New health risk: Monkeypox sparks bias, harassment.

While virologists and the general public are quickly learning how the monkeypox virus is transmitted, some employment lawyers are gearing up for the possibility of discrimination and harassment claims stemming from the virus's link to sexual activity between gay and bisexual men.

The latest disease to affect that protected class might spark an uptick in lawsuits, some lawyers fear. They see parallels to the discrimination gay men faced in the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Public health systems are struggling with a shortage of monkeypox vaccines. That has them worried that cases will multiply. It has employment lawyers worried that bias and harassment cases will...