Biglaw

Discrimination Lawsuit Against Jones Day Is Heading To Trial!

The firm's parental leave policy is under a microscope.

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work life balance man parental leaveBusy multitasking man, father, dad, daddy, romantic husband, businessman, worker.Biglaw firm Jones Day will have to defend their parental leave policy at trial. Back in 2019, the firm was sued by former associates, married couple Marc Savignac and Julia Sheketoff, alleging a variety of discriminatory practices. Many of those claims were dismissed during summary judgment, including Sheketoff’s allegation she was paid less due to a discriminatory performance review from a male partner and Savignac’s claim that firing him while on parental leave violated the D.C. Family and Medical Leave Act. However, on Wednesday, Judge Randy Moss made a sealed ruling that the claims the firm’s newborn parental leave policy discriminates against biological fathers and retaliation claims based on the couples complaints about the policy can move forward.

As reported by Bloomberg Law, the allegations that the firm’s policy “imposes and reinforces harmful stereotypes and archaic gender roles” will head to trial.

Savignac can go forward with a claim under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that Jones Day’s policy discriminates because of sex by giving eight more weeks to female associates compared to their male peers to care for and bond with a new child, and on a similar claim under the Equal Pay Act. The couple also raised triable evidence on their sex discrimination claim against Jones Day challenging the policy under the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, Moss said.

Additionally, there’s the retaliation claims under Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, and the DCHRA. The couple sent an email complaining about the policy while Savignac was on leave, and he was fired three days later (Sheketoff had already left the firm at that time).

A trial where a Biglaw firm is defending itself from discrimination allegations (assuming there isn’t a last minute settlement) will certainly be interesting to watch.

Earlier: Lawsuit Alleges Jones Day Doctored Firm Picture To Make Attorney Look More Caucasian
New Discrimination Lawsuit Against Jones Day Is Already Getting Messy
It’s Like Jones Day Doesn’t Even Understand The Concept Of Optics

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Kathryn Rubino HeadshotKathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].

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