From Statute to Standard: How Courts Interpret Title VII and Other Workplace Discrimination Laws

Courts bring laws to life, transforming statutes into real-world decisions that shape workplaces nationwide. The U.S. judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, plays a pivotal and evolving role in defining the scope of equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

This webinar will examine how courts implement and interpret Title VII and other key EEO laws, shaping what constitutes discrimination, how it’s proven, and how it affects employers and employees alike. We’ll analyze landmark decisions from McDonnell Douglas, which established the foundational legal framework, to the recent shift reflected in cases like Muldrow v. City of St. Louis and anticipated rulings such as Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services.

We’ll also examine how lower courts apply these precedents, balancing the text of the law with evolving understandings of how discrimination manifests in the real world — and how the judiciary works to fulfill the promises of EEO laws. Finally, we’ll consider the judiciary’s interaction with the executive branch and what this dynamic means for the future of EEO enforcement and litigation.

If you’re tracking changes in discrimination law or want to understand how judicial decisions shape workplace compliance, this session offers vital insight into where the law is — and where it’s headed.

Session takeaways:

• Understand judicial impact: gain insight into how courts — from the Supreme Court to lower federal courts — shape the meaning and enforcement of Title VII and other key EEO laws.
• Stay ahead of legal shifts: explore recent decisions like Muldrow v. City of St. Louis and anticipated rulings such as Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, and what they indicate about the evolving landscape of workplace discrimination law.
• Connect law to practice: learn how to turn complex legal developments into practical strategies for HR compliance, risk management, and employee relations.
• Anticipate legal trends: discover how evolving judicial interpretations may affect internal investigations, compliance obligations, and legal risk in the workplace.
• SHRM Knowledge Advisors will join this webinar to answer your questions in real time—right in the chat. If we don’t get to your question during the session? No problem, SHRM members can head to SHRM Connect after this webinar to keep the conversation going with advisors for 30 extra minutes.