A new Oregon bill will prohibit employers from requiring employees to attend mandatory or "captive audience" meetings on, among other topics, labor unions. Governor Ted Kulongoski is expected to sign the bill, which would them become law effective January 1, 2010. Click here to read SB 519.
SB 519 prohibits an employer from taking action against
The memorandum issued by President Obama yesterday extends some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, including access to a government insurance program that pays for long-term conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, and to sick leave to care for a sick same-sex partner or a non-biological child. However, the extension did not provide eligibility
Oregon Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley has announced he will today introduce the Breastfeeding Promotion Act (BPA) in the U.S. Senate. The BPA would guarantee working mothers the right to breast-feed their children at their workplaces. Click here to read about Merkley’s proposal on Oregonlive.com.
The bill is identical to one introduced yesterday in the House by Rep. Carolyn Maloney
An arbitrator recently awarded $4.1 billion in favor of the former chief marketing officer of iFreedom Communications Inc., finding that iFreedom breached his employment contract by firing him without cause. You read that right: $4.1 billion, with a "b." U.S. Dollars, not Zimbabwean. Don’t believe us? You can read the opinion yourself: Chester v. iFreedom
Just over a year ago, we reported about a $105 million California verdict in favor of Starbucks baristas who were required to pool their tips with supervisors. As you might expect, Starbucks appealed that decision. Yesterday, a California Court reversed the decision. Click here to read the decision in Chau v. Starbucks.
The 4th
If passed in its proposed form, the Employee Free Choice Act ("EFCA") will revolutionize federal labor laws by allowing unions to organize without a secret-ballot election. Other onerous provisions include shortening the time to negotiate a first contract and, if the parties do not agree, allowing an arbitrator (a judge) to decide the terms of
The Oregon Legislature is taking steps to keep Oregon’s disability discrimination laws consistent with the federal Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADA). Last week, Senate Bill 874 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 4-1 vote. SB 874 will amend existing Oregon disability law to adopt the changes made to the ADA in 2008
Back in October 2008, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a San Francisco city ordinance that requires many employers to either contribute a specified amount toward their employees’ health care costs on a regular basis or pay into a city health care fund for San Francisco residents. Earlier this week, the Ninth Circuit denied a petition
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled earlier this week that an Idaho law banning local government employers from allowing payroll deductions for political activities does not violate unions’ First Amendment free speech rights. You can download the opinion here: Ysursa v. Pocatello Ed. Ass’n, U.S., No. 07-869, 2/24/09).
The Idaho Voluntary Contributions Act, enacted in
The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of the Carpenters and Joiners of America recently agreed to pay Hoffman Construction Co. $450,000 and to settle a lawsuit over alleged unlawful picketing during a 2007 strike in Oregon. The Carpenters have also agreed to pay an additional $200,000 into an escrow account until the union has trained its members