The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has introduced new guidelines for safeguarding the rights of pregnant workers, building on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which became effective on June 27. The law extends the Americans with Disabilities Act to cover pregnant employees, necessitating that companies with 15 or more workers offer reasonable accommodations. The Nashville Business Journal reports that the proposed rule outlines various accommodation options, such as adjusted work schedules, equipment modifications and telework, while emphasizing that employers must promptly address accommodation requests, even without formal written notice from employees.

The city of Memphis plans to appeal a court ruling by Judge Gina Higgins, which allowed a group of plaintiffs to bring a class action lawsuit against the city for failure to test over 12,000 rape kits. The Commercial Appeal reports that the city's attorneys point to a separate case involving Alicia Franklin as a basis for their appeal. Franklin had filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging inadequate investigation by the Memphis Police Department, and while her case was dismissed, the city argues that the conflicting rulings highlight the need for a uniform legal approach. The city is seeking to pause the rape kit case while an appeal is pending.

A recent piece in the Nashville Business Journal looks at some of the issues clients are concerned about in interviews with three local attorneys. Former TBA Executive Director Joycelyn Stevenson tells the journal that attorneys in Littler’s Nashville office are handling a number of employment concerns, including public image, budgets and employment verification compliance. Todd Rolapp with Bass Berry & Sims says his firm focuses on helping clients anticipate what rulings, regulations or financial developments are on the horizon so they can prepare for an appropriate response. Finally, DarKenya Waller, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, says some of the greatest needs of their clients are housing, healthcare and a living wage.

The Biden administration has extended and expanded temporary protected status (TPS) for Ukrainians already in the United States, citing the ongoing Russian military invasion and resulting humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. According to The Hill, the expansion will make around 166,700 more individuals eligible for TPS, and an additional 26,000 beneficiaries will retain their TPS through April 2025. The extension, which was set to expire on Oct. 19, has been lengthened by 18 months due to the ongoing conflict and displacement of millions of Ukrainians.

Metro Nashville and homeless outreach advocates are criticizing the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for clearing out multiple encampments on state property without offering resources, including housing. They also claim the sweep has created new encampments and more problems for people experiencing homelessness. WKRN reports that a TDOT spokesperson said the agency is not clearing out encampments but attempting to maintain their property after receiving complaints about safety and cleanliness from taxpayers and first responders.

Stuart Delery, President Joe Biden's top lawyer, will step down from his post next month, the White House announced today. Reuters reports that no replacement has been named. Delery, who has worked at the White House since July 2022, advised the president on advancing his legislative agenda and defending against Republican-led congressional investigations. Delery’s departure comes as U.S. House Republicans escalate probes into the business dealings of Biden’s son, Hunter.

A federal appellate panel unanimously ruled today that a lawsuit filed by the families of victims of the 2016 fire in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can proceed, reports Knox News. The ruling overturned last year's district court decision that tossed out the lawsuit over the omission of specific language concerning the National Park Service’s responsibilities to warn the surrounding community in the event of an out-of-control fire. The blaze, which left 14 dead, overran firebreaks and burned large parts of Gatlinburg. A previous story in Knox News reported that park officials were aware that high winds posed a danger to spreading the blaze but failed to notify city or county officials in time.

Grand jurors who voted to indict former President Trump in Georgia on Monday are facing threats after their names were listed publicly within the indictment as required under Georgia law, reports The Hill. A review of social media platforms and far-right forums found users posting numerous racial slurs and the jurors’ addresses. On Tuesday, a Texas woman was arrested after threatening to kill a Democratic member of Congress and U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, the judge overseeing a criminal case against Trump. Chutkan warned Trump’s lawyers that his defense should be mounted in the courtroom and “not on the internet.”

The Georgia Supreme Court last week removed a state appeals court judge from office after an investigation found that he broke campaign finance rules and took advantage of an elderly client, reports Reuters. The court upheld a hearing panel's findings that Christian Coomer, a former state legislator, had acted in bad faith for his own financial benefit. Coomer has been suspended from office with pay since January 2021, after Georgia's Judicial Qualifications Commission filed disciplinary charges against him.

The Biden administration on Monday issued new guidance to colleges and universities on how to legally encourage racial diversity on their campuses, reports Reuters. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that colleges can no longer consider race as a factor in college admissions. The guidance, released jointly by the departments of Justice and Education, noted that universities may still consider how race has affected an applicant's life such as in an applicant’s essay, as well as consider factors such as geography, financial resources and family background.