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Technology has revolutionized the world in so many ways, but with new tech comes new challenges for businesses. Currently, one of the ethical challenges facing businesses, both small and large, revolves around employee data collection and analytics. Because of the advances in both data collection and analytics, information can now be discovered easier than ever before. For those unaware, many businesses have begun collecting and analyzing employee data for reasons other than fighting potential employee lawsuits....

Last year when congress passed the CARD act, they did not include small businesses in the regulations to protect consumers as they were unsure how the regulations would affect credit price and availability of credit to small businesses. Before they made a decision, they asked the Federal Reserve to analyze the issue. Their report came back this week. However, it was not very conclusive. The CARD act protects consumers by requiring credit card issuers to adhere to stricter disclosure requirements about the terms of the account....

Last month, we told you about Biscayne Park Police Chief Raimundo Atesiano, who, along with two other officers, was charged with framing an innocent teenager in order to keep their clearance rate for burglaries at 100 percent. This month’s story of Florida cop frame-ups involves an officer in the same department, allegedly acting at the direction of Atesiano. Guillermo Ravelo pleaded guilty last week to charges that he falsely accused two black men of crimes: one with a pair of home break-ins in 2013, and the other with five vehicle burglaries in 2014....

The Los Angeles Times reports that Halliburton is asking the Supreme Court to reverse a ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed Ms. Jamie Leigh Jones’ Halliburton KBR rape case to go to trial. Ms. Jones claims that she was raped while she was working for the company in Baghdad. KBR was Halliburton’s subsidiary until 2007. They are now two separate corporate entities that are currently involved in this case....

Big brother is watching you more than you think. And not only watching, but sharing that information with others. Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are the main mechanism behind the collection of travel data. These readers are mounted on cop cars as well as stationary devices, like street signs and lamp posts. They read license plates and send the data to storage centers, where they are processed and sorted. This data is then used to find cars involved in Amber Alerts as well as other criminally related activity....

Anyone who’s been injured or sick enough to spend time in a hospital knows that those visits aren’t cheap. Beyond the bills for tests, procedures, and overnight stays, you might be missing out on pay from work. And this combination can lead to you owing the hospital a significant amount of money. So what happens when a hospital (or a debt collector) files a lawsuit to get paid? The Complaint Receiving a complaint and legal summons is a scary prospect, even if you don’t think the hospital debt is legitimate....

No longer able to drive solo in the state’s carpool lanes, eighty-five thousand California hybrid owners may be questioning their choice of vehicle right about now. Determining that the public no longer needs an incentive to purchase hybrid vehicles, state regulators allowed its hybrid carpool permitting system to expire, tossing Prius owners back into the throngs of bumper-to-bumper traffic. Could this happen elsewhere? To answer this question, it’s important to understand that California isn’t getting rid of carpool permits altogether; it’s merely shifting its focus to different technology....

After an infamously busy 2017 on the immigration front, the Trump administration apparently has more in store for 2018. “This president won in part on taking a tough stand against illegal immigrants just coming over the border,” Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway told Fox News. “People want to know that our borders are secure, and this president has a 70-point immigration plan.” That’s a lot of points. So what further reforms could President Trump have planned for 2018?...

When writer Eve Bradshaw took to the jury box in 2009, she turned her personal blog into a jury duty blog. Six entries and a $4.75 million verdict later, she found herself at the center of a controversy. She violated a court order when she publicly spoke about the trial. Were her blog posts enough to overturn the verdict? And did they describe improper jury deliberations? An Illinois appellate court doesn’t think so....

World Cup fever has many Americans in its grip, and your business’ social media strategy may be able to capitalize on it. But can you use the phrase “World Cup” in your ads and social media posts without FIFA, the organization behind the tournament, crying foul? Using ‘World Cup’ Name, Slogans, Logos Just like the “Super Bowl,” the phrase “World Cup” is trademarked by a giant sports association (FIFA), and your business could be in hot water for using it on any ads or social media promoting your business....

An 85-mile stretch of land along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, once home to beautiful plantations and robust agriculture, is now known as Cancer Alley. This area in St. James Parish’s District 5 was mostly residential, but is now dotted with petrochemical companies. When residents united to block the building of future petrochemical and plastic companies in the area, they learned something surprising. In 2014, unbeknownst to them, the district, which previously had no known zoning designation, had been zoned a Residential-Future Industrial zone....

Despite grumbling from consumers (and a drop in gas prices) it looks like those pesky and expensive airline baggage fees are here to stay. Airlines raked in almost $3 million in baggage fees alone last year, but paying $25 or $50 or $100 to check a bag didn’t guarantee it would get to your destination on time. Lucky for us passengers, a new law may force airlines to refund baggage fees if your luggage doesn’t arrive with you....

As expected, Phil Spector received a sentence today which could very well mean he’ll live out the remainder of his days in prison. The AP reports that the former music producer and songwriter was sentenced today to 19 years to life in prison for second degree murder in the shooting death of 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson. Spector’s infamy is probably far more fresh than his fame, at this point, as the AP noted that “[d]uring jury selection, only a few panelists remembered Spector’s heyday as producer of teen anthems including “To Know Him is to Love Him” by The Teddy Bears, The Ronette’s “Be My Baby,” The Crystals’ “Da Doo Ron Ron” and The Righteous Brothers’ classic, “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’....

Quran-burning pastor Terry Jones, known for inciting riots in Afghanistan after burning the Muslim holy book last month, has found a new cause: free speech. In response to being jailed after a jury decided that his planned protest at Dearborn, Michigan’s Islamic Center of America would breach the peace, Jones has vowed to appeal. Oddly enough, he may win. Jones wanted to have what he called a peaceful protest in front of the mosque on Good Friday, but local authorities repeatedly denied permit requests believing that he would incite violence, reports the Detroit Free Press....

It turns out, Santa really needs to get off that toy bench and get to the gym. Doctors warn that obesity is a risk factor for a severe case of the swine flu. And who is exposed to more germs than Santa? That is why the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas (yes Virginia, such a group exists, here is the site: http://www.aorbsinc.com/) and the group Santa America, are pushing for our beloved mall Santa to be given priority for receiving his H1N1 vaccine....

Facebook already bans sex offenders but a new law in Louisiana may help them enforce that policy. The law, which goes into effect August 1, requires sex offenders and child predators to identify themselves on social networking sites. Major social networking site try to remove profiles belonging to registered sex offenders and some of them forbid sex offenders from registering at all. But with the high number of users, it’s possible that some will slip through the cracks....

When it comes to workers’ compensation insurance, small businesses always have plenty of questions and concerns. In this post, we will go over five things to know about small business workers’ compensation. Pay attention to the number of individuals on your payroll. In many states, exceptions to workers’ compensation laws apply to employers who have a small number of employees, such as five or less employees. If you are under the minimum, you are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance....

Summer is the perfect time to be out on the water. The weather is great for swimming, skiing, fishing, or just cruising around. But the weather doesn’t always stay great, some of those activities can be dangerous, and a few adult beverages can ruin everyone’s day. So, how do you stay safe on the water this summer, and what do you do if there’s an accident? Here are three posts from our archives to help you learn about maritime law, prevent boating accidents, and figure out legal liability....

The Federal Reserve has agreed to raise swipe fee limits. The debit card fees, or “swipe fees,” are charges that banks can collect when a card is swiped. Last year, the Federal Reserve had proposed that swipe fees should be capped at a maximum of 12 cents. Now, banks will be able to get a fee of 21 cents, reports The Washington Post. While the new limits are still much lower than the current swipe fee average of 44 cents per swipe, retailers and business are unhappy with the Fed’s decision....

A new Texas law will require cameras in classrooms with special education students and teachers after an investigation revealed questionable practices in some schools, according to a report from National Public Radio. Last year, a video of an 8-year-old autistic child held captive on the floor in a “calm room” resembling a closet – over his protests – was publicized. It prompted parents of special education students to demand cameras in classrooms across the state....