The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled recently that an independent contractor may assert a disability claim against an employer under the Rehabilitation Act.  Click the link to read the opinion on Fleming v. Yuma Regional Medical Center

The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in

Washington voters recently approved Referendum 71, giving registered domestic partners all of the rights and responsibilities of married couples under Washington state law.   Prior domestic partnership laws gave registered domestic partners limited rights and responsibilities such as hospital visitation, health care decision making, inheritance and community property rights.  The new law includes all of the

Beginning today, November 12, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) is offering expanded service on the Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline.  Oregonians can call 1-800-978-3040 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, or 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays for information on the flu, including the H1N1 (or "swine flu") virus.  Three services

Yesterday the Salt Lake City Council unanimously passed ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.  Click here to download a copy of the City Council’s Staff Report on the ordinances, along with full text of the new laws.  Highlights of the employment discrimination ordinance include:

  • Forbids employment discrimination based on

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that allows the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to continue investigating allegations of employment discrimination, and even to issue subpoenas to employers, after issuing a right-to-sue letter to the employee who filed the initial complaint.  Click here to read the Ninth Circuit decision in

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) takes effect November 21, 2009.  Is your workplace ready?  Employers will soon be required to post a notice stating that they do not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, under proposed regulations interpreting GINA.

If you don’t already have one, click here to download the full "EEO is the Law"