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When a person reaches a certain age, to nearly everyone’s surprise on their birthday, nothing actually happens. Despite the common misconceptions regarding the differences between younger and older workers, a person’s abilities to perform a job are rarely, if ever, associated with their age. If you need proof, just look at TV and film where actors pushing 30 pull off roles as high school students. Age discrimination in employment was made illegal in 1967 under federal law....

Beyond publishing details about the mother including age, education, and date of abortion among other information, the law also prohibits gender-based abortion and would establishes additional reporting responsibilities for state agencies. The law would have become effective on November 1st 2009. However, in light of a lawsuit filed by two women who allege that the law violates Oklahoma’s state constitution, in which the women seek injunction to prevent enforcement of the law indefinitely, the temporary restraining order was granted to bar enforcement of the law until the matter is decided....

Anthem Blue Cross, the nation’s second-largest health insurance company, announced Thursday that a hack into its systems may have exposed the records of up to 80 million customers. This breach included Social Security numbers, addresses, and health care information, but no credit card numbers (which is really immaterial, with all that other information). Small businesses, just as much as large businesses, need to take steps to ensure the security of customer data....

Brilliance of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship carrying 2,100 vacationing passengers on a journey through the Mediterranean did a little more than cause some sea sickness. The ship, which encountered “severe movement” while approaching Alexandria, Egypt not only caused aesthetic damage to the interior and exterior of the ship but also injured dozens of passengers that were literally tossed around during the rough seas. Two passengers aboard the ship experienced broken bones....

Though some immigration-reform activists have called President Obama the “deporter in chief,” court-ordered deportations actually declined 43 percent during the president’s first five years in office, according to a recent report. The New York Times looked at statistics released by Department of Justice and suggested a few reasons for the drop in court deportations. These include fewer cases being brought by federal prosecutors, and more foreigners retaining immigration lawyers. Here’s a closer look at the numbers and what they mean for immigrants in deportation cases:...

If you’re creating an app, join the club – and be sure to keep a few legal tips in mind when you strike e-gold. According to ABI Research, smartphone and tablet users will download 70 billion apps this year. And the total global mobile app market is expected to be worth $25 billion by 2015, reports TechCrunch. When it comes to creating an app, a flourishing app industry can spell legal liability....

Expecting mothers will do whatever they can to make sure their babies are born healthy and happy. But often, they don’t know that certain drugs they are prescribed during pregnancy can cause harmful defects. Sadly, there is a long list of drugs that were discovered to be harmful to pregnant women and their children. Most recently, researchers and the FDA learned a morning sickness drug called Zofran can cause including congenital heart defects, orofacial and septal defects, kidney malformation, and even stillbirths....

The Texas nurse who contracted Ebola from a patient has filed a lawsuit against the hospital where she worked. Nina Pham alleges the hospital’s negligence led to her catching the deadly disease and is seeking compensation for continuing physical and emotional effects. Although some additional claims focus on the invasion of Pham’s privacy and fraud on the part of the hospital, there are a few legal lessons to be gleaned from the nurse’s injury claims....

So … remember that heartwarming tale of the homeless vet who spent his last $20 to buy a woman gas? And how she and her boyfriend repaid that kindness by publicizing his generosity and started a GoFundMe campaign to buy the man a home and car? And how the story went viral and thousands of touched strangers poured almost half a million dollars into that account, only to have the homeless vet accuse the couple of siphoning off money to fund their own lavish lifestyle?...

The leaves are changing color, there’s a chill in the air, no mistaking it: it’s football season and that means bring on the tailgate parties. There’s not a whole lot better than getting together with friends on a Sunday before the game to grill and have a few beers before you head into the stadium. But given the surroundings there are some things you need to be careful about. This time we aren’t talking about drinking and driving; we’re assuming you know that’s never a good combination....

Firing an employee is never pleasant, even if you think he or she deserves it. Bringing a wrongful termination lawsuit can only add to the unpleasantness. No doubt you’d rather be focusing on your business than going to court. So how can you avoid getting sued after terminating an employee? Here are a few things to keep in mind: Where There’s an At-Will, There’s a Way Nearly all employment is “at-will,” meaning employers don’t need just cause for firing an employee....

“Hey Mom and Dad, it’s your friendly local school district. I’ve got a form I need you to sign real quick. Oh, it’s just this release form for this field trip that the kids are getting ready to go on. What about that clause with the waiver of any and all personal injury claims? It’s just the usual legal mumbo jumbo. Anyway, your daughter can’t go if you don’t sign it....

As Easter approaches, some traditions may call for dyeing baby chickens in pastel greens, blues, and yellows. But not only is the practice of dyeing Easter chicks questionably moral, it may be illegal in your state. The process of dyeing baby chicks is fairly invasive. According to Wikihow, while a chick is in its 11th to 14th day of incubation, the egg is punctured with a hypodermic needle and colored dye is injected....

Have you ever wished that you could gamble on school grades to see whether you could get an A in a course? A new website called Ultrinsic.com, which is currently in beta, is letting students at select universities do just that. They also offer “grade insurance,” in case you fail a course. The site originally offered its services at New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, but now plans to expand to 34 new campuses, including Princeton University, Duke University, and Stanford University....

Johnson & Johnson has stopped sales of its fibroid surgery device over concerns that its use may spread undetected cancer. J&J’s power morcellators, which have been used in laparoscopic surgery to remove uterine fibroids, have been suspended from sales worldwide, Reuters reports. What are these devices, and why would they present a cancer risk? Morcellation devices are essentially hollow cylinders tipped with cutting implements which are inserted into a patient during laparoscopic surgery....

As family, friends, and the community mourn in the aftermath of last month’s fatal school bus crash in Tennessee, the parents of victims are beginning to file lawsuits against the bus operator. The school bus struck a mailbox and utility pole, flipped onto its side, then hit a tree. The tragic crash left six young children dead, and numerous other children injured. As of this week, three lawsuits have been filed against the school bus operator....

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has decided that he will allow court employees to tape the Prop 8 hearings that will decide on the constitutionality of California’s ban on gay marriage. ABC News reports that Judge Walker felt it was very important for the court to control the broadcast of the hearings. He is quoted by ABC News as saying, “[I]t’s important for the transmission to be absolutely within the court’s control....

But the glimmers of optimism seems to be focused on “green” business, owners identified sectors including energy, technology, green industries as having the most potential for future growth. On the flip side, small business felt manufacturing, financial services, retail, and restaurants were among the least promising sectors for growth. And though the “green revolution” seems to be dominating headlines and indicating overall trends, the study showed that over 70% of small business have not instituted any kind of green measures in the past year that have resulted in profits....

Laws can vary from state to state, and criminal statutes especially may differ once you cross state (or even city or county) lines. While the federal government updated its hate crime legislation in 2009 – adding crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability – some states still lack hate crime statutes entirely, and those that do have them can be unique in exactly what they criminalize and what the punishments for those crimes are....

Since Friday, federal officials have issued a flurry of bulletins to law enforcement officials around the country warning that major targets such as sports stadiums and transit systems could be attacked. Last weekend also saw the arrest of three men for allegedly lying to FBI officials investigating a purported terror plot. It appears as if the FBI’s investigation was blown prematurely. If so, this could be why the threat level has been raised everywhere without specific information about any particular targets....