Recent cases have extended the scope of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to cover so-called “association discrimination”—interpreting federal law to prevent discrimination and retaliation based not only on an employee’s own protected characteristics or activity, but on the employee’s “association” with another individual who comes within a protected classifi cation or who has engaged in protected activity. In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court recently held that this protection extends to an employee whose fiancé or friend has complained of discrimination. Beachboard will examine this important—and potentially expensive—trend in federal discrimination law.