#1 Nurse Accuses Staffing Company of Illegal ContractNew York, NY A Filipino nurse has filed a complaint against his employer, Advanced Care Staffing LLC, which recruits foreign nurses for U.S. health care facilities. In his employment lawsuit filed in New York federal court, Benzor Shem Vidal claims that the staffing company forced him to sign an illegal, "predatory" arbitration agreement that threatened to financially ruin him after he quit working at a nursing home.
#2 Zetia and/or Statins: The Good, the Bad and the UglyHalle-Wittenberg, Germany Can a drug designed to curb heart attacks also cause heart attacks in some people? Apparently, it's possible with statins or medication like Zetia when used in combination with a statin. Statins are designed to lower the "bad" cholesterol thought to be a contributing factor for heart attack and stroke, while leaving the so-called "good" cholesterol to do the good work that good cholesterol, ultimately, does.
#4 Assisted Living Operator to Settle Wage and Hour Lawsuit for $9.5 MillionSacramento, CA Frontier Management LLC will pay $9.5 million to settle a California labor lawsuit brought by roughly 1,000 workers who were not paid for work required before they clocked in, after they clocked out and during meal breaks. Wright v. Frontier Management, as originally filed, alleged nine causes of action under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the California Labor Code and the California Business and Professions Code. Claims under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) were added thereafter. The senior care industry is notorious for wage and hour violations and has been the subject of federal and California investigations.
#5 Hewlett Packard Settles Gender Discrimination LawsuitSanta Clara, CA Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co has agreed to settle a proposed class action that accused the tech giant of paying women less than men. The settlement stems from a California labor lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County Superior County in November 2018, claiming the company violated the California Equal Pay Act and Unfair Competition Law by systematically paying its female employees less than similarly situated men.
#6 Matco Tools Settles California Misclassification Lawsuit for $15.8 MillionSan Francisco, CA On April 29, the Northern District of California granted final approval to a $15.8 million settlement in a class action California labor lawsuit brought by 273 franchisees who claimed that Matco Tools classified them as independent contractors to avoid paying overtime, reimbursing expenses and providing accurate wage statements. The deal includes a $13.5 million cash payment. Distributors who terminated their distributorships on or before September 8, 2021, may also share in a fund that provides $2.3 million in debt relief.
#7 Thoughts on the Crash of Flight 3407 from Airline Captain Turned Aviation Disaster Attorney John GreavesClarence Center, NY Ever since the tragic plane crash near Buffalo took 50 lives, there has been much speculation as to what could have caused the plane to fall out of the sky. Much of the focus has been on the role of icing in causing plane crashes. However, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is also examining other possible factors in the crash of Flight 3407, including pilot error. Although nothing will bring back those 50 lives that were lost, hopefully something can be learned from this tragedy that will prevent similar plane crashes from occurring in the future.
#8 Seroquel Side Effects for the ElderlyPearblossom, CA Seroquel is a neuroleptic indicated for the treatment of bipolar disorder—and like most drugs carries a host of Seroquel side effects, including diabetes, tardive dyskinesia and even birth defects. However, there is a little-known use for Seroquel off-label that concerned the daughter of one Alzheimer's patient for whom she was caring.
#10 Lupron: Do the Risks Outweigh the Benefits?Las Vegas, NV Lupron has not received the same widespread media attention to which other medications have been subjected, but for some patients, Lupron side effects can be devastating. Some say the drug is dangerous; others call it a poison. A number of websites have sprung up to provide Lupron users with a forum in which to share their experiences and debate the drug's pros and cons. Even some medical experts have come out against Lupron, arguing that the risks outweigh the benefits.
