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The NLRB has ruled that an employer’s blanket off-duty workplace-access policy needs a Section 7 exception, explicitly allowing limited access for protected union or labor activities. If your business has a policy that prohibits off-the-clock socializing or even a blanket policy against social media use, then you may need to add a similar exception for certain activities, pursuant to Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act. Here’s how a Section 7 exception works and why the NLRB keeps harping on this point:...

October 5 is World Teachers’ Day, and we’re celebrating our favorite educators by taking a look at the rights of teachers in public schools. From discrimination and academic freedom to union membership and collective bargaining, teachers occupy a unique place, both professionally and legally. Teachers’ Civil Rights Just like any other profession, teachers are free from discrimination based on race, sex, and national origin. Teachers also enjoy similar freedom of association, freedom of religion, and privacy rights....

The ruling in the Zappos lawsuit is a point for consumers upset over the online terms of service many Internet merchants use. Almost all retailers have their terms of use printed somewhere on their website, but this case makes the “where” more important. It drew a distinction between so-called “browsewrap” and “click-through” agreements. For small Internet retailers, that’s a huge deal. If you don’t straighten out which one your company uses, you could be headed for a legal problem....

Whether you’re just getting divorced or still hashing out custody issues with an old ex, you’re probably wondering if you need the help of an attorney. Beyond having expertise in the field generally and familiarity with the court or judges involved specifically, an experienced child custody lawyer can act as a reasoned buffer between you and your ex (and possibly his or her attorney). But how do you get a sense of the custody procedures and process and figure out which custody lawyer is right for you?...

As an entrepreneur, you probably take pride in doing things on your own. So why would you ever want to hire a small business attorney? Business owners know that there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished. With so many tasks demanding your attention, chances are you’re not only bound to overlook some important considerations, but you may not fully understand the legal implications of your actions either....

Like few other drugs, the antipsychotic Risperdal can treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and reduce irritability and aggressive behavior in autistic children. But like any other drug, Risperdal has side effects, including causing breast enlargement and diminished sexual functioning in young autistic boys. These side effects have led to a slew of litigation, from patient lawsuits to charges from the Department of Justice. Here is a roundup of all the latest news on those lawsuits, from our archives....

If you operate your business in a multi-lingual community, you’ve probably had difficulty communicating with customers and employees. In these situations, a multi-lingual staff can be quite useful. But is it mandatory? Are businesses legally required to translate for employees and customers? Or is doing so merely a kind gesture? As with most situations, it depends. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 includes the following language: If your business receives federal government assistance – a grant, loan or contract – you are bound by these terms....

The wave of foreclosure action continues as Bank of America has suspended foreclosures in 23 states. The bank suspended all foreclosure proceedings in 23 states in light of questions regarding whether documentation problems exist. Like several other banks, including GMAC Mortgage and JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America is accused of rushing foreclosures without properly reading and verifying the documents. Foreclosure is a topic that comes up often in the FindLaw blogs....

If you are in a car accident, you will likely have to make an insurance claim. There are some things you should be aware of before you get in that situation, such as what factors an insurer considers when offering a settlement for a claim. The amount of money you can recover depends on a number of factors, including extent of damage and injury, as well as policy limits. Insurers do not have a single mode of calculation, so let’s consider general principles....

If you have had cosmetic surgery and something went wrong, you can sue your surgeon, and possibly other parties. Personal injury suits based on medical malpractice are quite common, and you will certainly not be the first person unhappy with the results of your surgery. But note that proving personal injury is not easy, and it’s not a basis for unhappy customers to sue because they don’t like their new look....

The things that come out of trials … The ongoing headline-grabbing kidnapping trial of Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, certainly better known as “Clark Rockefeller”, grabbed a few more today with testimony from his ex-wife, 42-year-old Sandra Lynn Boss, which at times might have bordered on the absurd. In turn this probably leads some to wonder why this stuff was even being brought up, but first the good stuff… CNN reported that Sandra Boss, who clearly put the proverbial food on the table in the relationship with her $1 million salary (despite his storied name, “Rockefeller” didn’t seem to ever make any money), saw a few things about Gerhartsreiter that might have raised eyebrows for others, but not her....

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now using giant digital billboards to help stop crime. The FBI’s use of digital billboards is the agency’s latest technique to get information out and work to quickly apprehend elusive criminals, USA Today reports. Digital billboards are a fast-growing segment of the outdoor advertising market. Typically, they cost an average $200,000 to $300,000, according to industry experts. Currently, there are more 40 states with digital billboards dedicated to the FBI in order to help stop crime....

Are dishes woman’s work? Should you fart in public? Does a platypus make a better actor than Arnold Schwarzenegger? Is Pepsi better than Coke?! Coke, right? Diet, of course. These are just a few of the questions being asked by users of JabberJury, a newly launched online jury site designed to settle everyday disputes by polling users. The site, which has been around since 2009, had its official launch last week, and is quickly gaining popularity....

When it comes to giving a gift that might truly last a lifetime, paying off someone else’s mortgage might be the ultimate present. Video of a young tech entrepreneur paying off his parents’ mortgage for Christmas last week has gone viral, The Sacramento Bee reports. Joe Riquelme, founder of the smartphone app Videoshop, posted the video to YouTube, where it has since racked up over 7 million views. How can those considering paying off someone else’s mortgage next Christmas (or any time before then) do the same?...

A California jury has awarded Antonio Lopez Chaj $58 million after a brutal beating by a security guard. The attack left him with injuries so severe that a portion of his skull and brain had to be removed. With his left brain damaged and deformed, Chaj cannot speak, needs help to walk and needs 24-hour care as a result of the beating that happened three years ago in a Los Angeles-area bar, his attorneys say....

Mars chocolate empire heiress Jacqueline Badger Mars was involved in a fatal car crash after her Porsche SUV crossed a median and struck a minivan carrying six people in Northern Virginia. An 86-year-old woman was killed. The billionaire candy company heiress, who turned 74 on Thursday, was ranked by Forbes as the world’s seventh richest woman, reports The Associated Press. She’s the third richest woman in the United States. Her extraordinary wealth may very well set the stage for a wrongful death claim for a staggering amount....

Nearly 500 people who claim they were strip searched without cause in Massachusetts have settled with the Franklin County Jail for $1.1 million. A federal magistrate approved the settlement, entitling each of the wrongfully searched and detained members of the class-action lawsuit to $3,500. The attorney for the plaintiffs, Howard Friedman alleged that the Mass. strip search suit was filed because the plaintiffs were unconstitutionally searched by authorities who had no valid basis to believe that the people being arrested had weapons or drugs....

Who has the right to interview witnesses after a coal mine disaster such as the April 5 blast in West Virginia? MSHA argues that the court lacks jurisdiction to rule on the request made by the United Mine Workers of America to privately interview witnesses. MSHA argues that no outside party may control or otherwise direct investigations into the coal mine disaster. As reported by the Associated Press, the union and relatives of miners William Griffith and Ronald Maynor have requested a court order allowing them to observe the interviews by MSHA....

The case of a Utah couple charged with a crime for photos they took of a father kissing his naked baby is far from clear cut and simple. It will take a while to fully understand the rights and wrongs of photographing your naked baby. These particular Utah parents were arrested and deported, and others could run into similar problems. What happed to Alma Vasquez and Sergio Diaz-Palomino this past spring has brought up questions about how safe it is, not just for children, but for their parents, to post naked baby pictures online....

A nursing home in North Carolina, Pinelake Health and Rehab, was the unlikely scene of terror and violence on Sunday, becoming the site of the latest in a series of March mass shootings such as those in Alabama and Germany. The AP reports that 45-year-old Robert Stewart killed eight people, including seven elderly residents of the home, before he was shot in the chest by police officer Justin Garner who responded to a 911 call (Garner himself was also injured but is expected to fully recover)....