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Refusing to provide reasonable accommodations to religious employees could cost bosses. Two Muslim truckers who refused to transport alcohol for religious reasons were vindicated by a jury this week. They won their religious discrimination claim and $240,000 in damages, The Washington Post reports. The suit was brought in Illinois by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of the truckers. The EEOC argued that the company could easily have switched the driver’s loads, as is the regular practice at Star Transport....

North Carolina’s sterilization law forced medical procedures on thousands of U.S. citizens decades ago. An assembled task force has now declared that victims should receive $50,000 each. This could amount to a total payout of around $100 million. The compensation will need to be approved by the state legislature. North Carolina would be the first to offer financial compensation to individuals harmed by the state eugenics program. Similar programs were implemented in many different states....

Many Americans move into nursing homes so that they will be well-cared for, even later in life. But sometimes the care they are supposed to receive turns into nursing home neglect or nursing home abuse. Signs of neglect can be difficult to spot. Residents may show symptoms of dehydration or malnutrition. Bedsores may appear. What rights do nursing home residents (and their families) have? Nursing home rights vary by the type of facility....

A New York judge has ruled that strippers at the upscale Manhattan club Rick’s Cabaret are entitled to at least minimum wage because they’re employees, not independent contractors. The ruling jibes with a growing trend of U.S. courts recognizing exotic dancers as employees who are entitled to a host of labor law protections. So why did the judge classify the dancers in this case as employees rather than contractors? Like many strip clubs facing similar lawsuits, Rick’s Cabaret contended that its strippers were independent contractors....

‘Tis the season for hiring a new round of seasonal hourly workers. However, it is also a season where employers could potentially be violating their workers’ rights. Walmart’s $40 million class action settlement over meal and rest breaks and work “off the clock” (discussed in FindLaw’s Decided) brings up some important issues for all hard working Americans: workers’ rights. Do you know exactly what your rights are as an hourly wage worker?...

An oral surgeon in Oklahoma is accused of using unsanitary practices and possibly exposing his patients to hepatitis and HIV. Now many are wondering if the dentist can be sued if a patient contracted HIV or some other disease due to the doctor’s alleged carelessness. The Oklahoma State Department of Health is offering free screenings for the 7,000 patients who saw Dr. W. Scott Harrington over the past six years, reports The Oklahoman....

According to a new study, the number of children arriving in the ER seeking medical attention for a sports concussion more than doubled between 2001 and 2005. Findings released in the journal Pediatrics have traced not only the growing numbers of concussions in middle-schoolers and elementary school age children, but new evidence relating to the effects of concussion on younger children. A report by the Los Angeles Times says that the rise in sports injuries to younger children may be due in part to an increase in participation in “elite travel teams and in competitive youth leagues” across the country....

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. That idea applies to the many legal issues of online privacy and crime that have the legal system running to catch up to the everyday uses of the internet and wireless technology. One fast expanding example of this maxim is the upsurge in cases of a type of extortion called “sextortion.” According to a report by the Associated Press and CBS News, there is an increase in teens who text nude cell phone photos of themselves or show off their bodies on the internet being targeted by those who then threaten to expose those pictures to friends and family unless they pose for more explicit porn, creating a cycle of exploitation....

Bringing home the bacon is dangerous business for some American workers. A report on perilous jobs in the US measures that risk. For those who may face injuries at work, it’s important for you to understand your workers’ compensation benefits. The ranking below is generated annually using figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on workplace fatalities and is generated by CareerCast. It is based on two factors: personal perils and general hazards faced by those around the worker....

If your company is looking to hire new employees, there are some things you should keep in mind as you kick-off the hiring process. There is no single law that companies are directed to follow, instead, small businesses are responsible for being familiar with applicable state and federal laws that govern employment procedures. Top 5 Considerations for Employee Hiring Process: Avoid Illegal Discrimination. If your company employs four or more workers, it is key to be aware of and abide by all anti-discrimination measures put in place to protect applicants....

On December 1, 2016, Lindsey Rietveld was shopping at the Walmart store where she worked in Pella, Iowa, when a Ford F-150 pickup truck came crashing through the front door of the store. The truck struck and killed Ms. Rietveld and two others. As a result of the fatal crash, Rietveld’s estate has filed a lawsuit against Walmart, the driver of the truck, and the architectural designer of the front of the store....

Car owners generally must carry auto insurance and that makes accident claim resolution simple, in theory. We don’t go to court over every fender bender. But your insurer makes the most money when it doesn’t have to pay out for accidents. So sometimes the guys you hired to be on your side are keeping their own interests in mind and you need to apply pressure. Let’s look at two times you should turn to an attorney for help, either because insurance thwarts your reimbursement or because the extent of injury demands a lawsuit....

Illinois is more than just home to Chicago, it’s practically the center of culture for the Midwest. But you won’t be able to fully appreciate that spirit if you don’t know the laws of the Prairie State. Northwestern students know better than to hit the road without obeying Illinois’ DUI laws, and we think even Al Capone knew how his estate might be split up. Don’t visit or set up roots in the Land of Lincoln without learning more about these 10 laws:...

We all have different tastes, and varying notions of what makes a thing great. Some of us tend to the simple yet sophisticated, while others are into ostentation and flair. Just like there is no one way to be well-dressed or well-read, there are different styles of lawyering, and all different kinds of attorneys make good lawyers. Still, there are some general signs of someone who is, frankly, just no good....

Businesses often use agents to enter into contracts on matters both mundane and important – even matters that can make or break a fledgling company. When one of these agreements goes sour, a small business may be left on the hook for the slip-up of an employee who was vested with the power to enter into an agreement on the company’s behalf. Still, small business owners must delegate responsibilities to succeed....

As often happens as storms approach and residents and business owners evacuate, the signs get posted: “Looters Will Be Shot.” Most people just chuckle, a few people get worried about armed vigilantes, and a few others think, “they’ll get what they deserve.” And while the First Amendment may protect your right to free speech (be careful – threatening to kill someone can get you into trouble), do you actually have the legal right to shoot someone for looting?...

Love is in the air with Valentine’s Day around the corner, and there’s no way to stop it. Even if your workplace rules forbid interoffice romance, you can bet that it still happens. While you may have nothing against Cupid or the holiday of love, that doesn’t mean it’s always good for business. At best, an interoffice romance can make things a little awkward for a few weeks while the couple navigates their new relationship....

A divorce can be an emotionally and legally confusing time. Among the myriad documents and legal requirements for divorce, updating your will may fall through the cracks. Which is OK, as long as you’re OK with your soon-to-be-ex inheriting all of your property. Most divorcees aren’t OK with that, which is why it’s probably a good idea to disinherit your spouse. But it may not be so easy – here are the ins and outs of disinheriting a spouse (or ex-spouse)....

Zenefits, a Silicon Valley startup that was valued at $4.5 billion late last year, has been violating California regulations by using insurance agents who were not properly certified. This week, the state’s Department of Insurance announced that it is investigating Zenefits, according to the Wall Street Journal. This prompted the startup’s founder and CEO, Parker Conrad, to quit. The new CEO, David Sacks, has changed the company motto and taken responsibility, admitting Zenefits’ error....

What do you get when you combine alcohol, caffeine, taurine and guarana? Four Loko. And death. Now, there is a Four Loko lawsuit against the company that made the beverage. Karla Rupp of Virginia believes the beverage contributed to the death of her son, Bo Rupp, 15. The teen drank two cans of the beverage last September before attending a concert. Each can of Four Loko contains the same amount of alcohol of around 4 cans of beer....