The U.S. Supreme Court opened its 2008-2009 term on October 6 with six labor and employment law cases on its docket.  (For docket information and questions presented, click on the name of the case). 

• Locke v. Karass:  may a public employee union may charge nonmembers for representational costs for litigation expenses incurred by the international union on behalf of other bargaining units?
• Kennedy v. Plan Administrator for DuPont Savings & Investment Plan:  is a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) is the only valid way under ERISA for a divorcing spouse to waive his or her right to the other spouse’s pension benefits?
• Crawford v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville & Davidson County:  Is an employee who cooperates with an employer-initiated investigation into alleged unlawful discrimination protected by Title VII’s anti-retaliation provisions? 
• Ysursa v. Pocatello Education Ass’n:  does an Idaho law that prohibits local government employers from allowing employee payroll deductions for political activities violate the First Amendment free speech rights of unions and their members?
• 14 Penn Plaza LLC v. Pyett:  do employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement which providies that statutory employment discrimination claims must be pursued through the contractual grievance and arbitration procedures have a right for a court to decide their discrimination claims?
• AT&T Corp. v. Hulteen:  must an employer give full service credit for purposes of calculating retirement benefits for pregnancy leaves taken before the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 if the plan gave full credit for other types of temporary disability leaves? 

Some of these cases (such as the Penn Plaza and Crawford cases) have the potential to make significant changes in existing law.  Stay tuned to the Stoel Rives World of Employment for developments as they occur!