Elizabeth B. Bradley

ELIZABETH B. BRADLEY

SHAREHOLDER

1909 K Street, NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20006

Tele: (202) 689-1200 | Fax: (202) 689-1209
ebradley@fortneyscott.com

Elizabeth B. Bradley has over twenty years of experience representing employers and federal contractors in employment law before state and federal courts and agencies, as well as counseling and training private, public, and non-profit employers in all aspects of employment law.


Ms. Bradley has extensive knowledge and experience in counseling employers related to the equal employment opportunity obligations and the development of legally compliant diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.   
 

Ms. Bradley has a broad-based practice counseling and representing employers on compliance with federal and state workplace laws and regulations and designing and implementing sound employment practices and policies in accordance with Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and comparable state and local statutes. Ms. Bradley has broad experience in conducting effective investigations of workplace claims and grievances, including misconduct, discrimination, retaliation, harassment and other claims employers typically face. She has been called upon by clients to conduct corporate internal investigations on sensitive employment matters, including allegations of serious misconduct and sexual harassment charges involving executive personnel. In addition to conducting workplace investigations, Ms. Bradley provides guidance and legal advice to clients handling their investigations in-house. Ms. Bradley has drafted investigation policies and procedures, and sexual harassment and other EEO policies for employers and has counseled employers about their responsibilities under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other EEO laws.



Prior to joining FortneyScott, Ms. Bradley represented and counseled employers in labor and employment law matters in private practice. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ronald L. Buckwalter on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Ms. Bradley is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, as well as in various federal courts.

Firm Practices


Professional Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Washington ILG


Admitted to Practice

  • District of Columbia 
  • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
  • Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 
  • Various U.S. District Courts


Education

  • University of Pittsburgh Law  School (J.D.) 
  • Radford University (B.S.)
April 21, 2025
Employment Law: What Hasn't Changed?
March 25, 2025
During this webinar, FortneyScott's experienced practitioners will:  Catalogue of the Administration’s activities focused on Higher Education; Trace the trends across agencies; Discuss expanded use of Title VI; and, Provide practical guidance for all employers.
March 25, 2025
On March 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced Catherine Eschbach as the new Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). In an email to OFCCP staff, Director Eschbach announced that under her leadership, all reform options are on the table and “most of what OFCCP has been doing is out of step, if not flat out contradictory to our country’s laws.” Her email went further to outline “OFCCP’s transition to its new scope of mission”: Verifying that federal contractors have wound down their affirmative action efforts 91 days after President Trump’s EO 14173 rescinded EO 11246. Examining federal contractors’ prior submissions to determine whether there are any indications of discrimination and whether OFCCP should undertake additional investigations. Advising the Secretary of Labor of measures to deter DEI as required by Section 4 of EO 14173. Determining statutory authority for Section 503 and VEVRAA and whether they should be housed elsewhere in Labor Department. “Rightsizing” the staff and geographic footprint of agency. Federal contractors should pay particular attention to the last bullet above. The new Director indicates that OFCCP will review prior submissions from closed audits to review for illegal DEI. If you receive any communication from OFCCP, or other federal agencies, with regard to past submissions or requesting additional information from closed audits, please contact your FortneyScott attorney immediately With this transition of enforcement for OFCCP, federal contractors need to take the necessary action and steps to ensure they understand and comply with the new obligations as outlined in EO 14173 and above. FortneyScott is assisting many of its clients in these matters. Please reach out to your FortneyScott attorney should you have any questions.
March 20, 2025
On March 19, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released two technical assistance documents addressing “unlawful DEI,” a 1-page summary, What to Do if You Experience Discrimination Related to DEI at Work , and a longer question and answer (Q&A) document, What You Should Know About DEI-Related Discrimination at Work . In the documents, the agencies remind employees and employers that Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on protected characteristics, such as race and sex, and that any decisions motivated, in whole or in part, by a protected characteristic are unlawful. The EEOC press release reiterates that “[t]he widespread adoption of DEI, however, does not change longstanding legal prohibitions against the use of race, sex, and other protected characteristics in employment” and the accompanying DOJ press release notes that “[u]nder Title VII, DEI initiatives, policies, programs, or practices may be unlawful if they involve an employer or other covered entity taking an employment action motivated—in whole or in part—by an employee’s or applicant’s race, sex, or another protected characteristic.” The EEOC’s technical assistance document also states that Title VII’s protections apply equally to all workers not just to minority groups. Finally, these official documents provide employees, who question their employers’ DEI practices, with instructions on how to file charges with the EEOC. In the technical assistance document, the EEOC provides the following examples of DEI practices that could be considered to violate Title VII: “Balancing” a workforce based on protected characteristics was provided as an example of unlawful conduct; DEI training may give rise to a colorable hostile work environment claim if a reasonable person would consider it intimidating, hostile, or abusive; Opposition to DEI training may be a protected activity if the employee believes that the training violates Title VII; and, Employee resource groups (ERGs), or similar programs, may violate Title VII’s prohibition of segregating employees if they are not open to all. Although the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on whether an “operational need” for diversity can justify voluntary affirmative action efforts under Title VII, the EEOC is taking the position that a company’s “diversity interest” is not a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) justifying decisions based on protected characteristics. Should you have any questions regarding these or other developments, please contact your FortneyScott attorney. For additional information, be sure to visit FortneyScott’s website and the new Resource Page on Compliance with Trump Administration Changes, including our prior Webinars and Podcasts .
March 17, 2025
Trump Administration’s Focus on Higher Education 
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