McHenry v. Kean Miller LLP

**McHenry v. Kean Miller LLP: Court Upholds Local Anti-Discrimination Protections** This case involved a challenge to Santa Clara County's anti-discrimination ordinance. The dispute centered on whether the county had the legal authority to enforce its own workplace discrimination rules, or if state law prevented them from doing so. Someone sought a court order to stop the county from enforcing the ordinance, arguing it conflicted with existing state laws and hadn't followed proper environmental review procedures. The appellate court ruled in favor of the county, overturning a lower court's decision that had temporarily blocked the ordinance. The court determined that state law did not prevent the county from having its own anti-discrimination rules, and that the county had properly followed all required environmental review processes when creating the ordinance. This decision matters for workers because it confirms that local governments can create their own workplace protections that go beyond what state law requires. This means workers may have additional rights and protections under local ordinances that supplement state and federal anti-discrimination laws. The ruling strengthens the ability of counties and cities to address workplace discrimination in their communities with tailored local solutions.