Administration

Trump Administration May Change Stance on Transgender Bathrooms for Students

Trump Administration May Change Stance On Transgender Bathrooms For Students The topic of transgender bathroom rights has been a hotly contested issue between states and the federal government since North Carolina passed a law last March that would require individuals only to use the bathrooms that matched their sex as assigned at birth. Though the Justice Department sued the state, there …


Ex-Mead Johnson Director Files Whistleblower Suit Over ‘Defective’ Baby Formula

A former longtime Mead Johnson employee alleges the Glenview-based company fired her for raising safety concerns, including not telling consumers about potentially spoiled baby formula. Linda O’Risky, who spent more than 25 years at Mead Johnson, claims in a lawsuit filed today that the company attempted to “whitewash and downplay” the issue related to its popular ready-to-use infant formula. …


Wage-And-Hour Class Action Suits Down in 2016, but Settlements Tripled

Class-action suits can cost employers millions of dollars. Uber is awaiting a court decision on its own settlement proposal that would amount to a $1 per claimant. Uber drivers sued the company over wages and for allegedly misclassifying them as independent contractors instead of employees.


Obama’s Parting Gift to the Company Formerly Known as Sallie Mae: A Big Fat Lawsuit

On the last day of the Obama administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wanted to give millions of Americans with student loan debt a little gift: filing a lawsuit against Navient (formerly known as Sallie Mae) for grimy, misleading practices. BuzzFeed reports : Among the most serious allegations is the claim that Navient systematically pushed struggling borrowers away from …


FTC Lawsuit Accuses Qualcomm of Forcing Apple to Buy Wireless Chips in Exchange for Better Royalties [U]

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission launched a lawsuit against Qualcomm on Tuesday, accusing the company of forcing Apple into an exclusive deal to buy its baseband chips. When Apple sought to lower the patent royalties it was paying Qualcomm, the latter firm made that conditional on Apple buying Qualcomm chips exclusively between 2011 and 2016, according to an FTC filing seen by Bloomberg . The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus still use Qualcomm chips in some configurations, while others are now based on Intel modems. Bloomberg did not initially offer any other details on the suit. The FTC has been investigating Qualcomm since 2014, concerned …


Paxton Files One Last Lawsuit Against Obama Administration

Attorney General Ken Paxton took one last swipe at the Obama administration Tuesday, joining a throng of states suing the federal government for alleged overreach into the coal industry. Texas joined 12 states in a lawsuit seeking a review and injunction of the “Stream Protection Rule” which the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation and Enforcement describes as a method to protect streams and wildlife. The suit, Paxton’s 21st against the Obama administration, accused the federal agency of adopting a “one-size-fits-all rule” which affects coal mining without input from states and imposes on state’s sovereign rights. …


Climate Lawsuit Awaits President Trump

A sweeping climate change lawsuit filed against the Obama Administration will move forward, a judged ruled on Thursday, setting up an extraordinary legal battle between environmentalists and President-elect Donald Trump. The lawsuit claims the rights of 21 young Americans have been unconstitutionally violated because the federal government has allowed greenhouse gas pollution to be pumped into …


The Lawsuit That Could Save the Planet

Supporters of the youth plaintiffs assemble on the steps of the US District Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon, after the hearing. The banner reads, “Our future is a constitutional right.” (Photo by Clayton Aldern/Grist & BillMoyers.com)
Donald Trump’s election to the presidency is a devastating blow to the environmental community, coming at a crucial juncture in the fight against climate change.


Kentucky Joins Lawsuit Challenging New Overtime Pay Rule

Gov. Bevin has added Kentucky to a multi-state lawsuit against the federal government over a new rule that makes more people eligible to receive overtime pay. Starting in December, the new policy will require employers to pay overtime to people who make up to $47,476 a year ($913 per week).


Tenn. Joins Lawsuit Over Federal Transgender Directive

Tennessee is one of 11 states that filed federal suit Wednesday against the Obama administration over recent guidance issued regarding which bathrooms transgender students may use. The states filing suit argue the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education are usurping local control and trying to create a national social experiment by telling districts to allow transgender …