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Calif. justices to decide if undocumented alien can practice law 

Published: May 23, 2012

Tags: practice of law, undocumented immigrants, undocumented workers

The California Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a law graduate’s status as an undocumented alien disqualifies him from being admitted to the state bar.

Employee can’t sue for anti-immigrant bias 

Published: May 23, 2012

Tags: employment discrimination, Title VII

Federal employment discrimination law does not provide a remedy for a bank employee who claims she was fired because of her marriage to a Mexican citizen who had entered the U.S. illegally, the 7th Circuit has ruled in affirming a summary judgment.

Injury caused by cell phone use yields $22 million verdict 

By: Ruth Sheehan
Published: May 23, 2012

Tags: car accident, cell phones, Texas

A Texas jury has awarded more than $22 million to a woman injured when her car was broadsided by a station wagon driven by a Coca-Cola marketing employee talking on her cell phone.

Police officer’s lawsuit divides town, settles for $1.2 million 

By: Dan McDonald
Published: May 22, 2012

Tags: civil rights violation, emotional distress, Massachusetts, retaliation

At first, attorney Michael Sacco thought he was handling a routine disability claim.

A sole practitioner in Westfield, Mass. who typically represents retirement boards, Sacco quickly found himself knee-deep in a civil rights lawsuit that offered a glimpse into the inner political machinations of a sleepy town and its police department, revealing a sordid mess.

Hostile environment suit needn’t include ‘sex’ claims 

Published: May 22, 2012

Tags: hostile work environment, sexual harassment

A female public employee could sue for hostile work environment under state law – even if the alleged offending conduct fell outside the definition of “sexual harassment,” the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled.

Catholic groups sue over birth control mandate 

Published: May 21, 2012

Tags: Catholic groups, contraception, Department of Health and Human Services, First Amendment, freedom of religion, Obama administrations

WASHINGTON – In a series of lawsuits filed across the country Monday, dozens of Roman Catholic archdiocese, schools and other organizations are seeking to block the recent Health and Human Services mandate that requires most employers to cover contraception in their health care plans.

ERISA plan could offset other disability payments 

Published: May 21, 2012

Tags: disability benefits, ERISA, offset

An ERISA plan could reduce an insured’s monthly long-term disability benefits by the amount of disability payments that he received from a separate insurance policy, the 3rd Circuit has ruled in affirming judgment.

Partner can sue partnership for retaliation 

Published: May 18, 2012

Tags: retaliation, sexual harassment

A partner in a professional medical practice could sue the partnership for retaliating against her based on her opposing the sexual harassment of employees, the California Court of Appeal has ruled in reversing judgment.

Home care provider isn’t entitled to overtime 

Published: May 17, 2012

Tags: overtime, wage and hour

An employee hired to provide in-home care for an elderly woman was not entitled to overtime, the California Court of Appeal has ruled in reversing a $123,000 judgment.

Labor contractor agrees to settle harassment suit 

Published: May 17, 2012

Tags: California, sexual harassment

A California farm labor contractor has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a federal agency’s suit on behalf of female vineyard workers in Sonoma and Mendocino counties who said a crew supervisor harassed them with crude remarks and demanded sex to keep their jobs.