Employment / Labor Law News Roundup: January 2015

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Working with OSHA in the new year

Safety hazards are almost inevitable in a carwash environment. Wet surfaces and mechanical equipment present a constant need for employee training and awareness while on the job.

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Serving man's best friend

A number of additional profit centers exist that allow carwashes to appeal to more customers and grow revenue. Offering more products and services can attract new and different patrons to your business and help an owner cultivate a more diverse and successful wash.

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No bids in yet for City Hall, lagoon properties

While some aldermen seem intent on moving forward with a $2.55 million-maximum purchase of Cadence Bank's Main Street location, a financing issue could manifest in the middle of the month: Starkville has yet to receive bids on surplus property needed to pay for the structure. City officials confirmed Friday that Starkville has yet to receive bids for its current administrative home and lagoon property in the northern portion of the town.

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Norwood-Norfolk hopes to begin capital project work during spring break

If all goes according to schedule, Norwood-Norfolk Central School officials hope to start capital project work during spring break, March 30 through April 3. “We're trying to see what we can get started in spring break while the teachers and students are out of the building,” Superintendent James M. Cruikshank said. Phase one work will include some code corrections, such as adding exterior doors near stairwells and replacing some windows and exterior doors that had not previously been replaced.

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Jobless figure drops to 5.6%

"Bradley County showed some very good balance once again in the spread of hiring over several different sectors within nonmanufacturing." - Larry Green" Bradley County's employment picture ended the year on a positive note with a December jobless rate of 5.6 percent, representing another slight dip from 5.8. The figure includes 46,670 area residents who were on somebody's payroll at year's end, and 2,790 who were still looking.

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Two investigations into Tomah VA allegations

Carolyn Clancy, the interim undersecretary of health with the Veterans Affairs Department met with staff members at the Tomah VA Friday. During her visit Clancy held a town hall meeting with staff, telling them what is taking place and asking for any feedback or concerns staff may have.

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The equalizing work of the 1970s is back on the agenda

These used to be called "women's issues" and were partly addressed starting in the 1970s. Today, the lingering needs are getting attention.

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How Your Maternity Leave Is Different Than Your Mom's

I am the Pennywise Parent, a writer covering the personal finance of parenting. As a staff reporter at The New York Times, USA Today and The Columbia Journalism Review, I wrote about real estate, investing, style and travel.

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Anne Arundel jobless rate hits six-year low

Anne Arundel County finished 2014 with the smallest number of people claiming jobless benefits in more than five years, new state figures show. There were 14,011 people out of work in December, about 4.6 percent of the total workforce, according to monthly jobless numbers released by the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

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Showdown looms as Ombudsman claims immunity to avoid answering questions into massive police inquiry

A showdown between the NSW Ombudsman Bruce Barbour and a parliamentary committee is set for Tuesday, with Mr Barbour claiming public interest immunity to avoid answering questions on secret details of his massive inquiry into police. A test of wills is likely, with politicans insisting they have the right to demand answers from Mr Barbour, who was issued a summons to appear.

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Minimum wage hike gains momentum

HARRISBURG State Sen. Christine Tartaglione has tried to raise the minimum wage so often, it could almost be called a tradition at the state Capitol. Given that, it wasn't a shock Tuesday to see the Philadelphia Democrat pushing a package of bills that would raise Pennsylvania's minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour by 2016, just as she did in the past session.

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Maher: Obama probably the a worsta president on press freedom

Late-night HBO talk show host Bill Maher blasted President Obama on Friday night for clamping down too hard on journalists, calling him the "worst" president on issues of press freedom. "I don't understand why he is perhaps the worst president we've had on clamping down on the press," Mr. Maher told documentarian Laura Poitras , adding that Mr. Obama has used the espionage act more than any other president against journalists doing their jobs.

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Dilapidated stairway in Excelsior to get fix

Nails protrude from wood from the stairway starting on Prague St. leading to Crocker Amazon Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, January 29, 2015. Deteriorated wood on the stairway starting on Prague St. leading to Crocker Amazon Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, January 29, 2015.

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Blog: OFCCP Proposes New Sex Discrimination Guidelines for Contractors and Subcontractors

On January 28, 2015, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced proposed changes to its sex discrimination guidelines . The current Guidelines set forth the interpretations and guidelines for implementing the nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements related to sex under Executive Order 11246.

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Religious Objections to Biometric Scanning: Jury Verdict for Employee ...

A Virginia federal jury recently awarded $150,000 to a miner who refused on religious grounds to use his employer's biometric hand scanner that was installed to track attendance. Such scanners read each person's unique hand characteristics and store that information to identify the individual in future scans.

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VA investigator visits Tomah to meet staff

VA investigator visits Tomah to meet staff By Dana Ferguson, Associated Press Check out this story on greenbaypressgazette.com: http://gbpg.net/1CJcWOg Wisconsin leaders are asking for action at the federal level following reports of improper prescription practices at the Tomah VA medical center. TOMAH - The lead investigator of a probe into alleged overmedication of military veterans at the Tomah VA Medical Center met with hospital staff Friday to outline the scope of the review.

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Ex-Ford contractor says he was fired for anti-gay statements

A former contractor for Ford Motor Co. has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that says he was fired for criticizing the automaker's efforts to support the gay community.

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Friday, January 30, 2015

Disclosure of Charging Party's Name in Securities Filing Can...

Publically traded companies are required by law to disclose to shareholders pending legal matters that could materially affect their stock price. According to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, an employer's disclosure of a pending EEOC Charge of Discrimination in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing could have been a retaliatory action when it listed the complaining employee's name.

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Job Fair in Lewiston on February 2 at the CareerCenter

The Lewiston CareerCenter is hosting a Job Fair on Monday, February 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. at its building on 5 Mollison Way, Lewiston. All employers will be hiring.

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NMCC, Dept. of Transportation--Region 5 Receive SHAPE Award for Safety

Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette announced that Northern Maine Community College and Maine Department of Transportation-Region 5 have each earned the Safety and Health Award for Public Employers . "We congratulate NMCC and MDOT in Region 5 for becoming SHAPE certified," Governor Paul R. LePage said.

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DOJ Announces Transgender Discrimination Prohibited under Title VII

According to a memo released by Attorney General Eric Holder, the Department of Justice will now interpret federal law - specifically Title VII of the Civil Rights Act - to prohibit workplace harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender status. This not only represents a reversal of DOJ's view - espoused in 2006 - that Title VII does not protect transgender individuals from discrimination, but brings the department in line with other federal agencies.

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Skanska USA Building to Pay $95,000 to Settle EEOC Racial Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit

Skanska USA Building, Inc., a building contractor headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., will pay $95,000 to settle a racial harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , the agency announced today. According to the EEOC's suit, Skanska violated federal law by allowing workers to subject a class of black employees who were working as buck hoist operators to racial harassment, and by firing them for complaining to Skanska about the misconduct.

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Seattle school playgrounds become community gathering spots

The Seattle School District is systematically updating play areas to include modern, fitness-inspired equipment that welcomes all comers, from the finicky adolescent to the student with special needs and even parents catching up after school hours. The concept of play area as community gathering space has long been part of the district's philosophy, explains Gretchen DeDecker, Self Help Projects program manager for the 100-school district.

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Williamson Co. settles suit over controversial hiring practices

Williamson County has settled a lawsuit with two of three men over controversial hiring practices for the Precinct 3 Constable's Office. A KXAN investigation focused on interviews county commissioners conducted with candidates for the job in March 2013.

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Risk Management a 1970 sex discrimination guidelines getting 2015...

Proposed new U.S. Department of Labor sex discrimination guidelines for federal contractors to follow - the first update since 1970 - were published Friday in the Federal Register. The recommended changes would revise the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' guidelines to align with laws, court decisions and societal changes since they were originally issued in 1970, the department said in a statement issued Wednesday.

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Wage board recommends $7.50 tipped minimum wage in New York

That's the recommendation of a state wage board after months of hearings and meetings to discuss raising the tipped minimum wage from the current $5 an hour, according to a spokesman for the state Department of Labor. If tips don't bring workers' hourly wages up to the statewide minimum wage of $8.75 an hour, employers are supposed to make up the gap.

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Historic $2.4 Million Settlement in Discrimination Suit against Daimler

A heightened accountability system and a $2.4 million payout is the end result of a nearly three month investigation by the Bureau of Labor and Industries into racist, ethnophobic and xenophobic behavior by employees at Daimler Trucks of North America. Image via Google Maps A historic $2.4 million settlement filed against trucking giant Daimler Trucks of North America marks the largest ever in the Bureau of Labor and Industries Civil Rights Division.

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Employers, Don't Be Caught In The "Bogus RIF" Trap

I was disappointed earlier this week to see a consultant quoted in an otherwise good article in the Wall Street Journal "Employee Theft Often Leads Small Firms to Make Bad Choices" - as advising the "bogus RIF" strategy with employees who are suspected of theft. What's the "bogus RIF" strategy? That's when you're really firing an employee but don't want to admit it, so you call it a "RIF," or a "layoff," or a "job elimination."

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Home design for disabled vet and service dog tackles accessibility

As part of his final architecture studio class, Mike Blea designed a house for a disabled veteran and his or her service dog. When Paul Durbin goes out, Harmony keeps strangers from invading his personal space.

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AZA Promotes Prominent Litigator Elizabeth Pannill Fletcher to Partner

A fourth-generation Texas trial lawyer and native Houstonian, Ms. Fletcher has a lengthy track record of courtroom wins, including the July 2014 dismissal of a multimillion- dollar breach of contract and fraud lawsuit against a Houston investment banker.

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Ruby Tuesday In Legal Tangle

The American multinational foodservice retailer, Ruby Tuesday Inc. , which owns, runs and franchises Ruby Tuesday restaurants, was formed in 1996. The first Ruby Tuesday restaurant was started in 1972 by Samuel E. Beall, III.

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NMCC earns state SHAPE award

Northern Maine Community College has earned a state award for its record of safety as well as its policies, procedures and training dealing with safety issues. Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette presented the award to NMCC President Tim Crowley and members of the College safety committee during a celebratory staff luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Edmunds Conference Center.

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Ford fires contract worker for comment critical of homosexuality

A law firm says it will file suit against Ford Motor Company because the automaker fired a Christian contract employee for criticizing the company's support of gay employees. Banks' law firm, Liberty Institute, says Ford discriminated against Banks for his religious beliefs, in violation of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

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Institute for Fiduciary Standard draws SIFMA fire for best practices plan

A group that promotes investment advice that's in the client's best interest is not waiting for federal regulators to come up with a fiduciary rule for all financial advisers, it's offering an 11-point plan for how to start acting as fiduciaries now. The steps include providing advice that adheres to the fiduciary requirements of the Advisers Act of 1940, being transparent about fees, avoiding conflicts of interest, eschewing commissions and third-party payments, avoiding principal trading and choosing from a range of investment products to meet client needs.

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How the Affordable Care Act affects employee taxes

Many people may not realize that the health care coverage they had in 2014 will affect their 2015 individual income tax filing. Many people may not realize that the health care coverage they had in 2014 will affect their 2015 individual income tax filing.

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Anne Arundel jobless rate hits six-year low

Anne Arundel County unemployment finished 2014 with the smallest number of people claiming jobless benefits in six years, new state figures show. Anne Arundel County unemployment finished 2014 with the smallest number of people claiming jobless benefits in more than five years, new state figures show.

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Veterans Employment Center offers transition help

The Veteran Employment Center is an online portal that combines elements of standard job boards and professional connection media to provide a single solution for meeting the needs of both veteran job-seekers and employers seeking to hire our veterans. The VEC is accessible from the Veteran's Administration's e-Benefits website http://ift.tt/1oEduky.

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County renovates Twin Rivers Park restroom

Visitors to Twin Rivers Park can expect improved restrooms and parking, thanks to a four-day $60,000 construction project approved by the Snohomish County Council. Everett-based Contractor Quilceda Paving & Construction commenced work on the site with a crew of a half-dozen Jan. 27, and was set to wrap up most of its renovations by Jan. 30. "The only thing left after Friday should be the fencing and striping," said project manager Mike Nelson, who estimated the other 90 percent of the work would be wrapped up by then.

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Making connections: New pedestrian bridge opens

Fort Morgan opened this new pedestrian bridge over the Upper Platte and Beaver Canal between Interstate 76 and Riverside Park on Wednesday. Unlike the old bridge it replaced, it meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards and should make for a safer and easier trip on foot or bicycle or in a wheelchair between the city's Old Fort Park and Riverside Park.

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Legislation Introduced To Begin Paying Bounties To Auto Industry Whistleblowers

S. senators led by the top Republican and Democrat on the Commerce Committee reintroduced legislation Thursday to give automotive sector employees incentives to sound the alarm on vehicle defects. The legislation - first introduced in November - would allow auto industry employee whistle-blowers to potentially be paid millions if they reveal hidden dangers.

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Ryan Lovelace: Transportation Secrecy Administration

The allegations revolve around TSA management's overuse of an agency-specific designation called Sensitive Security Information . Though it is not classified, information deemed SSI is supposed to be restricted from the public because it would harm transportation security.

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'Predictable Scheduling': An Undiscovered FLSA 'Right'?

U.S. Wage and Hour Division Administrator David Weil reportedly has said that the Division is "looking very actively at" the question of whether workers should be legally entitled to "predictable scheduling". In recounting Mr. Weil's statements in a recent interview, Daily Labor Report characterized his remarks as having to do with whether an employee has an enforceable right to a predictable, stable work schedule or to some sort of advance notice of that schedule.

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Jobs With the Best Salary Potential

Good salaries happen to those who work in fields with complex skills, which is why a highly specialized occupation like U.S. News' No. 1 job, dentist , has a lofty average salary of $164,570.

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Please don't let 'Selma' become a political football

The unfortunate part of any public debate about politics these days is that it almost inevitably turns polemical. This has certainly been the case with the conversation over "Selma," the powerful new movie that examines the grass-roots protests that produced the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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U.S. Supreme Court to Rule on the EEOC's Duty to Conciliate in Mach Mining

On January 13, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Mach Mining L.L.C. v. E.E.O.C. As we reported previously, this case raises fundamental questions concerning the EEOC's duty to seek to resolve discrimination charges "by informal methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion."

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Democratic senators lobby President Obama to make more American workers eligible for overtime pay

A group of U.S. senators is lobbying President Barack Obama to quadruple the number of U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay, including working class employees - such as fast-food shift supervisors - whom many companies now put in the same classification as executives. Currently, only people earning no more than $455 per week are required by law to be paid at least time-and-a half if they work more than a 40-hour workweek.

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Compensation Rises At Fastest Pace Since Recession

U.S. workers saw their pay and benefits rise at the fastest rate since 2008 last year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. But the increase still lagged the type of growth that usually accompanies a fully healthy economy, according to its measure of worker compensation -- called the employment cost index -- increased 2.2 percent in 2014.

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Attkisson: Obama Officials 'Bully and Threaten' Journalists, Free Press

Testifying at the confirmation hearing for Attorney General-nominee Loretta Lynch on Thursday, investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson expressed concern about the "serious, long-term damage to a supposedly free press" by the Obama administration, which she claims "bullies and threatens access of journalists who do their jobs, news organizations that publish stories they don't like, and whistleblowers who dare to tell the truth." "The message has already been received: if you cross the administration with perfectly accurate reporting that they don't like, you will be attacked and punished.

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United Benefit Advisors Designates Voya Financial as a Strategic Partner

A Strategic Partner designation is the highest level of collaboration a service provider can have with UBA. Numbering fewer than 20, are an exclusive group of companies that offer exceptional products and make a special commitment to the success of UBA and its Partnership.

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Law firm's case bolstered by Supreme Court decision

Mathew Tully knows a great deal about attempting to strengthen whistleblower rights. So, when last week's United States Supreme Court decision on DHS v.

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Governing ain't easy

He said there's roughly a $104 billion deficit in the state's five pension funds, and "that's money the state owes. There are currently 395,000 people in the system, including 159,838 active teachers.

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GoLocalProv | Business | NEW: Dept. of Labor To Host Job Fair For New Quonset Facility

The RI Department of Labor and Training will host a job fair at the Providence netWORKri Career Center on February 2 and 3, to recruit workers for Greencore USA's Quonset Business Park location. The recruitment drive will run from 11 AM to 3 PM.

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Ex-Husband Fails in Attempt to Use Texas Law to Impose Constructive...

A former husband's attempt to use Texas law to deprive his first wife of a survivor annuity under his pension plan has been firmly rejected by the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Vanderkam v.

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Cut energy workers could spur flurry of employment litigation

Jessica Mason, partner with the employment practice at the Houston office of Dallas-based Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, said highly compensated upstream workers who have lost their jobs recently will be litigation bait for plaintiff lawyers in the months to come. As Houston's oil and gas companies embark on thousands of job cuts , there will inevitably be a portion of terminated employees who seek employment litigation.

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Community briefs

Hearing Solutions, 3100 NW Bucklin Hill Rd., Ste. 103, is offering free screenings to determine if a person has suffered noise-induced hearing loss, can help the patient file a claim for compensation.

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Pa. Unemployment Rate at Lowest Since March 2008

Good news for job searchers: Pennsylvania's unemployment rate in December 2014 fell to 4.8 percent, the lowest it has been since March 2008, the state Department of Labor and Industry announced. The state unemployment rate was down 2.0 percentage points from December 2013, according to the Department of Labor and Industry.

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Jardine Lloyd Thompson Announces Senior Employee Benefit Appointments

London-based Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc announced several senior management appointments within its UK Employee Benefits business and JLT Asia. These appointments are subject to obtaining the appropriate regulatory approvals, where required.

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High-ranking VA official to tour Tomah hospital

TOMAH, Wis The Number-two official in the U-S Department of Veterans Affairs will tour the V-A Medical Center in Tomah today. Undersecretary Carolyn Clancy is the lead agency's lead investigator into the reported over-prescription of opiates, and retaliation against whistle-blowing employees.

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Cut energy workers could spur flurry of employment litigation

California Rep. Introduces Bill To Pay NFL Cheerleaders As Real Employees

A California state representative who is a former college cheerleader this week introduced legislation that would legally classify the state's NFL cheerleaders as employees, making them subject to state minimum wage and employment laws. State Rep. Lorena Gonzalez , who cheered at Stanford University, introduced the legislation after a flurry of recent lawsuits from former NFL cheerleaders alleging that teams violated state and federal minimum wage laws.

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Oil sector should see job growth in 2015

Even with declining oil prices, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development expects inertia to keep oil industry employment growing this year.

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Ex-Ford Contractor Claims He Was Fired for Anti-Gay Statements

A former contractor for Ford Motor Co. has filed a complaint alleging he was fired for criticizing the automaker's efforts to support the gay community.

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What Exactly Does The Race Industry Want From White America?

Nothing frustrates me more than for someone to rant on and on about something while never really specifying the desired outcome that he or she is seeking. Or for someone to imply that I somehow owe them something without specifically telling me what it is.

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Pennsylvania Trans Woman's Lawsuit Tests Exclusions in Americans With Disabilities Act

Kate Lynn Blatt, the Pennsylvania trans woman allegedly harassed by coworkers and then fired from a Cabela's sporting goods store nearly eight years ago, has this month taken an uncoventional route in her antitrans discrimination lawsuit: suing under both a more common Title VII claim and the American Disabilities Act, reports The Legal Intelligencer . Blatt first announced that she would file a federal lawsuit against Cabela's last September, after receiving notice from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June that she had grounds for a lawsuit.

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TWRA increasing fees July 1

For the first time in a decade, the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved a license fee structure adjustment for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The increase was one of five rule amendments made by the TFWC at its January meeting.

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Legal Printer 'Supreme Court Press' Petition of the Month for...

Petition Regarding Alleged Workplace Discrimination at the University of Cincinnati Heads to the Supreme Court for Review, Posing the Question of Whether Any Title VII Can Survive in Federal Court In the 1980's . . . defense counsel often did not ask the court for summary judgment .

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Ex-Ford Employee Claims He Was Fired For Anti-Gay Statements

A former contractor for Ford Motor Company has filed a complaint alleging he was fired for criticizing the company's efforts to support the gay community. The complaint was filed Wednesday with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Thomas Banks.

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Thursday, January 29, 2015

San Jose: Feds fund $5 million workforce initiative across four...

The U.S. Department of Labor is sending more than $5 million to the four-county Workforce Investment Board consortium with hopes of putting long-term unemployed people back into the workplace. The plan is to reach approximately 1,300 participants across the four regions in a four-year span--and to realize employment for 900 of those individuals.

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Chief Clifford Pinkney to become Cuyahoga County Sheriff

Chief Clifford Pinkney to become Cuyahoga County Sheriff He is currently Chief, the second-ranking person in the Department behind Sheriff Frank Bova, who appointed him. Check out this story on WKYC.com: http://on.wkyc.com/1CDcIbs A source confirmed to WKYC's Tom Beres that respected current Sheriff's Department Chief Clifford Pinkney will be nominated as Sheriff by new County Executive Armond Budish at a Friday morning press conference.

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Local restaurant workers may be entitled to back wages

Pancho Villa Mexican Restaurant, based in Fredericksburg, Va., will pay $57,446 in back wages to 30 employees at nine establishments located in Virginia and North Carolina following a federal investigation that exposed violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

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EEOC Sues Stack Bros. Mechanical Contractors for Age Discrimination and Retaliation

Stack Bros. Mechanical Contractors, Inc., of Superior, Wis., a major heating and plumbing contractor in northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota, violated federal law by firing two employees when they reached age 62 and by retaliating against one of those employees for resisting the company's plan to discriminate against her, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit filed today.

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Public Notice Housing Authority of Carbon County 2015 Board Meetings

PUBLIC NOTICE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CARBON COUNTY 2015 BOARD MEETINGS Notice is hereby given that the Housing Authority of Carbon County will hold regular public meetings at the Housing Authority office, Price, Utah beginning January 2015. Following are the dates: January 14, 2015 March 11, 2015 May 13, 2015 July 8, 2015 September 9, 2015 November 18, 2015 All meetings will run from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend these meetings.

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Public Notice Coal Country Housing and Development Corporation 2015 Board Meetings

PUBLIC NOTICE COAL COUNTRY HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 2015 BOARD MEETINGS Notice is hereby given that Coal Country Housing & Development Corporation will hold regular public meetings at the Housing Authority of Carbon County, Price, Utah beginning January, 2015. Following are the dates: January 15, 2015 April 17, 2015 July 17, 2015 October 16, 2015 All meetings will run from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend these meetings.

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Carmela s Forest Theater wona t reopen until 2016

Carmel >> The Forest Theater will not reopen this year as planned because of the amount of time it will take to prepare construction documents and to complete initial renovations, according to a statement released by the city Thursday morning. City officials and two Carmel theater groups that use the theater decided this week to postpone the reopening until 2016.

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New Public Employment Laws for 2015

Year in and year out, one thing is true: In California, there will always be new laws affecting employers, and 2015 is no exception. Below is a brief description of the laws that public sector employers need to be aware of for the new year.

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Contractor Injured at Your House: Are You Liable?

Homeowners having work done to their homes may be concerned about not just the quality of the work, but also about the potential legal liability for injuries sustained by contractors performing the work. By virtue of owning the property, homeowners may generally be held responsible for injuries caused by negligence in failing to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition.

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Old Dominion must pay nearly $120K to worker who was fired after self-reporting alcohol problem

A federal jury has awarded $119,612 in back pay to a former Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. truck driver who was fired after he self-reported an alcohol problem. A federal jury has awarded $119,612 in back pay to a former Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. truck driver who was fired after he self-reported an alcohol problem.

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Unemployment Application Drop to 15 Year Low

The Department of Labor reports the number of applications for unemployment benefits has plunged to its lowest level in almost 15 years. The drop of the rate is also an indication that companies have stopped laying off temporary workers they hired for the holiday season.

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Murray: EEOC regs on wellness programs coming soon

The top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said Thursday that federal guidance is forthcoming to help employers administer worker wellness programs so that they comply with both ObamaCare and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sen. Patty Murray raised concerns in a committee hearing that some employers are going too far with their wellness initiatives and are ultimately discriminating against certain workers based on their health status.

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Stack Bros. accused of age discrimination

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a discrimination lawsuit against a large heating and plumbing contractor in northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. The EEOC alleges Stack Bros.

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Idaho Agencies Face Bias Claim

The tort claim alleges that Idaho Department of Labor Director Ken Edmunds and former Idaho Human Rights Commission Director Pamela Parks discriminated against Don Dew while he was interviewing for a job as Idaho Human Rights Commission director because he has epilepsy and is gay. After completing three employment interviews with the Idaho Human Rights Commissioners, Dew had a final interview with Edmunds in September.

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Accesses Control Equipment- RFP

Cherokee Nation Entertainment, LLC, a tribal corporation of the Cherokee Nation is seeking bids for Accesses Control Equipment. Please refer to the attached """""Products Specifications"""""" spreadsheet! Return bids are due no later than Tuesday the 3rd of February 2015 at 5:00PM and can be returned via email to Hossam Azar @hossam.azar@cnent.com Please note that winning bid will be published.

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Cne RFP: Rings for Pick a Ring Event at Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs February 2015 Event

Cherokee Nation Entertainment, LLC, , a wholly owned tribal company of the Cherokee Nation, is seeking qualified bids for our Pick A Ring event at Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs. Please see attachment for more information.

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Former employee sues Washington for owed wages, judge to rule in default

WASHINGTON BORO - A lawsuit filed against Washington Borough by a former employee seeking alleged owed wages , has now moved to a default hearing in Warren County after the borough failed to respond to the the suit, according to attorney Kevin Costello. Representing the borough's former recreation director Melissa Hommes , Costello described the default in the case as "surprising" for a public entity.

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Third Time Is the Charm: U.S. Supreme Court Hears Argument in Disparate Impact Case

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral argument in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. - the case presenting the issue of whether disparate impact claims are cognizable under the Fair Housing Act .

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Vail Daily column: New limits allow you to contribute more to retirement

If you are interested in saving for retirement, here's some good news: For 2015, the IRS has raised the maximum contribution limits for 401 plans from $17,500 to $18,000. And if you're 50 or older, you can put in an extra $6,000, up from $5,500 in 2014.

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Advocacy groups support trans litigant

Six LGBT-advocacy groups have submitted an amicus brief in support of trans woman Kate L. Blatt's attempt to assert workplace anti-bias claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The groups are Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Mazzoni Center, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force and Transgender Law Center.

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Ypsilanti man says comment stating his anti-homosexual beliefs led to his firing from Ford

An Ypsilanti man has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the Ford Motor Company alleging he was fired for making comments regarding his religious beliefs about homosexuality.

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Most support new election at GISD facilities meeting

Mirror Photo / Phillip Williams STEVE DEAN, standing at left, speaks during a meeting Monday night at which more than 100 persons attended to hear proposals for a possible bond election to finance either renovation or construction of a new high school building. Standing at right is Superintendent Rick Albritton who hosted the gathering.

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Special ed teacher sues Carencro principal for alleged harrassment

A special education teacher claims Carencro Middle School Principal Spurgeon Banyard sexually harassed her during her time working at the school and denied her leave for medical appointments because she rebuffed his advances. Special education teacher Sandra Stevens filed suit in state district court Monday against the "state of Louisiana through Lafayette Parish School System, Spurgeon Banyard," claiming discrimination, harassment and retaliation based on her sex.

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Employment Law Alert: Employee's Overtime Claim Fails Due to Lack of Facts

In Landers v. Quality Communications , the Court of Appeal affirmed the district court's order dismissing plaintiff's complaint pursuant to Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure finding that it is not enough for a complaint under the FLSA merely to generally allege that the employer violated wage and overtime laws.

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To Pay or Not to Pay on Snow Days

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and the roads are not delightful; but since we all need the dough, gotta go, gotta go, gotta goto work, that is. For most people across the country, this is the typical mantra during the winter weather.

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OSHA proposes $91,000 in penalties for Indianhead Biomass Services plant in St. Augustine

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $91,000 in fines for Indianhead Biomass Services plant in St. Augustine for a July 29, 2014, explosion that injured two workers. A release from OSHA said the explosion injured two men in their 50s who had attempted to shut down a sawdust dryer to unclog an outlet vent.

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Tammy Baldwin tells VA to interview Wisconsin whistleblowers

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is asking that the lead investigator probing allegations of opiate over prescription and retaliatory practices at a VA hospital in Tomah take into account the testimony of whistleblowers. In a letter Thursday, Baldwin asked that VA Under Secretary Carolyn Clancy consider concerns not addressed in an earlier report.

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Groups to host event focused on hiring vets

Three Colorado organizations have teamed up to encourage local companies and nonprofits to hire veterans and will host an event Feb. 26 to iterate that point. The Pikes Peak Workforce Center partnered with the Small Business Development Center and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center to host the day-long event, which will expose employers to recruiting tools and company strategies to find skilled veteran workers.

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BABC Attorneys Author Amicus Brief on Behalf of DRI Regarding Tibble...

In Tibble v Edison International , Plaintiffs brought fiduciary duty claims against Edison International for alleged mismanagement of Edison's 401 Plan. Plaintiffs' claims centered upon the fact that the Plan's investment committee selected retail-class shares for the Plan when comparable lower-cost institutional-class shares were available.

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Sen. Tammy Baldwin tells VA to interview whistleblowers

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Thursday asked that the lead investigator looking into allegations of opiates being overprescribed and retaliatory practices at the VA hospital in Tomah take into account whistleblowers' testimony. The medical center came under scrutiny earlier this month when media and whistleblower accounts detailed the widespread overuse of narcotics.

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Sen. Tammy Baldwin tells VA to Interview Whistleblowers

Public Financial Management, Inc. Retains Top National Ranking for...

A number one ranking is always rewarding, but delivering excellent client service and our many trusted client relationships are what drive PFM. Public Financial Management, Inc. has again been ranked first overall by a sizable margin as the nation's most active municipal advisor for municipalities and non-profit organizations.

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Alfred clinic affected by hospital transition

A primary care clinic in Alfred is among the health care services that will be impacted as St. James Mercy Hospital transitions to an independent health-care system. The Hornell-based hospital this week filed a layoff notice for all 581 employees at seven sites, but also announced in a news release that nearly 400 of those workers are expected to be hired back by various providers who are taking over parts of the business.

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U.S. Supreme Court Addresses Disparate Impact Liability Under the Fair Housing Act

On January 21, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project , Docket No.

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Sen. Tammy Baldwin tells VA to interview whistleblowers

North Chadbourne Improvements to Begin

Construction begins Monday on pedestrian improvements on North Chadbourne Street between 7th and 14th streets. Once completed, the project will provide accessibility improvements that include new sidewalks, curbs and gutters; Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps; crosswalks markings and underground conduit for future lighting and landscape irrigation.

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Number of applications for unemployment benefits hits 15-year low

The Department of Labor Reports announced Thursday the number of applications for unemployment benefits has plunged to its lowest level in almost 15 years. The drop of the rate is also an indication that companies have stopped laying off temporary workers they hired for the holiday season.

http://ift.tt/15VRVmA

Content Media Acquires International Sales Rights to Alex...

The much anticipated documentary "Deep Web," which chronicles the October 2013 arrest of Ross William Ulbricht, the 30-year-old entrepreneur alleged to be "Dread Pirate Roberts" - founder of Silk Road, the notorious online black market best known for drug trafficking and the trade of all illegal goods and services, will screen first footage in Berlin as Content Media announced today that it has acquired international sales rights to the film. Directed, written and produced by Alex Winter , the feature-length documentary explores the rise of a new Internet; decentralized, encrypted, dangerous and beyond the law.

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Alexandria Pedestrian, Bicycle Meeting Wednesday

Advisory Committee is to provide guidance to City staff on update to Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan; public is invited. The Ad Hoc Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan Advisory Committee will hold its fourth meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. This meeting will be held at Alexandria City Hall, Sister Cities Room 1101, 301 King St. This meeting will focus on the pedestrian and bicycle vision, goals and objectives, and pedestrian focus areas.

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Activists Lobby ABA to Spearhead Prosecutor Reform

"Our call to action is for help encouraging the ABA to promulgate a model rule that hinders prosecutors in using America's criminal justice system to retaliate against whistleblowers", says attorney Zena Crenshaw-Logal, Coalition Spokesperson. PRLog - Jan. 29, 2015 - CROWN POINT, Ind.

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Southern Foodways Alliance Features Nashville in Its 'Counter Histories' Series

Last year the Southern Foodways Alliance marked the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by gathering and sharing stories of the desegregation of lunch counters across the South. They selected five Southern cities that had significance to the civil rights struggle between 1957 and 1963: Jackson, Miss.; Rock Hill, S.C.; Durham, N.C.; Cambridge, Md.; and Nashville.

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Newell won't reply to suit, accu...

Five employees are suing the city, claiming a hostile work environment and sexual harassment as a result of an alleged affair between the mayor and finance director. The suits were filed Tuesday by attorney Bill Merriman on behalf of Stephanie Boone, Darci Dyke, Vicki Gheen, Sarah Goff and Tina Hughes, all of whom work in the city Finance Department.

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December 2014 Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary

Earlier this week the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary on national data collected during December 2014. Each month this government agency reports on each state's unemployment rate and then compiles a national, regional and state profile of unemployment.

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Dorney Park parent company responds to OSHA safety citation

The parent company for Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom has issued a response to claims that they exposed its workforce - many of whom are teenagers - to heat hazards this summer. In December, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Cedar Fair LP after investigating an incident in which a teen worker collapsed near a fryer and sustained burns.

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5 Tax Incentives to Help You Find and Keep Customers

The NFIB Small Business Economic Trends December 2014 shows that business optimism reached the highest level since 2007. And that many business owners expect to expand and anticipate increased revenues.

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National Council on Disability Issues "Securing the Social...

The National Council on Disability , an independent federal agency, will conduct a policy briefing at the release of the agency's latest report " Securing the Social Contract: Reforming Social Security Disability " at Room 210 of the Cannon House Office Building from 10-11:30 am on Thursday, January 29. Fears that Social Security payouts will soon exceed revenue continue to dominate the news and public policy debates. This timely and necessary report by NCD analyzes various proposals for SSI and SSDI reform with an emphasis on Medicaid policy and increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to work.

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OCC partners commend EU decision that supports disability protections for obesity

In a joint position statement, Obesity Care Continuum partners agree with the premise behind a recent European Court of Justice ruling supporting disability protections for obesity under certain circumstances and call for these protections to be enacted in the United States. The EU decision that sparked the development of the new position relates to a case of a child-care worker who claimed he was fired from his job because of his weight.

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Workplace harassment still a work in progress

Some, who might consider themselves reasonable people, may have dramatically different beliefs from others as to what constitutes harassment, but that's another story. When high-profile types such as Jian Ghomeshi and Bill Cosby are accused of being perpetrators, it makes the subject top-of-mind even if it does not directly lead to less occurrences.

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Workforce saw gains last month in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster

Figures released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor showed an unemployment rate of 5 percent in Orange, down from 5.8 percent in December 2013.

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Hiring Workers with Disabilities: A Success Story from Starbucks Largest Distribution Plant

The national unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 11.2 percent - double the jobless rate for the general population, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Recognizing that disparity, Starbucks is launching an on-the-job training program for people with cognitive and physical disabilities at its Carson Valley Roasting Plant and Distribution Center.

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Former Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers.

A fiery sex scandal threatens to burn up multiple firefighters' careers, including some top brass, according to former Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers. Ayers told the Daily News today that the investigation into a young paramedic's claims of sexual misconduct began shortly before he retired in June.

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Stack Bros. accused of age discrimination

Alexandria Presents Black History Live With the Culture Queen

"I'm a tower of royal power!" is the heart of Jessica "Culture Queen" Smith's message. She encourages children to take ownership over their roles as cultural ambassadors of their communities.

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Supreme Court Rejects Yard-Man: Ordinary Contract Principles Apply...

The Supreme Court has unanimously vacated a Sixth Circuit ruling that a collective bargaining agreement vested retirees with lifetime medical benefits. M&G Polymers USA, LLC v.

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PERM Denial Upheld for Failure to Include Free Housing Benefit in Advertisement

An important goal of the Immigration and Nationality Act is to protect U.S. workers from being displaced in the job market by foreign workers. Certain employment-based permanent residence applications therefore require the employer to obtain a Labor Certification from the Department of Labor .

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EEOC sues Stack Bros. of Superior alleging age discrimination

SUPERIOR, Wis. - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a discrimination lawsuit against a large heating and plumbing contractor in northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota. [ News Source ]

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Public Invited to Learn About Re-Use of Landfill Property

The public is invited to a community meeting Tuesday, February 3 to learn about the City's proposed plan to re-use portions of the North 48th St. Landfill facility property. The meeting is from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Auld Recreation Center, 3140 Sumner St. A formal presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. The 570-acre site at 5101 N. 48th St. was a municipal landfill and now operates as a construction and demolition debris landfill as well as a transfer station.

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North Dakota Senate Reconsiders Bill Banning Discrimination Based on...

North Dakota's Senate is again considering a nondiscrimination bill that would protect LGBTQ people from being discriminated in the workplace on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Nebraska currently has an abysmal record on LGBT civil rights according to the Human Rights Campaign's 2014 State Equality Index report.

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Annual H-1B Visa Quota Available But Expected to Be Exhausted in Early April

On April 1, 2015, the United States Customs and Immigration Services will begin accepting petitions for H-1B visas that are subject to annual quotas for the 2016 fiscal year . The H-1B visa is a specialty occupation visa designed specifically for foreign national professionals with job offers from U.S. employers.

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U.S. Supreme Court Rules That Time Spent In Mandatory Security...

The United States Supreme Court issued an interesting decision last month on whether employees who are required to undergo security screening after their work was done should be paid for that time. The Supreme Court found in favor of the employer, and concluded that workers did not have to be paid for that that time because the screening was a non-compensable "postliminary" activity under the Portal-to-Portal Act.

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Significant Multiemployer and Single Employer Benefit Rule Changes Take Effect

On December 16, 2014, President Obama signed into law the $1.1 trillion Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 , which includes some significant changes to the rules governing multiemployer pension plans, as well as a few changes affecting single employer pension plans. With respect to multiemployer plans, these changes were included in a division of the Appropriations Act called the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014, which, among other things, clarifies the Pension Protection Act of 2006 funding rules applicable to multiemployer plans and also provides more troubled plans with new tools to avoid insolvency.

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Stack Bros. accused of age discrimination

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Iskanian v. CLS Transportation Appeal

Last summer, the California Supreme Court ruled in Iskanian v. CLS Transportation Los Angeles, LLC that the Federal Arbitration Act preempted California's policy against enforcement of class action waivers in arbitration agreements.

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DOL Challenge Expected to Judge's Decision to Vacate Proposed Caregiver Wage Regulations

On January 14, 2015, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon, in the District of Columbia, issued an opinion and order in Home Care Association of America v. Weil , Civil Action No.

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Michael and Jenet Erickson: Utah businesses need religious freedom bill

In our pluralistic society, religious freedom is not just one policy among many; it is the foundation of the liberties we enjoy as Americans. It is our first freedom.

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Hike in hunting, fishing licenses approved

The Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission has approved a request by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for an increase in the price of hunting/fishing licenses and other related licenses and fees. The license hikes will not go into effect until July 1, which means licenses can be renewed at their current cost when they expire Feb. 28. License can be renewed on-line or at most outdoors outlets starting Feb. 18. In addition to the increase in the license cost, the Commission passed a regulation requiring mountain bikers and off-road vehicle riders to purchase a permit when using Wildlife Management Areas.

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Christian Product Engineer Claims Ford Motor Fired Him for Voicing...

Christian Product Engineer Claims Ford Motor Fired Him for Voicing His Bible-Based Opposition to the Company's Promotion of 'Pro-Homosexual Ideas' - Now He's Fighting Back A former contract employee at Ford Motor Company is accusing the company of unlawful discrimination after he says he was fired for sharing an online comment expressing his faith-based opposition to Ford's support for an LGBT employee organization. Thomas Banks, a former design and release product engineer, told TheBlaze Wednesday that he has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through his attorneys at the Liberty Institute, a conservative legal firm.

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David Drew, inset, has written to Jeremy Hunt about Croydon University Hospital

In this week's Croydon Guardian, we reported that whisteblower David Drew had written to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt calling for his intervention in the ongoing legal battle between consultant cardiologist Kevin Beatt and Croydon Health Services NHS Health Services Trust. Here we publish his letter in full.

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Time Spent By Warehouse Workers In Security Screening Is Not...

The employer in this case, Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc., provides staffing to Amazon.com throughout the United States. Plaintiffs Jesse Busk and Laurie Castro worked as hourly employees retrieving and packaging products at Integrity Staffing warehouses in Nevada.

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Breaking Up Is Still So Hard to Do: DOL Clarifies H-1B Bona Fide Termination Rule

Employers must navigate through a maze of complex regulations when seeking H-1B temporary authorization to hire foreign nationals in specialty occupations. Yet, as hard as it is to hire H-1B employees, it can be even more difficult and costly to fire those employees unless special procedures are followed.

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Investors See Benefit in Using IRAs for Real Estate

Investing is always a risk. But unlike stocks and bonds which are intangible, people can see and walk on real estate.

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A Fair Shot for Workers with Disabilities

Jennifer Lortie, who has limited arm and leg use due to cerebral palsy, works on an iPad in her Willimantic, Connecticut, office. Disability can be both a cause and consequence of economic insecurity.

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Loretta Lynch confirmation hearing: Grassley wants answers for Justice Dept. issues

There's a lot to answer for at the Justice Department , and members of Congress want to hear how the president's nominee to be the next attorney general will deal with the controversial issues, said Sen. Chuck Grassley , an Iowa Republican. Mr. Grassley , Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, started off the confirmation hearing Wednesday by saying he hopes the nominee, Loretta Lynch , will make changes to the way the federal government's law enforcement office has been operating.

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Los Angeles 401(k), 403(b), and Retirement Plan Leaders Gather for the...

Xponential Growth Solutions announces the 2015 Los Angeles Fiduciary Summit on March 4, 2015. This workshop is the first stop on the highly regarded Retirement Plan Roadshow; a national series of educational workshops designed for 401 , 403 , and retirement plan sponsors, trustees, and fiduciaries.

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CA: Vandalism Closes Downtown Train Depot in Redding

Joy Yoshioka and her husband have taken several trips on Amtrak's Coastal Starlight, which picks up passengers in Redding in the wee hours of the morning. She is disappointed that the downtown passenger depot is closed.

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Kmart Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

According to the lawsuit, after Kmart offered Lorenzo Cook a job at its Hyattsville, Md., store, Cook advised the hiring manager that he could not provide a urine sample for the company's mandaA tory pre-employment drug screening due to his kidney disease and dialysis. Cook requested a reasonA able accommodation such as a blood test, hair test, or other drug test that did not require a urine sample, the EEOC charged.

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GOP senator demands answers for DOJ issues at Lynch hearing

There's a lot to answer for at the Justice Department, and members of Congress want to hear how the president's nominee to be the next attorney general will deal with the controversial issues, said Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican. Mr. Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, started off the confirmation hearing Wednesday by saying he hopes the nominee, Loretta Lynch, will make changes to the way the federal government's law enforcement office has been operating.

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Is Your Broker Double-Crossing You?

I speak and write about investor protection, money management, health economics, ecology and social issues. My latest book is "Keynes's Way to Wealth," a revealing look inside the successful portfolios of the world's most famous economist.

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Christian Ex-Fire Chief Fires Back at Atlanta Mayor, Files Discrimination Complaint

Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he was fired because he wrote a book expressing his Christian faith, according to a discrimination complaint filed Jan. 19 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. His attorney, Jeremy Tedesco of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith, said the ADA wants to vindicate the former fire chief following his "unjust termination."

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Solvay Pharma Must Face Bribery Claims

Solvay Pharmaceuticals cannot duck whistleblower claims that it bribed Medicaid doctors to prescribe its drugs for unapproved uses, a federal judge ruled. Two former Solvay managers, John King and Tammy Drummond, sued the company in 2006, alleging it violated the False Claims Act by paying doctors kickbacks in the form of "bogus speaker and research fees, resort weekends, cash payments, or Harley Davidson goods" to prescribe its drugs Aceon, Luvox and AndroGel for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

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Encore: Illinois expands retirement-plan coverage

The Illinois Secure Choice Savings Plan , once up and running, will require employers with 25 or more employees that don't maintain a retirement plan to enroll their employees in Roth IRAs. Employees can opt out.

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Machinists dues fund hefty union boss salaries, lefty politics

By Jason Hart Union dues paid to International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers fund generous officer pay and left-wing politics, the union's latest report to the U.S. Department of Labor reveals.

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Workforce saw gains last month in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster

Figures released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor showed an unemployment rate of 5 percent in Orange, down from 5.8 percent in December 2013.

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Top North Carolina Employment Law Firm Engages Outer Banks Media for New Online Presence

With a fresh, new look and strong focus on integrated SEO, Van Kampen Law, P.C., is ranking #1 in Google searches days after launching new responsive website. Van Kampen Law is a plaintiff-side North Carolina employment law firm based in Charlotte, NC, handling discrimination in the workplace, harassment, wrongful termination, wage disputes and more.

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No, Department of Justice, 80 Percent of Tor Traffic Is Not Child Porn

The debate over online anonymity, and all the whistleblowers, trolls, anarchists, journalists and political dissidents it enables, is messy enough. It doesn't need the US government making up bogus statistics about how much that anonymity facilitates child pornography.

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Iowa added 16,400 nonfarm jobs, reduced unemployment in 2014

Iowa has seen an increase in nonfarm jobs and a decrease in its unemployment rate in the past year. Data released Tuesday shows Iowa gained 16,400 nonfarm jobs in 2014.

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5 Things America's Top Whistleblower Site is Doing Right

I'm the president behind Adogy , a marketing agency helping startups based out of Palo Alto, CA. I have spoken at Pubcon, Affiliate Summit, SES, Adtech, BlogWorld, New Media Expo, Forumcon and dozens of other conferences.

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Breakdown: Grantville clerks leave town

Tracey Townsend, left, has already left her position as assistant city clerk. Tonya Wheelus, right, will be leaving in less than two weeks.

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Ex-Atlanta fire chief files discrimination complaint

Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran spoke to the media during a recent rally about his termination from the city of Atlanta. Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has filed a federal discrimination complaint asserting he faced religious discrimination when the City fired him after he published a book that contained controversial statements about homosexuality.

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Pension plans that could be cut under new law

There's been one crucial question hanging in the air since Congress passed legislation last month allowing certain financially distressed pension plans to cut benefits for current retirees, reversing four decades of precedent: Which plans might actually move to cut benefits under the new law? This much was known: The law applied only to multi-employer plans, pooled retirement funds that support the pensions of unionized workers, many of whom are solidly working class. They include truckers, miners, supermarket clerks, custodians and construction workers.

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The fight for equal access at Romare Bearden Park

In western North Carolina, a 5th grader was told she couldn't participate in a class field trip because she couldn't walk for great lengths of time. The girl wore braces on her legs, a lasting side effect from having polio as a young child.

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Mayor may have acted illegally

But Mr Montague, 67, is refusing to go claiming any attempt to remove him is illegal because he is now an ICAC whistleblower. However, Fairfax Media has obtained a letter from the acting head of the Office of Local Government, Steve Orr, to Labor Mayor Brian Robson expressing "serious concerns" about the legality of his actions.

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.com | Not enough incentive for whistle-blowers - Public Protector

"We have not really made it worth people's while to be whistle-blowers," he said at the launch of the Anti-Intimidation and Ethical Practices Forum in Johannesburg. Whistle-blowers faced threats including harassment, discrimination, dismissal, disciplinary proceedings, risk to their lives and the lives of their families, and harm to their reputation.

http://ift.tt/15OjQ7V

Vegas limo firm fined $232K for paying workers sub-minimum

Our eNewspaper network was founded in 2002 to provide stand-alone digital news sites tailored for the most searched-for locations for news. With a traditional newspaper format, more than 100 sites were established each with a newspaper-type name to cover the highest-ranked regions, countries, cities and states.

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State unemployment rate falls to lowest level since 2008

The New York State Department of Labor released preliminary local area unemployment rates for December 2014. Rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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OSHA proposes $60,500 in penalties after workers were exposed to dangerous chemicals

Workers at Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC were exposed to dangerous chemicals, such as formaldehyde and other potential health and safety hazards, because the company failed to implement proper chemical management procedures at its Columbus plant. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration produced 11 serious violations with penalties totaling $60,500.

http://ift.tt/1CLW89Y

MedicalBillersandCoders Receives Outstanding Response to the...

MedicalBillersandCoders.com has announced 'Practice Performance Audits' to help providers reduce costly payer rejections for no charge at all. MBC will be conducting these audits for physicians who wish to review procedures like coding, data entry/billing, documentation and other vital areas that affect reimbursement of their medical practice.

http://ift.tt/1D95jyN

Empower whistle-blowers - Malunga

Face NHS problems

C J Meek asks why I waited until I had retired from the NHS before publishing my letter about the current crisis it faces. He also asks if I was afraid of being "vilified as a whistle-blower and suffering the same fate as othersa " The answer to the first question is that 'in my day' things were not as bad as they have become now.

http://ift.tt/1LgQAIb

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

RFP - Hard Rock Casino 3 LED Lighting Enhancements

Cherokee Nation Entertainment, LLC is seeking proposals for Casino 2 LED Lighting Enhancements at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino located in Catoosa, OK. There will be a MANDATORY pre-bid on Monday, February 2, at 10:00AM CST for the purposes of asking questions and obtaining field measurments of the ceiling area requiring the enhancement, the meeting will be held in the Center Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino located in Catoosa, OK.

http://ift.tt/1H7QbrT

Non-qualified Stock Options or Restricted Stock Awards?

Recently, an early-stage, high-growth client called to ask whether, and when, to begin awarding stock options, in this case the non-qualified variety , instead of using restricted stock grants to key contributors. Many growing companies struggle with this same issue, and the recipient and company may have differing views.

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HUB International Insurance Services Announces Wade Diebner Has...

Wade Diebner joins the growing HUB - California employee benefits team, bringing with him a wealth of experience within the employee benefits industry including group benefits, life insurance, and estate planning. HUB is dedicated to building a practice that will deliver a Fortune 500 experience to the middle market employers in California and throughout the United States.

http://ift.tt/15Kun45

Limo company gets $200,000 fine for shorting its workers

A Las Vegas limousine company has been fined $232,317 for illegally withholding pay from nearly 500 employees, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday. An investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division found that limousine and shuttle bus service Executive Las Vegas made improper payroll deductions late last year for items including uniforms, fuel, repairs, drug tests, badges, water cups and cash shortages that caused 479 commission-based drivers to fall below the minimum wage.

http://ift.tt/15KumNG?

Region's unemployment rate drops to 5.4 percent

Rochester's economy continues its upward climb, with an increase in the number of jobs and a decline in the unemployment rate in December, the state Department of Labor reported Tuesday. The Rochester metro area's jobless rate was 5.4 percent last month, down from 6.1 percent in December 2013, not seasonally adjusted.

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Employment laws also protect unauthorized workers

New England employers should be aware that people who lack authorization to work in the United States are nonetheless protected under most employment laws, including discrimination and wage-and-hour statutes. A recent court decision in California illustrates this.

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Ocean Springs Mayor Connie Moran releases statement on Applewhite suit settlement offer

Ocean Springs Mayor Connie Moran released a statement Tuesday in reference to the settlement offer from attorneys representing Roger Applewhite, the owner of the commercial property where the Psycamore mental health clinic wanted to operate. Applewhite has filed a federal suit seeking $405,000 in damages for the board of aldermen's 2011 denial of a permit for Psycamore to open on Iberville Drive.

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Employee Could Proceed With Whistleblower Lawsuit Based On...

Cecilia Diego, the former assistant director of Pilgrim United's preschool, sued her former employer for retaliation in violation of public policy that resulted from the director's mistaken belief that Diego had lodged a complaint with the California Department of Social Services, which resulted in an unannounced inspection of the preschool. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Pilgrim United on the ground that Diego had not in fact made a complaint to the state.

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Illinois Becomes the First State to Require Automatic Retirement...

On January 5, 2015, outgoing Governor Quinn signed landmark legislation that created the "Secure Choice Savings Plan" which will give Illinois workers who do not have the option to participate in a workplace retirement program the opportunity to defer salary contributions to an IRA. Once established, certain Illinois employers will be required to automatically enroll employees in a Roth-style individual retirement account at a default rate of 3% of salary.

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Spoiler Alert: The EEOC Is Quietly Figuring Out The Best Way To...

Most following the federal government's efforts to collect employee compensation data are aware of the OFCCP's proposed requirement that federal contractors file an "Equal Pay Report" providing information on the salaries, wages, and benefits of their employees. These efforts have been well publicized.

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Feds file lawsuit against eastern Idaho school district

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against an eastern Idaho school district contending district officials retaliated against an employee for reporting asbestos cleanup concerns. [ News Source ]

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Feds File Lawsuit Against Idaho School District

The false promise of fracking and local jobs

In a surprise decision that led to consternation in the oil and gas industry and elation among fracking opponents, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in December banned fracking in the state . He attributed his decision to unresolved health risks associated with this drilling technique , but the governor surely also weighed the economics and the politics.

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Arkansas' Unemployment Rate Declines to 5.7 Percent

That's according to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services , which today released labor force data produced by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics showing Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined two-tenths of a percentage point, from 5.9 percent in November to 5.7 percent in December. DWS says Arkansas' civilian labor force added 8,500, a result of 9,700 more employed and 1,200 fewer unemployed Arkansans.

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Use cat pictures to hide encrypted Facebook posts

When a bunch of self-described crypto geeks get together to make a messaging app, you get Wickr: one part Snapchat, one part WhatsApp and one part spy-level encryption technology. A few years ago, CEO Nico Sell was helping to organize the annual Defcon hacker convention and she needed a way let ace hackers and whistleblowers communicate with journalists and each other.

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Upstate New York county boasts the lowest unemployment in the state

Tompkins County had the state's lowest unemployment rate for December: 3.5 percent, according to data released today by the state Department of Labor. Oswego County usually has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

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Non-qualified Stock Options or Restricted Stock Awards?

Bakers Wanted: Roswell To Host Pound Cake Cook-Off

The city of Roswell next month will host its first Pound Cake Cook-Off as part of its Roswell Roots: A Festival of Black History and Culture. The event will take place 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 at the East Roswell Recreation Center.

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Health secretary urged to launch inquiry as tribunal rejects Croydon...

Health secretary urged to launch inquiry as tribunal rejects Croydon NHS trust's appeal over whisteblower's unfair sacking Health secretary Jeremy Hunt urged to launch inquiry as tribunal rejects Croydon Health Services NHS Trust's appeal over unfair sacking of whisteblower Kevin Beatt Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has been urged to launch an independent inquiry into Croydon University Hospital over its treatment of a whisteblower doctor. The call came as it emerged board members at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, were under investigation by the Care Quality Commission over the 2012 sacking of consultant cardiologist Kevin Beatt.

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Feds file lawsuit against eastern Idaho school district

Media Advisory: EWTN Hearing on February 4th

Founded by cloistered nuns, Eternal Word Television Network 's religious freedom case will be heard on February 4th  . The Becket Fund represents EWTN, which is being forced to either violate its faith or pay millions in IRS fines.

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Dan Orso posted a blog post

HR audits are becoming more and more frequent these days. Are you ready? Here's how to be prepared for an HR audit.

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December unemployment rates down from last year in three NNY counties

December unemployment rates dropped from December 2013 in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, according to statistics released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor. Jefferson County posted a jobless rate of 7.7 percent in December, down from 9.1 percent from the prior year.

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Woman Says Employer Forced Her To Take Unpaid Leave While Pregnant

While Jamie Cole's doctor was monitoring her pregnancy because she had suffered preeclampsia with a previous one, she was still healthy. Her doctor simply told her to continue working as normal, just without heavy lifting.

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Lawsuits: Saks Changes Its Mind on Transgender Discrimination

Saks Fifth Avenue will no longer argue in court that transgender people aren't covered by federal anti-discrimination laws. Buzzfeed reports that on Monday, the retailer withdrew its court filing asserting that transgender workers are not covered by the sex discrimination ban in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

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VA chief assigns top official to lead probe of Tomah drug allegations

U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald on Monday announced he was sending one of his top lieutenants to conduct a full review of medication practices at the Tomah VA medical center in response to allegations of over-prescription of opiates and retaliation against whistleblowers. "While important changes are being made to improve services to Wisconsin veterans immediately, we must ensure that we fully investigate the issues surrounding the possible overuse of powerful medicines and to share these lessons learned throughout our health care system," McDonald said in a statement.

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Former CIA Employee Convicted of Violating the Espionage Act

Former CIA employee Jeffery Sterling was convicted of violating the Espionage Act on Monday. Sterling's case is one of an unprecedented number of Espionage Act cases the Obama administration has brought against intelligence community whistleblowers for alleged mishandling of classified information.

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The Maine Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Standards is hosting...

The Maine Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Standards is hosting its no-charge safety courses for employers throughout February. Courses are held at no charge to employers and their employees to ensure and promote safety in the workplace.

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Limo company ordered to pay $232,317 for minimum wage violations

A Las Vegas limousine company will be required to pay $232,317 to 479 employees for violating the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and paying workers less than minimum wage.

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Is Your Volunteer Really an Employee? The Answer Might Surprise You [Part 1]

Over the past year or so, we have discussed the Fair Labor Standards Act's application to both paid interns and unpaid interns , as well as independent contractors . One area we have covered briefly in the past , but not explored in depth, is the issue of volunteers.

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Stevi playground project gets huge boost from businesses

The Living Centre and Discovery Care Centre are now the official "dream builders" for the development of Lewis and Clark Park in Stevensville.

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Brunch at HRC store: Queer 99% to protest gay 1%

Queer social justice advocates will converge on the Human Rights Campaign's souvenir store on Castro Street in San Francisco on Saturday, Jan. 31, at noon in solidarity with ACT UP/New York's protest on the same date outside HRC's gala at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. ACT UP/New York is calling on HRC to address HIV related matters including workplace discrimination and preventing new infections.

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De-Risking Threatens Religious Access to Banking Services

For the past year, banks have been cutting ties with businesses that regulators view as "high risk" in order to protect themselves from regulatory scrutiny and potential fines and penalties. Now America's religious organizations appear to be caught in the de-risking vortex.

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Feds file lawsuit against eastern Idaho school district

Feds file lawsuit against eastern Idaho school district The lawsuit says the district violated the whistleblower provision of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. Check out this story on KREM.com: POCATELLO, Idaho - The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against an eastern Idaho school district contending district officials retaliated against an employee for reporting asbestos cleanup concerns.

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Maryland gains 11,000 jobs in December, unemployment rate improves

Maryland added 11,000 jobs in December, pushing down the state's unemployment rate to its lowest total in nine months. The private sector led the way, creating 10,600 jobs during the month, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Labor .

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A Look Back at SEC Whistleblowers in 2014

In retrospect, 2014 has to be considered a success for the whistleblower program run by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission . This year, whistleblowers who earned awards through the SEC earned more money than in all previous years of the program's existence combined, with one whistleblower who reported major fraud within a company earning a record-setting $30 million award.

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Mass surveillance seen as a danger to fundamental human rights

Mass Internet surveillance endangers fundamental human rights and has not helped to prevent terrorist attacks, a top European human rights body concluded after analyzing documents leaked by Edward Snowden in 2013. The leaks detailing government mass surveillance programs have shown "compelling evidence" of "far-reaching, technologically advanced systems" put in place by U.S. intelligence services and their partners to collect, store and analyze communication data on a massive scale, which threaten fundamental privacy rights , a report by the legal affairs and human rights committee of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe found.

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Maryland gains estimated 11,000 jobs in December

Maryland employers added an estimated 11,000 new jobs in December, driving the state's unemployment rate down a tenth of a percentage point to 5.5 percent, according to data released Tuesday. More than 96 percent of the new jobs were created in the private sector, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Mass surveillance endangers human rights

"Mass Internet surveillance endangers fundamental human rights and has not helped to prevent terrorist attacks, a top European human rights body concluded after analyzing documents leaked by Edward Snowden in 2013. "The leaks detailing government mass surveillance programs have shown "compelling evidence" of "far-reaching, technologically advanced systems" put in place by U.S. intelligence services and their partners to collect, store and analyze communication data on a massive scale, which threaten fundamental privacy rights , a report by the legal affairs and human rights committee of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe found.

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Arkansas unemployment rate falls to 5.7%

Arkansas' unemployment rate dropped two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.7 percent in December, the state Department of Workforce Services said Tuesday. In December, Arkansas' civilian labor force added 8,500 workers, a result of 9,700 finding work and 1,200 leaving the work force, the department said in a statement, citing U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics figures.

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Cetera president blasts White House memo defending DOL fiduciary

Arguments continue on both sides about the merits of the memo and what it means for the standard's future prospects An independent broker-dealer executive Monday sharply criticized a leaked White House memo that purports to show that sales incentives for financial advisers cost retirement savers billions of dollars annually, calling it "offensive" and saying that it demonstrated "ignorance" about the role of advisers. The document "accuses all financial advisers of defrauding their clients," Adam Antoniades, president of Cetera Financial Group, told a Financial Services Institute conference audience of about 800 in San Antonio.

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First transgender discrimination case to challenge ADA's constitutionality

In the summer of 1989, U.S. senators debating the Americans with Disabilities Act excluded behavior they deemed immoral from the ADA's protections, including "transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments, or other sexual behavior disorders," according to the text of the law. Kate Lynn Blatt, a transgender woman who was fired from her job at Cabela's, filed a discrimination suit last summer making claims under both the ADA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which is more often used in cases like this one.

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Mass surveillance 'endangers fundamental human rights,' says study

If You Are Planning Layoffs - Here Are Five Things You Need to Know

Unfortunately, when the price of oil goes down, the employment numbers also move downward in Houston. Many clients in the oil and gas industry are either planning or considering downsizing measures, which means that it is a good time to review your policies and procedures to make sure you adequately protect your business.

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Strategies: The importance of proving a disability discrimination claim

Both federal law - the Americans with Disabilities Act - and state law protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination and require that they be reasonably accommodated. To be sure, there are plenty of issues in ADA cases for litigation, including what is and is not discrimination and what is and is not a reasonable accommodation, but a simple threshold question in such a case is often whether the plaintiff's medical condition is even bad enough to constitute a protected "disability."

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Time to convert trafficking awareness into action for domestic workers

About 5 years ago, I counseled a woman named "Charlene" who had come to the United States with the promise of employment and a G-5 visa-a perfectly legal document that is intended for domestic workers employed by staff of international organizations like the World Bank. Instead of the promised employment, she was enslaved as a domestic servant.

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Las Vegas limo company gets fine for cheating workers

An investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division found that limousine and shuttle bus service Executive Las Vegas made improper payroll deductions late last year for items including uniforms, fuel, repairs, drug tests, badges, water cups and cash shortages that caused 479 commission-based drivers to fall below the minimum wage. The investigation, helmed by the division's Las Vegas district office, also determined that the company used incorrect calculations to measure whether employee tips exceeded the company's minimum wage obligation.

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Oh but Oprah

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn't die on the cold concrete of a motel balcony. His eyes dulled but his vision ignited becoming a brilliant spectacle for his faithful followers.

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The #Sunifesto is confused about free speech

Their last bullet point is about free speech. Incredibly, this is not about press regulation, the harmonisation of our libel laws, extremism 'banning' orders or police abuse of RIPA to track down whistleblowers .

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Monday, January 26, 2015

HandyDART staff rally in Cloverdale

HandyDART union members rallied in the rain on Thursday to show their support for a member whom they claim was wrongfully fired. Bob Chitrenky, president of Local 1724 the amalgamated transit union, said the group was wearing pink anti-bullying T-shirts because dispatcher Kathy Dietrich from the union's executive board was fired for standing up to workplace harassment.

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State Adds Jobs In December

A new report from the Connecticut Department of Labor shows that the state added 4,800 positions in December 2014 and more importantly is just 22,800 jobs away from a full recovery. In 2014, the state gained 26,700 jobs, which is up from the 18,400 it gained in 2013.

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Unemployment, jobs

Connecticut employers added 4,800 jobs in December, helping push down the unemployment rate a notch, to 6.4 percent. The Department of Labor says Connecticut's employment increased by 26,700 jobs since December 2013, to nearly 1.7 million.

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Breakdown: Grantville clerks leave town

Tracey Townshend, left, has already left her position as assistant city clerk. Tonya Wheelus, right, will be leaving in less than two weeks.

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Roland- Axis Cameras RFP.

Sealed proposals are being solicited by Cherokee Nation Businesses, L.L.C. for the procurement of Axis Cameras from an authorized distributor, or distributors for its Roland property. Please refer to the attached*** Roland- Axis Cameras RFP ***! Located under the document tab of this posting for Scope of Work.

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RFP-A/V system for Cherokee Casino in Roland

Cherokee Nation Entertainment, LLC, a tribal corporation of the Cherokee Nation is seeking bids to procure, install, and program an A/V system for the new Cherokee Casino being constructed in Roland. This is a turnkey solution using the equipment specified in the Scope of Work document.

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The Companionship Exemption Remains: D.C. District Court's Most ...

On January 14, 2015, Judge Richard J. Leon of the D.C. Federal District Court issued another favorable opinion for home care employers by vacating a Department of Labor regulation that would have narrowed the definition of "companionship services." The decision comes on the heels of another decision by Judge Leon last month in which he vacated another proposed regulation that would have prevented third-party home agencies from applying the companionship exemption to its employees.

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Amendments to New York's Wage Theft Prevention Act: A Double-Edged Sword for Employers

Executive Summary : On December 29, 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that amends the New York Wage Theft Prevention Act . While the amendments relieve New York employers from some administrative burdens, that is where the good news ends for employers.

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Another Employer Pays For "Sorry, I Can't Go"

Last October, I posted about a consent decree entered into between Wal-Mart and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , in which Wal-Mart agreed to pay $72,500 to candidate for a store job in Maryland whose offer was withdrawn because she couldn't undergo a urine test for drugs. Now, Kmart has been hit, too, in a case involving almost identical facts at one of its stores in Maryland.

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Saks Backtracks in Transgender Discrimination Case

Luxury retailer Saks & Co. has dropped a controversial legal argument they put forward in December: that there's no federal law prohibiting the company from discriminating against someone for being transgender.

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Connecticut restaurants buoy December jobs report

Chef Luca Grimaldi plates a dish of Branzino Gratinato, branzino baked with a crust of almonds, pine nuts, parsley and bread crumbs served with roasted potatoes and cherry tomatoes, a popular menu item at Golden View Firenze on Railroad Avenue in Greenwich, Conn. Job gains at restaurants across the state helped fuel the Connecticut economy in December.

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$10M sexual harassment lawsuit against Albany withdrawn

A city worker has at least temporarily withdrawn his $10 million lawsuit alleging city officials retaliated against his complaints of sexual harassment by his supervisor at the Rapp Road landfill by having him taken to a psychiatric facility. Randy Beck voluntarily agreed to have the federal lawsuit dismissed Jan. 16, according to the public docket for the case.

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How LTC Facilities Could Capitalize on their Wellness Program

Shane Paulson of PhysioLogic Human Performance Systems LLC, a solution provider at the marcus evans Long-Term Care CXO Summit Spring 2015, on how LTC facilities can boost revenue through their wellness program NEW YORK, NY, Jan 24, 2015 - - "Looking at wellness as a revenue source is a shift from how most long-term care facilities look at providing exercise," says Shane Paulson, Board-Certified Exercise Physiologist and Chief Executive Officer, PhysioLogic Human Performance Systems LLC. "Wellness" has become an industry buzzword, but most facilities are simply providing access to an exercise room or class, which does not necessarily result in physiological benefits or an improvement in residents' quality of life.

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Legion - uniquely positioned' to host credentialing summit

The American Legion's National Credentialing Summit on Feb. 17-18 in Washington will bring together experts on the credentialing issue and about 200 key decision-makers from across the country - individuals who can collaborate to improve the licensing, certification and credentialing of veterans in the private sector. The Legion has been involved with credentialing since the 1990s and issued its first national report on the issue in 1997.

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State adds 4,800 jobs in November

Statistics released today by the state Department of Labor were an exclamation point added to a flurry of positive employment numbers toward the end of 2014 that led to a total reported increase in 26,700 jobs statewide throughout the year. The Norwich-New London area gained 1,000 jobs on the year, with the slowest rate of increase of any of the state's major labor markets and no job gains in December.

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