Once upon a time, the employer determined medical leave. Whether an employee had the ability to stay home when ill without risk of termination depended on the boss. After a nine-year legislative battle, in 1993 Congress enacted the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). For many workers, FMLA proved to be a great boon. Parents with newborns don’t have to negotiate for leaves of absence of less than twelve weeks. An i … [Read more...] about Employee Medical Leave Rights: It's Complicated
Cover Stories
One and Done: How INcite is reducing redundant DNA collection
One of the responsibilities of probation officers is to collect body fluid samples from clients to test for the presence of drugs or alcohol when that is a condition of their probation. But did you also know that Indiana law requires officers to collect a DNA sample for persons convicted of a felony? The Indiana General Assembly adopted this requirement in 2005. When a court sentences a defendant directly to the … [Read more...] about One and Done: How INcite is reducing redundant DNA collection
All Courts Shall Be Open
Continued emphasis on fair and impartial justice as Dickson transfers leadership to Rush On June 11, 2014, Brent E. Dickson announced he would step down as Chief Justice of Indiana before September first and continue serving as an Associate Justice on the five-member Supreme Court. When Dickson informed the Judicial Nominating Commission of his plans, he said, “It has been a great joy and a privilege to have helped c … [Read more...] about All Courts Shall Be Open
Civics Workshop for Teachers
Surveys, talk show hosts and the nightly news remind us that American students are woefully uninformed about even the most basic functions of our government. While no one group or organization can solve this problem on its own, the Indiana Supreme Court—through its “Courts in the Classroom” (CITC) outreach project—is doing its part by hosting workshops for Indiana teachers on the operation of Indiana’s judicial branch … [Read more...] about Civics Workshop for Teachers
On Your Mark, Get Set…Go?
The Ethics of Judicial Campaigns: Part 1 (see Part 2) A whirlwind of activity, the pulse of adrenaline, and general excitement (and despair) loom in the air—it’s the change of season. Racing, you say? No, it’s judicial campaign season. With the primary elections approaching, I have received an increasing number of questions about judicial elections and campaigns. Because the questions often are recurring, I thought a … [Read more...] about On Your Mark, Get Set…Go?