⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The Seventh Circuit hears a former employee's appeal against the National Association of Realtors, or NAR. The former employee had complained about workplace discrimination. After her employment ended, she signed a settlement releasing claims from her time at the association. That agreement included a promise of neutral employment references. She later struggled to find work and says the association failed to respond to employment checks. She also says she received harassing texts while her discrimination charge was under investigation. She treats those events as retaliation for pursuing a discrimination complaint, but the connection to the employer is disputed. She is appealing the dismissal of her retaliation and race-discrimination claims. Her lawyer will argue that the allegations, viewed together, justify letting her seek evidence through discovery. The association's lawyer will argue that the complaint does not plausibly link the texts or the unanswered reference requests to retaliation by the employer. The appeal also raises how to plead racial discrimination when more than one discriminatory motive is alleged. Listen for the line between facts that support a reasonable inference and suspicion that still needs evidence.

Roshani Sheth v. National Association of Realtors (No. 26-1289) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, argued November 12, 2026.