No. 24-1239

Cara Wessels Wells v. Texas Tech University, et al.

Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-06-04
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (2)Response Waived
Tags: civil-rights-act discrimination employment-status remuneration time-bar title-vii
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity ERISA EmploymentDiscrimina
Latest Conference: 2025-09-29
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does an unpaid position qualify someone to be an 'employee' within the meaning of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(f)?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

Respondents, a public research university and two of its employees, allegedl y discriminated against Petitioner because of her se x while she was a student, graduate student, and Mentor at Respondent university from 2009 to 2022. App. 89, 130. The Fifth Circuit held that Petition er was an employee only during her graduate studies, which ended in 2017. App. 12. In holding that she was not an employee for purposes of Title VII ther eafter, the Court applied a strict standard requiring remuneration. App. 10-11. The Court then reasoned that her claims, which arose from misconduct ending prior to the applicable 300day deadline, were time-barred. App. 10. Accordingly, the question presented is: 1. Does an unpaid position qualify someone to be an “employee” within the mean ing of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(f)? iii II.

Docket Entries

2025-10-06
Petition DENIED.
2025-07-16
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-07-07
Amicus brief of Dr. Cara Wessels Wells submitted.
2025-07-07
Brief amicus curiae of Dr. Cara Wessels Wells filed.
2025-07-07
Waiver of right of respondent Texas Tech University et al. to respond filed.
2025-07-07
2025-06-02
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 7, 2025)

Attorneys

Cara Wessels Wells
William Andrew Brewer IIIBrewer Attorneys & Counselors, Petitioner
William Andrew Brewer IVBrewer, Attorneys and Counselors, Petitioner
Dr. Cara Wessels Wells
Gregg Cohen GreenbergZipin, Amster & Greenberg, LLC, Amicus
Texas Tech University et al.
Kimberly GdulaTexas Office of the Attorney General, Respondent