Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Peters' Bakery

**What Happened** The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Peters' Bakery on behalf of a worker who claimed discrimination and emotional distress. During the lawsuit, Peters' Bakery tried to force the worker to hand over their private therapy and medical records. A lower court judge initially said the worker had to provide these confidential records because they were claiming emotional distress as part of their case. **What the Court Decided** The district court overruled the lower judge and sided with the EEOC. The court said that just because a worker claims they suffered emotional distress from workplace discrimination doesn't mean they automatically lose the right to keep their therapy sessions private. The bakery could not force the worker to reveal their confidential mental health records. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling protects workers who file discrimination complaints from having to expose their most private mental health information. Workers can still claim they suffered emotional distress from discrimination without worrying that their employer will gain access to their therapy records. This encourages people to seek mental health treatment and file legitimate discrimination claims without fear of losing their privacy.