Tuesday, April 17, 2018
- MHRC: New guidance document, “Student Rights Under the Maine Human Rights Act,” offers examples of unlawful education discrimination such as a dress code prohibiting girls from wearing short skirts and dresses but allowing boys to wear shorts; a policy requiring students to use the restroom matching their assigned gender at birth rather than their gender identity; and failing to provide reasonable accommodation based on national origin (examples of reasonable accommodations include providing worksheets in another language or arranging for tutoring so students can become proficient in English)
- Ninth Circuit: Noting that the gender wage gap costs women in the U.S. over $840 billion a year, en banc decision holds that an employer may not avoid liability under the Equal Pay Act by relying on prior salary to justify a wage differential between male and female employees
- US District Court ME: In denying motion to hold a separate trial on whether the statute of limitations had tolled before reaching liability and damages, the court held, in part, that the exemption from statutes of limitations in 14 MRS § 752-C for actions based on sexual acts toward minors applied to claims brought under the Maine Tort Claims Act (instead of two-year SOL)
- US District Court ME: Comments due May 10th on proposed amendments to Local Rules, which include a change to Local Rule 26 that would require the party seeking a hearing to confer with opposing counsel and agree on the relevant discovery materials that should be submitted to the Court with a new form Request for Conference
- US DOJ: Three-part initiative announced to combat sexual harassment in housing includes the creation of an interagency task force between the Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development
- US DOL: Opinion letter from the Wage and Hour Division states that employer is not required to pay employees for Family and Medical Leave Act qualifying 15-minute breaks every hour that are necessary for their own continuing serious health conditions
- MHRC: April 23rd Agenda and Consent Agenda posted