©2026 Seyfarth Shaw LLP EEOC-INITIATED LITIGATION: 2026 EDITION | 26 • Combating Antisemitism in Higher Education: Consistent with Chair Lucas’s March 2025 promise “to hold accountable universities and colleges which have created a hostile-work environment for their Jewish employees”57, the EEOC obtained a $21 million settlement with Columbia University after claiming harassment based on religion and national origin. The agency continues to prioritize accountability for universities regarding antisemitism and religious bias. • Federal Workforce Protections: EEOC issued decisions reinforcing religious rights for federal employees and participates in the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, established under Executive Order 14202. Chair Lucas also emphasized the agency’s goal of restoring “evenhanded enforcement” of Title VII, ensuring employees are not forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood. These actions reflect a broader strategy by the EEOC to uphold religious liberty and combat discrimination in both private and public sectors. In keeping with the EEOC’s stated goals, the agency has taken the following enforcement actions in 2025: • EEOC v. Crystal Ridge Ski Area, LLC d/b/a The Rock Snowpark, Case No. 25-cv-940 (E.D. Wis.):58 On July 2, 2025, the EEOC filed a lawsuit alleging that The Rock Snowpark, a winter sports and events venue in Franklin, Wisconsin, violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by terminating a lift operations manager because of his religion. According to the complaint, the employee, a Christian, regularly posted Bible verses and faith-based messages on his personal social media account. These posts did not reference the workplace or coworkers. After his supervisor instructed him to refrain from posting such content, the employee stated he could continue sharing scripture. Three days later, he was fired for posting another Bible verse. The EEOC contends that the discharge constituted unlawful religious discrimination. The agency filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin after attempting conciliation. The EEOC seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination. • EEOC v. FCA US, LLC, Case No. 25-cv-11675 (E.D. Mich.):59 On July 7, 2025, the EEOC filed a lawsuit alleging that FCA US, LLC, an international automobile manufacturer, violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by refusing to accommodate an employee’s religious observance and then terminating him. According to the complaint, FCA initially allowed the employee, who is Jewish, to avoid working on the Sabbath. Two months later, FCA instituted mandatory Saturday work, conflicting with his religious beliefs. Instead of engaging in an interactive process, FCA disciplined the employee for attendance violations when he did not work on the Sabbath. The employee complained about discrimination, but FCA continued issuing violations. Three months later, FCA denied his request for two unpaid days off to observe Passover. When the employee chose to observe Passover rather than work, FCA disciplined him again and ultimately fired him. The EEOC alleges this conduct constitutes unlawful religious discrimination and retaliation. The EEOC filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after unsuccessful conciliation efforts. The agency seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief to prevent future violations. 57 https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-acting-chair-promises-hold-accountable-universities-and-colleges-antisemitism-campus 58 https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-sues-rock-snowpark-religious-discrimination 59 https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-charges-fca-firing-worker-practicing-his-faith
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