In July 2025, federal actions on civil rights and labor policy made headlines, as Columbia University reached a record $21 million settlement over antisemitism claims, a federal court reversed job protections for a transgender teacher under Florida’s pronoun law, and the Department of Labor paused enforcement of an Obama-era rule expanding wage protections for home care workers. Get the details in this month’s employment law update.
Columbia University Reaches Historic $21 Million Antisemitism Settlement with EEOC
Columbia University has agreed to pay $21 million to resolve claims of antisemitic harassment against Jewish employees, marking the largest such settlement ever reached by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the agency announced. The deal addresses both individual complaints and a rare “commissioner’s charge” filed by acting EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which reportedly led to increased harassment on campus.
This EEOC agreement is part of a broader $221 million settlement Columbia reached with the Trump administration to address failures in protecting Jewish staff and students. While the university admitted no wrongdoing, it agreed to implement policy reforms aimed at combating antisemitism and reaffirmed its commitment to academic independence.
Lucas emphasized that universities, as workplaces, must uphold civil rights laws and not allow antisemitism under the guise of free speech. She praised Columbia for establishing a substantial claims fund for affected employees.
The EEOC called the resolution “historic,” noting it is the largest settlement for any religious discrimination case in nearly two decades. The case reflects a growing federal focus on antisemitism, reinforced by recent executive actions prioritizing investigations into religious harassment in educational institutions.
11th Circuit Reverses Injunction Protecting Trans Teacher’s Job in Pronoun Case
A federal appeals court has overturned an injunction that had allowed Florida high school teacher Katie Wood to keep her job while she challenges a state law banning public school employees from using pronouns or titles that don’t align with their biological sex. The Eleventh Circuit ruled 2–1 that Wood was unlikely to succeed on her First Amendment claim, finding that her use of “she/her” pronouns and the honorific “Ms.” in the classroom constituted government speech.
The majority, both judges appointed by former President Trump, concluded that public school teachers speaking to students are acting in an official capacity. Under Supreme Court precedent, such speech isn’t protected under the First Amendment. Judge Kevin Newsom wrote that the ruling applies only to classroom interactions during instruction.
In a strong dissent, Judge Adalberto Jordan, an Obama appointee, warned the majority’s logic could let the state mandate how teachers identify themselves, even forcing female teachers to use “Mrs.” or generic titles like “Teacher Smith.” He argued that personal pronouns aren’t inherently government speech and cited Supreme Court precedent supporting limited personal expression by public employees.
The decision reflects growing legal tensions over free speech, gender identity, and state regulation in public education.
The case is Wood v. Florida Department of Education et al., case number 24-11239, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
DOL Halts Enforcement of Obama-Era Home Care Worker Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced it will stop enforcing a 2013 rule that expanded wage protections for certain home care workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), as it begins the process of rescinding the regulation. The Obama-era rule limited the ability of third-party agencies to claim exemptions from paying minimum wage and overtime to domestic workers providing companionship services.
Under the original 1974 FLSA amendment, live-in domestic workers were exempt from overtime pay, and companionship workers were exempt from both minimum wage and overtime. The 2013 rule tightened those exemptions.
In a field assistance bulletin, the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division said the pause is intended to ensure clarity during the ongoing rulemaking process. A proposal to roll back the rule was issued July 2, and public comment will guide the department’s final decision.
Jeff Burke is an attorney at MacElree Harvey, Ltd., working in the firm’s Employment and Litigation practice groups. Jeff counsels businesses and individuals on employment practices and policies, executive compensation, employee hiring and separation issues, non-competition and other restrictive covenants, wage and hour disputes, and other employment-related matters. Jeff represents businesses and individuals in employment litigation such as employment contract disputes, workforce classification audits, and discrimination claims based upon age, sex, race, religion, disability, sexual harassment, and hostile work environment. Jeff also practices in commercial litigation as well as counsels businesses on commercial contract matters.
