‘Cat’s paw’ theory supports individual §1981 liability 
Published: May 29, 2012
Tags: cat's paw, race discrimination, §1981
A company manager may be individually liable under §1981 for causing the employer to retaliate against another employee on the basis of his race, the 7th Circuit has ruled.
Court gives claws to ‘cat’s paw’
By:
Kimberly Atkins
Published: March 9, 2011
Tags: cat's paw, employment discrimination, Supreme Court, Title VII, USERRA
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling holding an employer liable for the anti-military bias of a supervisor – even though another supervisor made the ultimate decision to fire the plaintiff – is expected to have significant implications for employers and employees.
White employee gets damages under ‘cat’s paw’ theory
By:
Pat Murphy
Published: February 14, 2011
Tags: cat's paw, reverse discrimination, Title VII
A Caucasian employee could recover damages for reverse discrimination based on a claim that her direct supervisor’s racial bias infected the process that led to her firing, the 7th Circuit has ruled in reinstating a jury verdict on liability.
High Court hears ‘cat’s paw’ job discrimination case
By:
Kimberly Atkins
Published: November 2, 2010
Tags: cat's paw, employment discrimination, Supreme Court, USERRA
WASHINGTON – In the 17th century, writer Jean de La Fontaine wrote a fable about a clever monkey who persuaded a cat to fetch chestnuts from a hot fire. The cat’s paws got burned, but the monkey got what he wanted – fresh roasted snacks.
Now the U.S. Supreme Court is set to decide whether employers can be held liable under the so-called “cat’s paw” theory in a job bias suit where the decision maker was allegedly persuaded by the animus of a subordinate supervisor to fire an employee.
