Ninth Circuit Revives Employee’s Title VII Discrimination Claims, Clarifies Requirements

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently revived an employee’s claims that her employer created a hostile work environment and subjected her to discrimination by demoting and relocating her to a lower-paying position based on her race, gender and ethnicity in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The case, Lui v. DeJoy, No. 23-35378 (9th Cir. Feb. 26, 2025), highlights the need for employers to take discrimination and harassment complaints seriously and respond appropriately in line with their legal obligations. Additionally, the court took the opportunity to clarify what employees need to show to establish “disparate treatment” discrimination claims