Overtime lawsuits have been filed against school districts in a growing number of states. Guidelines offered to prevent or at least minimize damaging claims include becoming informed and establishing an accurate record-keeping system. A sidebar describes one Alabama district facing 100 overtime claims. (MLF)

Discusses the important age discrimination issues decided by the Supreme Court in "Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio v. Betts." Frames some of the issues expected to be hard fought in post-Betts litigation. Summarizes how pending legislative initiatives would deal with the question of benefits discrimination against older…

Reviews areas of legal liability for employer-provided training: failure to comply with legally mandated training requirements, nontraditional training methods, and violations of individual rights resulting from discriminatory content or delivery of training. (SK)

Provides a brief overview of the legal structure within which teacher collective bargaining takes place. Explores the following legal issues that are most commonly litigated: right to organize, fair share, scope of bargaining, impasse resolution, strikes, grievance procedures, and judicial review of arbitration awards. (MLF)

In this piece, Jean Anyon argues that the definition of education policy should be expanded to include the consideration of economic policies. She asserts that the impact of economic policies, such as minimum wage laws, have large and often ignored impacts on the experiences of urban students. Anyon argues that even small annual salary…

This article profiles Grace Abbott, one of the earlier 20th century American women leaders in Progressivism. Abbott's heritage influenced her lifetime commitment to social improvement. She was born on November 17, 1878 in Grand Island, Nebraska into a family of activists. Her Quaker mother, Elizabeth Griffin Abbott, came from an abolitionist…

The resource guide provides teachers with background materials and references for teaching labor history. Sections include: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Curricula and Guides"; (3) "Exemplary Labor in the Schools Programs"; (4) "Teacher Training Programs"; (5) "Guest Speakers and Adopt-A-School Programs"; (6) "Student Readings"; (7) "Teacher Readings";…

This booklet is designed to help public and private community service organizations understand the applicability of wage and hour laws to volunteers used in their activities. It considers various legal interpretations of the differences between "volunteers" and "employees," and reviews the provisions of the federal Fair Labor…

Many people fail to realize the extensiveness and comprehensiveness of federal and state child labor laws. Although the 1994 School-to-Work Opportunities Act did not detail the legal compliance needed by its state-funded agencies, it clearly indicates that federal and state child labor laws will apply to its employment and employment-related…

This report measures progress in the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The report notes the life experiences of people with disabilities and the social values which led to passage of the ADA, and reviews early signs of implementation success. The report then summarizes findings and recommendations emanating from…

This newsletter theme issue outlines the intentions, concepts, and structures of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to employment. The article simplifies the provisions of Title I into the following statement: "If, despite my disability and despite some cost to be borne by my employer, I can perform the basic functions of…

This paper outlines the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (sometimes referred to as the Wage-Hour Law) that establishes a minimum wage, subminimum wage, training wage overtime pay, and recordkeeping requirements. The following topics are addressed: (1) covered employment; (2) exemptions; (3) hours worked; (4) board, lodging, and other…

Hopes of U.S. union leaders for the movement's survival have been increasingly pinned on adoption of Canada-like labor legislation. Canadian labor legislation is in large part provincially based. This suggests that the states should legislate labor law. Highly improbable pro-union changes in labor law are needed to ensure the survival of unions.…

This booklet presents a method of teaching the history of labor unions in a creative and interesting manner. The labor pioneers presented in this booklet have been chosen with the thought that they would provide inspiration for young people who are studying the 300 years or more of Pennsylvania history. These laborers, who came from the ranks of…

Campus collective bargaining proceedings associated with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) versus Yeshiva University case are analyzed. The number of institutions exercising Yeshiva-like claims has risen to 49, and the vast majority of the claimants are institutions that have challenged the right of the faculty to organize and bargain…