United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. United Health Programs of America, Inc et al

  1. March 06, 2020

    CORRECTED: Judge Affirms Workers' Win In 'Onionhead' Bias Suit

    A New York federal judge on Friday refused to grant a health plan provider a new trial in the EEOC's suit claiming the company forced "Onionhead" religious practices on 10 employees, instead affirming a $394,991 award to some of the workers.

  2. April 26, 2018

    Workers Subjected To 'Onionhead' Religion Get $5.1M Award

    A Brooklyn federal jury delivered a $5.1 million verdict Wednesday against a Long Island, New York, health plan provider for forcing "Onionhead" religious practices on 10 workers and firing one who pushed back, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Thursday.

  3. April 17, 2017

    Religion Test For Title VII Cases Won't Reach 2nd Circ. Yet

    A New York federal judge has denied a health network’s bid to have the Second Circuit clarify the legal standard for defining religion in the Title VII context, after it had argued the judge used an overly expansive test reserved for First Amendment cases to hold that its “Onionhead” belief system is a religion.

  4. April 06, 2017

    EEOC Fights To Keep Evidence In 'Onionhead' Lawsuit

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Wednesday urged a New York federal court not to exclude evidence from a religious discrimination lawsuit, saying that it's all relevant to determining whether the founder of the "Onionhead" belief system was a decision-maker at a Long Island health network.

  5. December 09, 2016

    2nd Circ. Needs Religion Test For Title VII Cases, Court Told

    A health network has urged a New York federal judge to allow the Second Circuit to clarify the legal standard for defining religion in the context of Title VII, saying the court used an overly expansive test reserved for First Amendment cases to hold that its “Onionhead” belief system is a religion.

  6. October 20, 2016

    EEOC Urges Judge To Uphold 'Onionhead' Religion Decision

    There is no basis for a New York federal judge to reconsider her decision that a belief system called "Onionhead" is a religion, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission argued Wednesday, saying a health network's bid to challenge the ruling was futile.

  7. October 03, 2016

    'Onionhead' Is A Religion, Judge Rules In EEOC Bias Suit

    A belief system called "Onionhead," which allegedly led to workers being required to tell one another "I love you," is a religion, a New York federal judge ruled Friday in a discrimination suit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought against a health network.

  8. January 28, 2016

    'I Love You' Suit Clearly About Religion, EEOC Says

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has again blasted a New York health network's argument that making workers participate in a belief system called Onionhead and tell their colleagues "I love you" isn't religious, saying it amounts to a rewrite of employment bias law.

  9. September 04, 2015

    'Onionhead' Not A Religion, Co. Insists In EEOC Bias Suit

    A belief system called "Onionhead" that allegedly led to workers being required to tell one another "I love you" and is at the heart of a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission religious bias suit isn't actually a religion, defendant United Health Programs of America Inc. insisted on Thursday in a New York court.

  10. May 07, 2015

    Health Network's Subpoenas Nixed In 'I Love You' EEOC Suit

    A Brooklyn federal judge on Thursday quashed subpoenas sent by defendant United Health Programs of America Inc. to former workers who say in a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit that the Long Island-based health network retaliated against them for failing to take part in a bizarre belief system called "Onionhead" foisted on employees by the aunt of CEO Robert Hodes.