It has been reported that the Maine Human Rights Commission will hear a case today against Lowe’s Home Improvement. Robert Hack of Greene filed the case against Lowe’s because he believed the company refused to hire him because of his age. Mr. Hack unsuccessfully applied for jobs at Lowe’s stores…
Earlier this week, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals held that employees of the State of Vermont could not sue Vermont for violations of the employees’ rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). FLSA is a federal law that requires, among other things, employers to pay non-exempt employees…
A Muslim flight attendant recently filed an employment discrimination complaint against her employer, ExpressJet, because she claimed that it unlawfully refused to accommodate her religious beliefs. The flight attendant, Charee Stanley, claims that it would violate her religious beliefs if she served alcohol to passengers on flights. According to Ms.…
This week a court in California ruled against the car ride service provider Uber in a class action regarding its classification of drivers as independent contractors. Some Uber drivers filed the class action because they believe Uber should have classified them as employees, which would entitle them to benefits such…
Earlier this month the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held that a property management company violated the FMLA rights of its former employee Ena Wages. Ms. Wages worked for the company as a caretaker from November 17, 2008 to November 16, 2009. Caretakers maintained the company’s properties…
This week a federal court in Massachusetts held that a jury could reasonably find that the Town of Sandwich discriminated against police officer and military reservist Timothy Kane because of his military service. Kane alleges that the Sandwich Police Department passed him over for promotions because of the fact that…
Maine recently enacted a law that will prohibit employers from requiring or coercing applicants or employees to grant an employer access to their personal social media profiles. This means that employers will not be allowed to make applicants or employees, for example, “friend” them on Facebook or require them to…
The U.S. Department of Labor recently highlighted the distressing problem of workplace injuries in the health care industry. Health care workers, such as nurses and nurse aides, suffer work-related injuries and illnesses at a rate almost twice as high as the rate of workers in private industry. They suffer injuries…
Earlier this month the U.S. District Court of Maine found that a jury could reasonably hold Rumford Hospital liable for disability discrimination and retaliation against Catherine LaFlamme. The Maine Employee Rights Group (MERG) represents Ms. LaFlamme in this case. Ms. LaFlamme worked for Rumford Hospital as a nurse. In July…
A Walmart employee who has worked for Walmart in Maine and Massachusetts filed a class action lawsuit earlier this month against Walmart because the company did not provide her wife with health insurance coverage. The employee, Jackie Cote, has worked for Walmart since 1999 and she has been married to…