Lauren Godles is a student at Harvard Law School.
Summer is heating up, and so is the Uber antitrust lawsuit. Judge Jed Rakoff’s most recent decision in the case became public on Monday, and it allows Uber Technologies Inc. to be added as a defendant in the case. The original lawsuit named only the company’s CEO, Travis Kalanik. This addition could trigger the arbitration clause that the plaintiff, Uber passenger Spencer Meyer, likely sought to avoid by not naming Uber in the original complaint.
Employers have cut down significantly on health and wellness programs in the last year, according to a new study by the Society for Human Resource Management. Wellness programs can consist of anything from yoga classes to smoking cessation incentives, but the jury is still out on which, if any, are most effective. OnLabor recently explained why companies that pay employees to get more sleep face both legal and implementation problems. Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that corporate wellness programs can cause companies to lose 50 cents per dollar spent, which helps to explain the decline in programs this year.
In other wellness news, a pioneering 32–year longitudinal study shows that working long hours results in significantly worse health outcomes for women than for men. The study found that women who worked 60 hours or more over the 32 years had triple the risk of developing diabetes, cancer, heart problems, and arthritis compared to those who worked only 40 hour weeks. On the other hand, men who worked longer hours than their peers saw better health outcomes in some areas, including heart and lung disease—though their risk of arthritis did increase. These staggering results suggest that female employees have far more to worry about than the wage gap.
Finally, the Supreme Court will consider the President’s appointment powers for the second time in two years. In NLRB v. SW General Inc., the Court will review President Obama’s appointment of Lafe Solomon as Acting General Counsel of the NLRB . Obama nominated Solomon while Solomon was already filling the post in an acting capacity, which the D.C. Circuit held to be a violation of the 1998 Federal Vacancy Reforms Act. SW General Inc. provides ambulances services in Arizona, and the NLRB found that it had committed an unfair labor practice while Solomon was acting General Counsel. They contend that the finding was invalid, since Solomon lacked the authority to sign off on the finding. The Supreme Court will not review the underlying unfair labor practice. Read more about this case, which has huge implications for the next President and all his or her federal appointments, on SCOTUSblog and POLITICO.
Daily News & Commentary
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September 17
Unions push to block Google from buying Spirit Airlines employment records; U.S. Department of Labor sues Oklahoma coffee chain over alleged wage violations.
September 16
Trump nominates Catherine Eschbach as EEOC general counsel; NLRB declines to resolve union work-assignment dispute; Allina Health physicians begin four-day strike.
September 15
Documents reveal the inner workings of Amazon's union avoidance program; Washington state public sector unions reach tentative deals amid a difficult bargaining cycle; hundreds of Nevada Culinary Union members protest their union's health care changes.
September 14
NCAA and Big Ten file motion to dismiss in former star player's NIL suit; Seventh Circuit rules against former postal worker in discrimination suit.
September 13
Documents released on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks show that city officials encouraged workers to return to Ground Zero despite knowing the risks of asbestos exposure, and new polls demonstrate continued widespread support for labor unions.
September 10
Amazon workers allege pregnancy discrimination; federal unions challenge USDA reorganization; NYC warns of silicosis risks.