Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court, ruling in two cases, said workers who claim they faced retaliation for complaining about racial or age discrimination may sue in federal court. In a 7-2 and 6-3 decisions, the justices made clear that federal employees have the same protection as their counterparts in the private sector. As a result, more than 1 million federal workers are now covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Some who disagree with ... Read More

The recent trouble that General Motors has experienced with striking workers at plants in Kansas and Michigan highlights the dangers to brand and reputation large corporations must confront when dealing with unions and labor issues. Unions, by their very nature, are designed to be agile, confrontational and, when necessary, vociferous. Large corporations tend to prefer to plod along, avoid conflict, and keep their issues to themselves – to the point that when unionized workers take on ... Read More

As reported recently by the Financial Times, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is concerned about the international trade implications of the upcoming presidential election. Specifically, Miliband says that the protectionist rhetoric he’s hearing from both Democratic candidates raises fears that the next U.S. president will turn back the clock on globalization and erect barriers to free trade that could strain international commercial relationships around the world. From fears as to the safety of products coming from ... Read More

As reports detailing the potential toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) continue to make headlines, companies that use the chemical to manufacture polycarbonate bottles are finding themselves in an increasingly difficult position. While the Food and Drug Administration states that “at this time, FDA is not recommending that anyone discontinue using products that contain BPA while we continue our risk assessment process,” the plaintiffs bar is actively seeking class action clients – having already filed lawsuits in ... Read More

Thanks to one of the most memorable marketing campaigns of recent years, most of us are becoming familiar with Todd Davis – the Lifelock pitchman that broadcasts his social security number in television and radio advertisements as proof positive of his company’s identity protection bona fides. What most of us didn’t know, until the highly media-genic story was widely reported last week, was that Davis’ identity has, in fact, been stolen at least once as a ... Read More

The disparate reactions of Brazilian businesses and green communities to the resignation of Environment Minister Maria Silva have once again shed light on a crucial communications issue of the 21st Century. At the heart of the issue are claims that Brazilian President Luiz Inacia Lula da Silva caved to businesses that felt Minister Silva was too aggressive during her six years in office. Minister Silva had long been a proponent of saving Brazil’s vast forests and ... Read More