Employment Law 2023: "There Is Nothing Permanent Except Change"

Episode Two of Season Four complements the Employment Law issue of The Houston Lawyer magazine and highlights some of the major changes Texas employment lawyers have seen this year. As Heraclitus said, "there is nothing permanent except change."

Segment One: Presidential Goals Plus Employment Law
Guest: Diana Gomez, President, Houston Bar Association & Shareholder at Chamberlain Hrdlicka
HBA President Diana Gomez. who is the first Latina HBA President, discusses her goals for the bar year and how they are going. Then, she turns to her area of legal expertise and discusses the potential impact of the Hamilton v. Dallas County on employment discrimination cases filed in the Fifth Circuit.

Segment Two: The Religious Accommodation Claim in Groff v. DeJoy: Arguing to Change the Standard
Guest: Christopher Tutunjian, Associate, Baker Botts LLP
Baker Botts Associate Christopher Tutunjian argued the Groff v. DeJoy case in the Third Circuit, and he was second chair at the U.S. Supreme Court. His firm represented the plaintiff, and they were arguing to change a long-established legal standard. Chris discusses the facts and legal issue in the case as well as the outcomes in the district court, Third Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court. 

Segment Three: The CROWN Act: What Is It and How Does It ImpactTexas Employers? 
Guest: Akilah Craig, Associate, Locke Lord
Akilah Craig, Associate at Locke Lord, tells listeners about the new Texas Crown Act and addresses why it was enacted, the interplay between state and federal law with regard to the issues addressed by the Act, and how important it is for employers to review policies to ensure compliance. 

Segment Four: Affirmative Action: Does the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College Decision Affect Employers?
Guest: E. Phileda Tennant, Counsel, Vinson & Elkins
Phileda Tenant, Counsel at Vinson & Elkins, addresses whether the Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions has any impact on employer DEI initiatives. 

For full speaker bios, visit The Houston Lawyer (hba.org). To read The Houston Lawyer magazine, visit The Houston Lawyer_home. For more information about the Houston Bar Association, visit Houston Bar Association (hba.org).
*The views expressed in this episode do not necessarily reflect the views of The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board or the Houston Bar Association.

Chapters

• 1:25 Presidential Goals Plus Employment Law
• 17:01 The Religious Accommodation Claim in Groff v. DeJoy: Arguing to Change the Standard
• 32:54 The CROWN Act: What Is It and How Does It ImpactTexas Employers?
• 39:58 Affirmative Action: Does the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College Decision Affect Employers?