Mar 1, 2016

News Mar 26, 2016

DNA Testing Is Shedding Light on Centuries of African American Historical Trauma

In a 2002 class-action lawsuit against companies that built wealth off slaves, the court demanded that the plaintiffs prove they were descendant from former slaves. The plaintiffs used genetic testing to prove their relationship to different nation groups in Africa. Alondra Nelson, dean of social science at Columbia University, explored the cultural and political meaning of DNA testing in her latest book The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation after the Genome, published earlier this year.

Lawsuits Mar 25, 2016

What’s Happening to the Water in Williamtown?

Video will begin in 5 seconds. Tough times in Fullerton Cove
The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries has banned all forms of fishing in Fullerton Cove following the discovery of a suspected carcinogen, perfluorooctane sulfonate, in prawns and fish. This is the story of some affected locals.

Lawsuits Mar 25, 2016

Lyft Drivers Lawsuit May End Without Addressing Worker Employment Status

A lawsuit filed by drivers against Lyft may not address the key and contentious issue of whether the drivers should be reclassified as employees with all the attendant benefits. The app-based ride hailing company is offering a $12.25 million settlement fund, including attorney fees and other costs, besides non-monetary relief to the about 100,000 drivers, but will not be required to reclassify …

News Mar 24, 2016

Barrick Chairman John Thornton Takes $10-Million Cut in Pay

John Thornton has finally addressed the recurring outcry over his compensation – by taking a nearly $10-million (U.S.) cut in pay. The executive chairman of Barrick Gold Corp. will receive $3.1-million for his work in 2015, a dramatic reduction from the $12.9-million he pocketed for 2014. Shareholders have twice voted against Mr. Thornton’s compensation package in recent years through non- …

Lawsuits Mar 24, 2016

Federal Appeals Court Slams IRS in Tea Party Case, Demands Documents

In a blistering rebuke of the IRS, a Cincinnati-based federal appeals court has ordered the tax-collecting agency to quit stalling and produce the names of organizations it targeted based on their political leanings. The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit gave the IRS two weeks to turn over the documents sought as part of a class-action …

Lawsuits Mar 24, 2016

Key Lessons From the Tyson Decision

I’m sure many of you have now read or heard about the Supreme Court’s Tyson vs. Bouaphakeo decision on Tuesday upholding a Court of Appeals decision in the Eighth Circuit, which sides with Tyson workers at an Iowa pork-processing plant. The employees’ main grievance was that they did not receive mandated overtime pay for time spent “donning and doffing” protective equipment. In its attempt to …

Lawsuits Mar 23, 2016

Class-Action Suits Have a Shot in Post-Scalia Era

One of Justice Antonin Scalia’s chief policy concerns — some might call it an obsession — was class actions, which he saw as excuses for plaintiffs’ lawyers to make money by aggregating small individual claims to the detriment of corporate defendants. On Tuesday the U.S. Supreme Court hinted that, in Scalia’s absence, class-action law might not continue to be interpreted narrowly. It …

Lawsuits Mar 23, 2016

Chanel Fights Class Action Bid in Overtime Wages Lawsuit

Chanel is fighting back against a lawsuit filed by a group of employees at its Beverly Hills store. According to the suit, which was filed in December 2015 by shipping department employees Cristian Luna, Anthony Hernandez and Javier Delgado, Chanel failed to pay them and others overtime compensation and minimum wage for overtime hours worked in violation of both federal and state law. The case …

Lawsuits Mar 22, 2016

Gospel for Asia Charity Facing Allegations of Fraud Totalling Nearly $94 Million

A Canadian missionary organization based in Hamilton is facing allegations that nearly $94 million in charitable donations purportedly sent to India in the past eight years can’t be properly accounted for by either the Indian or Canadian governments. Gospel for Asia Canada’s filings with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) show $93.5 million was transferred to India between 2007 and 2014, but …

Class-Actions Mar 22, 2016

Medical Organizations, Facebook Sued in Class Action

In a new class-action lawsuit, plaintiffs claim Facebook spied on users who relayed private health information on major cancer institutes’ websites in order to make profit off the data in advertising revenue. Courthouse News Service reports Winston Smith has sued Facebook, the American Cancer Society, the American Society of Oncology and five others alleging Facebook uses the private health …