A federal appeals court has ruled that a police officer who assaulted a contract security officer while both were stationed at the Pentagon is not immune from liability.
A federal district court has ruled that a company’s attendance policy violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because it required employees to disclose the nature of their illness when providing documentation for sick leave. Under the company’s policy, a doctor’s note had to include the illness or reason for the sick leave. The court noted that this could require employees to divulge information about a disability, a violation of the ADA.
An article published in The Journal of Transportation Security presents two researchers’ evidence that terrorists can defeat backscatter full-body scanners.
The Symantec Honey Stick Project lost smartphones on purpose to see what people did when they found them. The finders searched personal and business data on the phones.
The Supreme Court of California has ruled that a student who was sexually abused by his high school guidance counselor may pursue his liability claim against the school district. The court ruled that the district may be held vicariously liable if it failed to adequately supervise the counselor.
A Malaysian national may challenge her inclusion on the U.S. government’s No-Fly List, according to a federal appeals court. The plaintiff, ruled the court, has significant ties to the United States as a university professor who lectures and travels extensively. The court ruled that the plaintiff has the right to try and establish that she does not belong on the government watch list.
A federal district court has ruled that pharmacists cannot be compelled to dispense emergency contraceptives. The pharmacists claim that providing the medication violates their religious beliefs but a state law requires all pharmacies to stock and dispense the medication. The court ruled that the state’s regulations violate the constitutional right to free exercise of religion.
A new law (P.L. 112-98) strengthens penalties for trespassing on certain federal properties. Current federal law prohibits unauthorized entry to any building or grounds where the President is visiting. However, there was no federal law specifically prohibiting unlawful entry to the White House and its grounds or the vice president’s residence and its grounds.
A bill (H.R. 2483) that would make it mandatory for employees to first report violations to their employers in order to receive monetary awards has been approved by the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises. The measure will now be taken up by the full committee.
A bill (S. 1408) that would impose data security requirements on all government agencies and companies that collect or store personally identifiable information has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate has announced that it will consider the bill.
A new Maryland law (formerly S.B. 433) makes it illegal for employers to require employees or applicants to disclose their user name, password, or other means of accessing a private personal account or service as part of employment. An employer will not be allowed to refuse to hire an applicant for refusal to divulge such information.
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