3rd Circuit: Verdicts May Compensate for Taxes on Back Pay

A federal appeals court has ruled trial judges may increase awards to compensate for taxes a plaintiff will have to pay on lump-sum awards for back pay. The ruling by the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals “sharpens a split in the circuits,” the Legal Intelligencer reports. The 3rd…

Feb 4, 2009 12:13 PM CST

Fired Over Personal Website, Ex-Associate of Major UK Firm Mulls Options

Fired on Friday from her plum position as an associate in the Moscow office of a major London-based law firm, Deidre Dare spent the weekend recuperating. But now the 40-something former Allen & Overy associate is already exploring other options, including but not limited to writing a “Sexpat” column for…

Feb 4, 2009 4:23 AM CST

Jabber-Jaw, Job Edition

Feb 2, 2009 3:30 AM CST

Free to Be

Recent decisions show growing acceptance of transgender rights

Feb 2, 2009 2:40 AM CST

Farmers’ Friend

San Diegan harvests H-2A labor visas for U.S. fields

Feb 2, 2009 1:30 AM CST

Lack of Legal Research in FMLA Case Costs Company an Extra $80K

Because an in-house lawyer didn’t research whether a pregnant worker was covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act before her employer fired her, a federal judge has doubled a jury verdict and awarded an additional $80,000 or so to the plaintiff. Senior U.S. District Judge Norma Shapiro said the…

Jan 30, 2009 10:14 PM CST

Judge Rules for Juror Who Received a Pink Slip

A juror who received a pink slip from her employer after serving four months as a juror in a death penalty trial has gotten her job back. Juror Christine Madison will be reinstated and will receive back wages and attorney fees, according to a press release by the law firm…

Jan 30, 2009 7:31 PM CST

Lawyer Who Sued Company CEO is Target of Claimed Cyber-Attack Campaign

In nearly 20 years as a trial lawyer, Keith Fink has encountered plenty of hardball litigation tactics. But the cyber attacks he has suffered since he began representing former employees of American Apparel in litigation against the company are unique. “I’ve never experienced it, I don’t know any lawyer that’s…

Jan 28, 2009 1:55 AM CST

Ogletree Deakins Opens in Boston

A national labor and employment boutique has opened a new office in Boston with four partners and expects to expand it soon. To open its doors there, Ogletree Deakins Nash, Smoak & Stewart has brought in a three-partner team from Goulston & Storrs. Joshua Davis, Neil McKittrick and Deborah Hesford…

Jan 27, 2009 7:23 PM CST

Ex-General Counsel of GE Unit Settles Gender Bias Case

The former general counsel of a General Electric subsidiary has settled her employment discrimination case against the company. The terms of the settlement between GE and Lorene Schaefer are confidential, according to a press release. Schaefer, the former general counsel of GE Transportation, had alleged in her May 2007 lawsuit…

Jan 27, 2009 7:09 PM CST

Law Prof, Nominated for Regulatory Czar, Advocated ‘Senior Death Discount’

Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein, nominated to become regulatory czar in the Obama administration, supports a cost-benefit analysis that has ruffled liberal feathers when advocated by Republicans. Sunstein is “dedicated to calculating the dollar value of every regulation,” the Los Angeles Times reports. He has advocated a “senior death discount”…

Jan 27, 2009 1:51 PM CST

Souter Opinion Disdains ‘Freakish Rule’ Barring Protection in Bias Probe

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on behalf of a worker seeking retaliation protection for cooperating in an internal probe of sexual harassment. Justice David H. Souter wrote the unanimous opinion for the court, delving into the meaning of the word “oppose” in the Title VII statute protecting employees who…

Jan 26, 2009 3:57 PM CST

Supreme Court Allows Union to Charge Litigation Costs to Nonmembers

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a union local may charge nonmembers for national litigation costs without violating their First Amendment rights. The nonmembers may be charged, the Supreme Court held in Locke v. Karass, as long as the subject matter of the national litigation involves issues that could…

Jan 21, 2009 6:58 PM CST

Not-Sexy-Enough Flight Attendant Says Rival Airline Denied Her Free Travel

A Delta Airlines flight attendant who contends she was denied opportunities to travel for free on a rival airline to her job assignments because she wasn’t dressed provocatively enough has sued both her employer and JetBlue Airways in federal court alleging employment discrimination. Karin Keegan, 37, contends in her Western…

Jan 21, 2009 2:29 AM CST

Lots of Layoffs Translates to Lots of Work for Employment Lawyers

As employers in a broad array of industries lay off workers, business is up significantly among many of the lawyers and firms that advise these companies. At the 24-attorney San Jose, Calif., office of employment firm Littler Mendelson, for instance, billings rose 20 percent in November and 23 percent in…

Jan 15, 2009 10:37 PM CST