabled has created a MASSIVE unforced liability for the company.

EEOC is prosecuting companies that issue these blanket mandates.

https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/fedex-pay-280000-eeoc-disability-discrimination-lawsuit

In the lawsuit, the EEOC charged that in February 2023, FedEx failed to accommodate several dispatchers’ requests to continue working from home and demanded the dispatchers’ return to its downtown Manhattan office, effectively forcing at least one into retirement. The employee, and other disabled dispatchers, previously performed dispatcher duties remotely and successfully for nearly three years. According to the suit, FedEx denied continued telework based on an alleged operational need to have all its dispatchers work in the office and failed to engage with its disabled dispatchers to find alternative accommodations.

“This case serves as a reminder that employers should not take a blanket approach to telework accommodations and should take care to engage in individualized assessments,” said Kimberly A. Cruz, regional attorney for the EEOC’s New York District Office. “Changing the location where work is performed may fall under the ADA’s reasonable accommodation requirements, even if the employer does not allow other employees to telework.”

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits an employer from failing to reasonably accommodate an employee’s qualifying disability, absent undue hardship. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (EEOC v. Federal Express Corporation d/b/a FedEx Express, Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-00454) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

Arlean Nieto, acting director of the EEOC’s New York District Office, said, “The EEOC is committed to enforcing the ADA and holding employers accountable for denying reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities.”

Meta got sued for age discrimination. See https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/called-them-dinosaurs-lawsuits-began-ai-bias-hiring-more-vanderburg-wff9c.

The data cited in the lawsuit is stark:

Employees over 40 were 1.5x more likely to be laid off than employees under 40.
Employees over 50 were 2.5x more likely to be terminated than their younger colleagues.

The workforce reductions last December appeared to disproportionately affect employees with older ages. Is there any public data support my observation?

TIAA facing a federal lawsuit from a former wealth advisor who says he was pushed out after seeking disability accommodations.

Phillip Pham, who spent nearly a decade at the financial services giant, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on February 16, 2026, alleging the firm violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and Michigan's Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act. The case, which stems from an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filing on June 10, 2025, seeks compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorneys' fees.

Pham joined TIAA in November 2015 as a wealth advisor and, according to the filing, built himself into one of the firm's top performers — consistently ranking in the top ten in product sales and accumulating almost $900 million in assets. That track record, the lawsuit argues, did not insulate him from what he describes as discrimination after a series of concussions forced him to ask for workplace adjustments.

The filing lays out three concussions — in 2016, around September 2021, and on July 13, 2023. The first left Pham with memory loss, delayed speech and impaired mental processing. After the third, his physician determined that his symptoms mirrored the severity of the 2016 episode and recommended reduced hours for one month, a gradual return to a full-time schedule and blue screen protection on his equipment.

According to the lawsuit, TIAA did not reduce Pham's workload to make the shorter hours feasible and did not officially approve the reduced schedule until early 2024. Even then, the filing states, Pham still carried more clients and higher asset amounts than other wealth advisors at the firm.

What followed, the lawsuit alleges, was a series of moves that systematically undercut Pham's ability to succeed. His Wealth Director, Theresa Serafimovski, allegedly issued a written warning on July 19, 2024, tied in part to symptoms of his condition. The filing claims he was told to hit 100 percent of his performance targets within weeks — despite a prior agreement setting the bar at 85 percent. That higher standard, the lawsuit says, was not placed on his colleagues.

Perhaps most striking for industry observers: the filing alleges Pham was the only wealth advisor not invited to TIAA's client referral system — described in the lawsuit as the only way advisors could source new business and grow their books. The firm reportedly attributed his exclusion to workload concerns, but Pham argues it effectively cut off his pipeline for external revenue.

On August 16, 2024, Pham submitted another physician's note recommending a reduced client load and that he avoid working through dinners. He spoke briefly with someone in human resources, according to the filing, but heard nothing back. Two months later, on October 15, 2024, he was called into a meeting with Human Resources Director Ashley Bigham and Human Resources Manager Kristin Johnson. He was terminated during that meeting, and his accommodation request was scuttled.

Since leaving TIAA, Pham took a business manager role at Washtenaw Christian Academy from January to May 2025, earning $55,000 annually, before launching his own life insurance venture, Phamily Phinancial Group, in June 2025. He says he has not yet been able to collect unemployment.

The case is in its earliest stages. TIAA has not yet responded, and no court rulings have been issued. But the lawsuit lands at a moment when large wealth management firms face increasing scrutiny over how they handle accommodation requests and whether internal performance systems inadvertently penalize advisors returning from medical leave. For compliance teams and firm leadership, the allegations — if they hold up — could underscore the legal risks embedded in everyday management decisions, from referral access to equipment upgrades to how time off is tracked.

A Columbus AI startup will postpone its upcoming tech festival. This decision follows recent layoffs at the company. A pending lawsuit also affects the company. The suit accuses the founder of firing executives. This was allegedly to avoid sharing future profits.

Columbus, Ohio

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/05/05/ohio-tech-entertainment-festival-2026-delayed/89953871007/

Interesting way of accusing someone and acting like they got the correct dates and stating I tampered with a clients account? They don’t even have any evidence but yet the whistle blowing manager and operations managers have been in HR investigation for harassment complaint. So, I am assuming it’s retaliation? Which would fall under unlawful termination with their accusations. Thats extra 150k or more in my pockets when it’s taken to court.

If you’re currently involved in a dispute over unfair dismissal or the company’s illegal practices, it might be difficult to answer here.
I think what the company fears most is having multiple dismissed employees file lawsuits alleging illegal conduct, which would prevent the downsizing plan from going through.

https://www.investmentnews.com/ria-news/disabled-banker-sues-wells-fargo-alleges-diversity-push-drove-his-firing/265565

https://aging.networkofcare.org/lrgv-tx/CommunityResources/News/Article?articleId=151628

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charlotteobserver_wellsfargo-wfh-workfromhome-activity-7448405383771222016-iAIY

Cognizant sued by Department of Justice.
https://x.com/InsiderWire/status/2051020690896093244

You can tell HR that you don't want to be transferred to cognizant.

A lawsuit has been filed against Wren Kitchens. This legal action follows recent mass layoffs. The company's job cuts were reportedly abrupt. The lawsuit addresses these sudden terminations. Affected employees were located in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

https://www.audacy.com/wilknews/news/local/lawsuit-filed-against-wren-kitchens-over-abrupt-mass-layoffs-in-nepa

A former Wells Fargo Advisors broker in Brookfield, Wisconsin, has filed a lawsuit accusing the wirehouse of firing him because of his age.

Kenneth J. Schneider, who spent his entire 50-year career with Wells and predecessor firms, claimed that he was terminated at the age of 78 “for the sole pretextual reason” that he used a swear word in the office when talking with his wife, who also worked at the firm, according to a complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court in Wisconsin.

Local Wells managers had “been trying to get Schneider to retire for years,” and younger advisors were given more lenient, “progressive discipline” for similar violations of the firm’s professional conduct policies, according to the complaint.

“Wells Fargo willfully took adverse actions against Schneider because of his age,” the ex-broker’s lawyers wrote in the complaint.

https://www.advisorhub.com/wells-fargo-faces-age-discrimination-claim-from-50-year-industry-vet/

A federal court approved a $1.25 million settlement. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was a party. R&R Janitorial Painting and Building Services, Inc. was the defendant. This agreement resolves a five-year-old bias lawsuit. The suit alleged discrimination in connection with layoffs.

Washington, D.C.

https://www.law360.com/articles/2468827/eeoc-janitorial-co-get-ok-for-1-2m-deal-in-layoff-bias-suit

Another age discrimination lawsuit articlegoing. Funny how at&t claims cursing is code of conduct violation and potty mouth Legg does it all the time.

Link

https://www.nj.com/news/2026/04/att-faces-age-discrimination-suit-after-firing-longtime-nj-employee.html

Some of article below

A longtime AT&T employee in New Jersey has filed a federal lawsuit alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination.

The suit, filed March 31 in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, claims Daniel A. Zuckerman, 62, was demoted and ultimately fired last year without warning in retaliation for opposing discrimination and seeking legal advice.

A longtime AT&T employee in New Jersey has filed a federal lawsuit alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination.

A spokesperson for AT&T called the lawsuit “baseless,” and said the company will defend itself in court.

“This employee was not a victim of discrimination: he was given a new job assignment during an organizational restructure, and he was terminated for violating our Code of Business Conduct,” the spokesperson said.

Zuckerman, of Hillsborough, started his career at AT&T in May 1985, according to the lawsuit. He spent nearly 40 years climbing the ranks before he was fired from the company’s Bedminster office on Jan. 27, 2025.

At the time, he held the role of level-three director as a member of technical staff. However, days before his termination, he was notified that he would be demoted to level two associate director in cybersecurity, effective Feb. 1, according to the complaint.

Zuckerman claims he has never received disciplinary action or a negative performance evaluation during his tenure.

The lawsuit alleges that AT&T maintains a corporate culture of age discrimination which encourages older employees to leave voluntarily, and favors younger employees.

Zuckerman also claims he was instructed in 2014 not to hire a highly qualified 56-year-old candidate because of the candidate’s age.

The lawsuit says the age discrimination originated with top leadership. It points to remarks by former CEO Randall Stephenson in 2016 about AT&T’s aging workforce and need to reinvent itself, and alleges current CEO John Stankey made “outrageously offensive” ageist statements.

During a July 2023 town hall, Stankey stated that the workforce needed younger employees to better match the U.S. population, according to the suit.

Look at what this company is dealing with. Debt that keeps growing. Competition that keeps getting stronger. Lawsuits that never seem to end. Any one of those would be bad, but all three together? I don't see a way out.

Dozens of former Northern Metal Fab, Inc. employees are suing the company's owners. They allege abrupt layoffs occurred without proper notice. Employees also claim they were not paid final wages or unused vacation time. Their health insurance was reportedly canceled despite continued premium payments. The company plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy due to financial viability issues.

Western Wisconsin

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/wisconsin-metal-plant-employees-sue-owners-over-sudden-closure-layoffs/

Thoughts?

A former employee is suing Intermountain Packing in Idaho Falls. The lawsuit alleges the company violated the federal WARN Act. Intermountain Packing abruptly laid off 150 workers without 60 days' advance notice. The complaint seeks class action status for all affected employees. The company claims an unforeseeable financial crisis prevented proper notification.

Idaho Falls, Idaho

https://capitalpress.com/2026/04/17/defunct-idaho-sla-ghterhouse-sued-over-foreseeable-mass-layoffs/

Aviator College of Aeronautical Science & Technology ceased operations. It was a flight school situated at Treasure Coast International Airport. The closure occurred after a lawsuit. This action led to job losses for many employees. The institution was located in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Fort Pierce, Florida

https://cw34.com/news/local/gallery/fort-pierce-florida-flight-school-aviator-college-closes-after-lawsuit-layoffs-closure-jobs-students-mechanics-pilots-?photo=2

So ridiculous. They are saying no directors except in Westlake or maybe Lone Tree. Even 59 PLs are getting warned during the interview process that they will have to get some sort of difficult approval. Do they genuinely expect everyone to move to those fiery city hellholes for this job? Cuz nope.
What about the offices THEY closed, like St Louis, New Jersey and Maryland? What about smaller offices like Chicago, Ann Arbor, Raleigh? And what about disability exceptions? If promotions are lost because of this policy, the lawsuits will be massive.

Anyone receive a settlement check due to a lawsuit? Do u cash it? Do u Send it back. No one will say will there be consequences if it is cashed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/lawsuits-claim-at-ts-ceo-saw-the-relocation-mandate-as-a-way-to-replace-older-workers-with-younger-ones/ar-AA20YBUD?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Stankey should have a nice read while he’s taking his afternoon dump.

Against the farm for no payment to wfh employees for office space, utilities, and internet.

Google ATT RTO lawsuit.

https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/employment-law/former-att-director-alleges-return-to-office-mandate-drove-out-older-workers/570973

A former director is suing the company for age discrimination related to the RTO and relocation BS. She specifically cites Stankey’s remarks in 2023 about the employee demographics skewing too old. Too much to ask first but boy would it be awesome if they got nailed for this!

Good read for those that feel like they have been retaliated against due to ADA and health issues.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article315352962.html

After today’s HR email eliminating NRE status (which I just achieved this year), and being a CL 29, where each PA continues to be the Hunger Games, I feel I need to have the name of a good lawyer in my back pocket… just in case….

1) Who can recommend a strong employment law firm?
2) Does anyone know of successful employment law cases against EM (specifics beyond hearsay)?

Are there any? We have in writing from a manager that there were forced stack rankings. WFC doing bad faith IMs to avoid layoff severance. Anyone talked to a lawyer yet? Our group would like to join.

The chance of winning is 90%, and you can find a lawyer who will take the case for 10–25% of the RSUs. It is well established that laying off employees before RSUs vesting in 6 months is illegal, not to mention immoral.

DM just announced Michael Olsen is retiring. He’s been dumping stock since December. Clearly no faith in company if leaving during critical lawsuit with creditors.

very taxing on managers and will eventually be a large lawsuit. my guess there are people high up in HR that are pi---d off and speaking up.

Oracle shouldn’t get away with Nationality, Age, Race, S-x, Religion discrimination. We invite law firms to initiate a class action lawsuit, thousands of people will join. We will win billions.

Iowa reported 83 total layoffs in March. Car dealerships Sky Chevrolet and Sky Auto Mall accounted for 76 job losses. These dealerships are located in Newhall and Center Point. They face lawsuits from Stellantis Financial Services and Ford Motor Credit Co. The lawsuits allege the dealerships took out multiple loans on the same vehicles.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/2026/04/02/iowa-layoffs-march-83-workers/89421684007/

A Manhattan federal jury on Monday awarded $8.4 million to a New York University professor and former Cognizant Technology Solutions employee who claimed he was fired in retaliation for alleging the information technology company engaged in systematic hiring bias.

. . .

Jean-Claude Franchitti said he was fired in 2016 from a $350,000-a-year job after a decade at New Jersey-based Cognizant. He claimed it was retaliation for asking questions about the company's alleged bias toward hiring workers from India as part of a "cheap labor" profit model.

The award for Franchitti consisted of $4.2 million in back pay, or lost wages, and $4.2 million in punitive damages. The jury declined to award compensation for front pay, or future earnings, or for an emotional distress claim.

The trial revealed a dearth of written communications from Franchitti complaining about Cognizant's alleged strategy to keep a cheap labor pipeline open. His lawyers said Franchitti kept concerns verbal because he knew he was walking a "fine line" and wanted to find fixes diplomatically.

Franchitti is pleased with the verdict, his lawyer, Daniel Kotchen, told Law360 via email.

"The jury sent a strong message that violating employees' rights will not be tolerated," he said.

For every American laid off and on boarding H1Bs at the same time.

Every H1B visa holder and Green card petitioner's visa and applications need to be cancelled immediately.

If not for yourself, this needs to be the done for the younger unemployed or recently graduated americans. Enough of this sh-t.

JPMorgan must face Wells Fargo lawsuit over troubled $481 million real estate loan | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/jpmorgan-must-face-wells-fargo-lawsuit-over-troubled-481-million-real-estate-2026-03-30/

If you are laid off, negotiate your severance. Ask for 10 times your severance and settle for 5 times if you can get. Tell the reason to them while negotiating - discrimination based on national origin. H1-B workers are still employed, I am being laid off because I am American.