A Leon County circuit judge has dismissed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office from a lawsuit filed by the Washington Post over access to DeSantis’ travel records. Judge J. Lee Marsh this week issued a nine-page ruling that said DeSantis’ office is not the “custodian” of disputed records held by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The ruling did not dismiss the case against the law-enforcement agency.
Labor Rights
Gaslighting Greed: Uber Overcharges Riders and Underpays Drivers
That higher driver pay would force big fare hikes is one of Uber and Lyft’s favorite scare tactics. As drivers across the country have protested poverty wages and organized for better pay, the rideshare giants have trotted out this line again and again. It’s false. The companies are reaping billions at drivers’ and riders’ expense, especially where no protections are in place.
Volusia/Flagler Chapter Marks ACLU’s Centennial With “Future Voters Essay Contest” and $500 Prize
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) ‘s Volusia/Flagler chapter is celebrating the ACLU’s 100th birthday with an essay contest open to all students, with a $500 prize and publication of the winning essay in FlaglerLive.
Florida Lawmakers to Review Law Targeting Injured Undocumented Workers
A top Florida lawmaker and a national insurance fraud group criticized a law used by insurers to turn in injured undocumented workers and avoid paying workers’ comp benefits.
In Blow to Collective Bargaining, Court Upholds Scott Veto of Firefighters’ Pay Raises
Scott’s decision to veto the $1.57 million for state firefighters, including employees who fight forest fires, had drawn criticism even from Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam.
In a Blow to Business, Supreme Court Bans Workers Comp Limits on Attorney’s Fees
The ruling stemmed from a case in which an attorney was awarded the equivalent of $1.53 an hour in successfully pursuing a claim for benefits for a worker injured in Miami.
Nurse Assistants at Grand Oaks Rehab Strike for $15/hr Wage in Echo of National Movement
Workers at Grand Oaks Rehab Center in Palm Coast, most on poverty wages, walked out for 24 hours, though they’d given the facility almost two weeks’ notice and replacements ensured no residents lacked care.
Why North Carolina’s New Anti-LGBT Law is a Trojan Horse That Kills Workers’ Rights
Another provision banned local minimum wage laws like the $15-an-hour “living wage” ordinances gaining traction around the country. The state minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Has Business Biased Florida’s Workers Comp Law Too Far Against Labor? Court Will Decide
Plaintiffs argue that lawmakers have taken too many rights and benefits from people who get injured on the job, while business groups say a 2003 law kept costs from “spiraling.”
News-Journal Employees File Charges of Unfair Labor Practices Against New Owner GateHouse Media
The press room union filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board on June 3, charging that GateHouse Media illegally abrogated their collective bargaining agreement and is trying to bust the union.