Site Map - Legal Issues

10/23/2007 - Government says it will retry the case.

10/11/2007 - A court has ruled that an employee may proceed with assault charges as well as claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress against her employer. In the case, the employee was physically assaulted by her supervisor. After an investigation into the incident that led to the supervisor receiving sexual harassment training, the employee was forced to work for him again. After the supervisor began undermining the employee’s work, the company claimed that nothing could be done to curtail the inappropriate activity.

10/11/2007 - A bill (formerly S.B. 25) prohibiting hiring and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. The bill, which was signed into law by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, perceived sexual orientation, or gender identity. Unlike federal discrimination laws, which apply only to those with 15 or more employees, the Colorado law will apply to all employers in the state.

10/11/2007 - A bill (H.R. 2831) introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-CA) that would revise employment discrimination laws has been approved by the House of Representatives. The Senate has agreed to consider the measure.

10/11/2007 - A bill (H.R. 2703) introduced by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ) would require that all security officers undergo a federal and state background check covering the previous ten years. The applicant would be precluded from getting the job if he or she had been convicted any one of a number of crimes, including illegal firearms possession, burglary, buying or receiving stolen property, unlawful entry, reckless endangerment, making threats of terrorism, or any crime of violence. Other offenses may disqualify the applicant from a job as a security officer if that crime is relevant to the ability of the employee to provide reliable security services.

10/10/2007 - An employer acted improperly, ruled a federal appeals court, when it fired a woman for refusing to sign a medical release form about her mental health.

10/10/2007 - An employee may pursue a negligence claim against his coworker after an incident of horseplay left him physically and psychologically injured, ruled the Delaware Supreme Court.

10/10/2007 - A single comment about a worker’s accent is enough to allow the worker to proceed with a discrimination claim, ruled a federal appeals court.

10/10/2007 - An employee who was fired for refusing to attend spiritual and meditation sessions fashioned after Buddhist and Hindu belief systems may pursue his religious discrimination lawsuit against his company, ruled a federal appeals court.

10/08/2007 - A bill to overhall the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has reportedly been drafted by the chairmen of the House Intelligence Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.

10/05/2007 - Must bar owners intervene in an attack on a patron? A California court decides. Also, Congress addresses transit security, OSHA, and other topics.

10/04/2007 - Companies like Blackwater USA could be subject to U.S. law. White House objects.

10/04/2007 - The Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill, signed into law (P.L. 109-90) by President Bush in October, contains $940 million for border security initiatives, including 1,500 new border patrol agents and expanded detention capacity.