As expected, the employment litigation machine has been revving up since the onset of the pandemic. From March 1 through July 4, the third-largest category of COVID-19-related complaints filed in federal courts was employment, just behind contracts and insurance, according to Lex Machina.

The deluge of employment-related litigation may be just beginning. As the pandemic continues to confront employers with myriad challenges, like new shutdown orders and school closings, lawsuits will likely keep surging. Indeed, in June, while contracts and insurance cases declined from the previous month, employment cases spurred by COVID-19 continued to climb.