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What I’ve Been Reading This Week


For those that may have heard, late last week there was a ruling in the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation.  That case, set for trial shortly, took a major turn for the worse (for some, that is) as the Judge granted summary judgment against the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team on a majority of their claims.  I will not spoil things further, but the below article is worth a read.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


Congress Considering Providing Liability Protections For Employers As Workers Return To Workplaces

The Washington Post has an article which notes a brewing fight in Congress over whether to provide liability protections for employers should their workers contract coronavirus when they return to work.  This issue appears to be a party line fight with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republicans favoring providing these protections to employers while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats are lining up against it.


U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s Equal Pay & Gender Discrimination Claims Falter

Last year, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team filed suit against the U.S. Soccer Federation on a host of claims, including an equal pay claim, allegations of gender discrimination, as well as being subjected to discriminatory working conditions in relation to travel.  There had been much back and forth between the parties with a motion for summary judgment under advisement with the Court.  In a ruling that caught many by surprise, last Friday, the Judge granted summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Soccer Federation as to the equal pay and gender discrimination claims.  The ruling tried in part upon a finding that the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team has collectively bargained for their pay structure (which included guaranteed salaries and a minimum number of players that were to be paid.)  Had there not been a collective bargaining agreement in place, I could see this request for summary judgment having been denied.  However, as many have pointed out, it is difficult to cry foul over a pay rate when you yourself bargained over those terms.  While the claim of being subjected to discriminatory working conditions lives on, I would expect to see an appeal of this summary judgment ruling.

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