Archives for February 2017

Representing the Injured or Disabled Member Part 31: An Introduction to Workers Compensation and the Injured Public Safety Officer

By Jim Cline and Erica Shelley Nelson

Representing the Injured or Disabled Member

Part 31: An Introduction to Workers Compensation and the Injured Public Safety Officer

This article is the 31st  in a multiple part series covering the rights your injured and disabled members have and how you, as a union or guild representative, can best assist them. You may also consult an experienced workers compensation lawyer if you have legal inquiry. Over the several weeks and continuing for the next several weeks, we’ll be publishing, in various segments, information on how state and federal laws protect your members who are hurt or otherwise unable to work. We’ll cover topics including disability discrimination law, the FMLA, job protection rights under the CBA, workers compensation, disability benefits, and the right to bring a civil lawsuit.

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Representing the Injured or Disabled Member Part 30: Pregnancy Discrimination Rights in the “Hazardous Workplace”

By Jim Cline and Erica Shelley Nelson

Representing the Injured or Disabled Member

Part 30: Pregnancy Discrimination Rights in the “Hazardous Workplace”

This article is the 30th in a multiple part series covering the rights your injured and disabled members have and how you, as a union or guild representative, can best assist them.  Over the several weeks and continuing for the next several weeks, we’ll be publishing, in various segments, information on how state and federal laws protect your members who are hurt or otherwise unable to work. We’ll cover topics including disability discrimination law, the FMLA, job protection rights under the CBA, workers compensation, disability benefits, and the right to bring a civil lawsuit. If you would like to confirm if your specific situation might be viable for building a case, consult with a discrimination lawyer to be certain.

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Washington Court of Appeals Holds that Employee May Bring Claim of Disability Discrimination To Trial After Showing Rules Were Selectively Enforced Against Him

By: Jim Cline & Harrison Owens

In Brownell v. Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1, a Washington Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s dismissal of a former public utility employee’s disability discrimination lawsuit. In his complaint, the worker claimed that he was terminated for violation of work rules that were selectively enforced against him. The Court of Appeals found that the selective enforcement of the rules and lack of negative performance reviews showed that the worker may have a valid claim for disability discrimination. Therefore, the Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s dismissal of the worker’s claim and allowed him to bring his claim to trial.

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Representing the Injured or Disabled Member Part 29: The Family Medical Leave Act

By Jim Cline and Erica Shelley Nelson

Representing the Injured or Disabled Member

Part 29: The Family Medical Leave Act 

This article is the 29th in a multiple part series covering the rights your injured and disabled members have and how you, as a union or guild representative, can best assist them.  Over the several weeks and continuing for the next several weeks, we’ll be publishing, in various segments, information on how state and federal laws protect your members who are hurt or otherwise unable to work. We’ll cover topics including disability discrimination law, the FMLA, job protection rights under the CBA, workers compensation, disability benefits, and the right to bring a civil lawsuit.

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Representing the Injured or Disabled Member Part 28: Pregnancy Discrimination and Disability Laws

By Jim Cline and Erica Shelley Nelson

Representing the Injured or Disabled Member

Part 28: Pregnancy Discrimination and Disability Laws

This article is the 28th  in a multiple part series covering the rights your injured and disabled members have and how you, as a union or guild representative, can best assist them.  Over the several weeks and continuing for the next several weeks, we’ll be publishing, in various segments, information on how state and federal laws protect your members who are hurt or otherwise unable to work. We’ll cover topics including disability discrimination law, the FMLA, job protection rights under the CBA, workers compensation, disability benefits, and the right to bring a civil lawsuit.

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Ninth Circuit Holds Amazon Need Not Adjust Performance Standards As Accommodation For Customer Service Employee with Health Problems

By Loyd Willaford and Mathias Deeg

In Kelley v. Amazon.com, Inc., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that a disabled Amazon.com customer service associate could not bring a failure-to-accommodate claim because she could not perform the essential functions of her job even with reasonable accommodations

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