Coca-Cola excluded men from work trip, violating Title VII, EEOC alleges

The lawsuit filing comes on the heels of employment attorneys predicting that “reverse discrimination” would be an EEOC priority for 2026.

By Caroline Colvin • Feb. 19, 2026

5 stories on alleged discrimination against men

Title VII applies to all workers, regardless of their sex, race or other protected characteristics — and recent events have put the spotlight on majority-group plaintiffs. 

By Emilie Shumway • Feb. 18, 2026

Jury may decide whether homecare company owes nearly $6M in overtime

The U.S. Department of Labor alleged the employer intentionally misclassified employees as independent contractors to avoid paying overtime.

By Kate Tornone • Feb. 18, 2026

Cemetery locked Black employees out of restroom open to White workers, EEOC alleges

The alleged conduct amounted to an unlawful denial of equal status in the workplace, the commission said.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 17, 2026

Resistance to management style didn’t create hostile work environment, court finds

The court said that the direct report’s responses were not discriminatory microaggressions, but rather “innocent workplace misunderstandings.”

By Laurel Kalser • Feb. 13, 2026

Driver’s heart condition not a disability under the ADA, 8th Circuit affirms

The case is a reminder of the contours of the law’s disability definition.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 13, 2026

This week in 5 numbers: Nearly one-third of workers want to break up with their jobs

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how much the demand for human resources workers has fallen.

By Ginger Christ • Feb. 12, 2026

Kaiser reaches settlement with DOL over alleged mental healthcare access failures

DOL alleged that Kaiser didn’t offer adequate provider networks and used patient questionnaires to prevent members from receiving care.

By Ginger Christ • Feb. 11, 2026

EEOC to spotlight ‘reverse bias’ in 2026, attorneys say

Employers should prepare for “aggressive and assertive” activity on this front from the agency, a source told HR Dive.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 11, 2026

Legal group claims victory after EEOC ‘retreated’ on law firm DEI letters

Most of the 20 major law firms that received letters declined to provide the requested information, and the agency said it “considers the matter of responding to those letters closed.”

By Emilie Shumway • Feb. 10, 2026

SHRM: Inadmissible evidence ‘poisoned’ verdict in race bias, retaliation case

The HR organization asked for a new trial after a federal jury awarded $11.5 million to a former employee last year.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 9, 2026

DOL wants you to self-report potential FMLA violations. Should you?

“I am reluctant to counsel an employer to participate in this program,” Jeff Nowak, shareholder at Littler Mendelson, told HR Dive.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 9, 2026

Former OSU football coach alleges his gender doomed his harassment complaint

Both the plaintiff and a female co-worker filed workplace complaints about each other. Following an investigation, the school fired the plaintiff, citing sexual harassment and stalking.

By Kate Tornone • Feb. 9, 2026

Starbucks beats Missouri AG’s lawsuit targeting DEI programs

The state said it will continue to “aggressively” pursue the case, however.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 6, 2026

EEOC obtains $1.1M from Kickback Jack’s for allegedly refusing to hire male servers

“Hiring must be based on merit — not sex — as Title VII requires,” EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas stated in a media release.

By Laurel Kalser • Feb. 6, 2026

This week in 5 numbers: A quarter of employees saw retaliation for reporting misconduct

Here’s a roundup of numbers from the last week of HR news — including how much a jury awarded a former HR benefits generalist who alleged retaliation by her employer.

By Ginger Christ • Feb. 5, 2026

Nike must explain its pushback against EEOC’s DEI probe, judge says

A federal judge gave Nike a deadline of March 16, 2026.

By Ryan Golden • Updated Feb. 12, 2026

A third of workers say they would only report harassment anonymously

Traliant’s 2026 harassment report stressed the need for multiple reporting paths to help employees speak up “in a way that makes them feel safest.”

By Ginger Christ • Feb. 4, 2026

Former HR worker wins over $5M in jury award for retaliation

The hospice company employee was fired a couple months after engaging in an unsuccessful mediation session resulting from a complaint she filed against a supervisor.

By Emilie Shumway • Updated Feb. 5, 2026

With EEOC’s harassment guidance gone, employers could be ‘in a bind’

“It’s going to be uncertain and a real risk calculus for employers for a while,” Sam Schwartz-Fenwick, partner at Seyfarth Shaw, told HR Dive.

By Emilie Shumway • Feb. 3, 2026

Employees say compliance training is ‘disconnected’ from real life

When compliance training reflects real workplace scenarios, it helps employees recognize misconduct and feel more comfortable speaking up, one expert said.

By Ginger Christ • Feb. 3, 2026

Lawsuit alleges Cornell ‘brazenly’ refused to consider White candidates for faculty job

The university allowed DEI administrators to create an interview list consisting entirely of “minority” candidates, the complaint alleged.

By Kate Tornone • Feb. 3, 2026

FTC fires warning shot at law firms that pursued DEI certification

Under President Donald Trump, the agency has said it will target “collusion or unlawful coordination on DEI metrics” that diminishes labor competition.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 2, 2026

Taco Bell operators settle claims that harasser’s conduct went unchecked for months

Restaurant industry employers have a particular duty to protect young workers, a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regional attorney said.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 2, 2026

Mailbag: When is an employee’s food allergy an ADA ‘direct threat’?

Employers must assess each employee’s ability to perform essential job functions on a case-by-case basis using objective evidence, not fueled by stereotypes or fears, one attorney told HR Dive.

By Ryan Golden • Feb. 2, 2026