Burn piles creating extreme smoke that impairs visibility on nearby roadways could be considered negligence, creating liability for personal injuries and property damage.

The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments regarding the question of when the filing period for a race discrimination constructive discharge claim should begin.

Sometimes it's better not to appeal a ruling you don't agree with.

A fatal tragedy in Wayne County, North Carolina, should remind us to be grateful to the working men and women who make our country great, and to support politicians who will protect our workers' rights to safe working environments and the wages they are owed.

Growth brings problems, including increased traffic. The Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina has been one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and has experienced a predictable increase in traffic congestion. According to a Raleigh News & Observer article earlier this week...

Companies in the emerging "Share" economy may not yet be adequately regulated, but there is a good chance they can be liable for injuries that result from their failure to take reasonable precautions to ensure customers' safety.

The New York Times has published a valuable series on the effects of widespread use of mandatory arbitration clauses in corporate contracts.

The exclusionary rule prevents the government from  presenting evidence in a criminal case that is tainted by a violation of the suspect/defendant's constitutional rights. A recent 4th Circuit Appellate concluded that drug evidence should have been suppressed under the exclusionary rule because the police seized the defendant without a reasonable suspicion that he was engaged in criminal behavior. This article explores the case and the law behind the Court's ruling.

North Carolina is one of just a few states in the United States that adheres to the contributory negligence doctrine, meaning that a plaintiff who's own negligence (failure to use due care to prevent a foreseeable injury) was at least partly to blame for his injury. However, an injured plaintiff's contributory negligence can be excused if he or she can establish that the defendant had the "last clear chance to avoid the injury.

A jury in Florida just returned a verdict of $17 million to five female migrant farmworkers who complained they were raped and sexually harassed by male supervisors at a packing plant where they worked. Sexual abuse of female farmworkers is a widespread problem; federal government is apparently a...

Rally for voting rights in North Carolina today September 3, 2015 at the State Capitol at 5pm.

The law school's pay system results in gender inequality according to the EEOC in a recent determination.

Retail giant Target has agreed to pay a $2.8 million fine to settle Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges that the company used discriminatory processes in hiring. According to the EEOC, Target disproportionately screened out applicants for professional positions based on race and gende...

Two recent victories in federal court highlight the federal government's crackdown on unlawful misclassification of workers as "independent contractors."

The North Carolina Court of Appeals affirms the Industrial Commission's award of temporary-total disability workers' compensation benefits for a worker who was injured playing laser tag as part of his employer's annual sales conference.

We here are dedicated to contributing to our communities, legal and otherwise. Edelstein & Payne is proud to acknowledge that partner Steve Edelstein has agreed to chair the Civil Rights Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. His appointment is recognition of Steve's contributio...

Ruling that the so-called "manager rule" has no place in Title VII jurisprudence, the 4th Circuit reversed an order granting summary judgment to an employer who fired their employee for assisting a worker with a sexual harassment complaint.

Firm partner Vanessa Lucas will present strategies in prosecuting disability discrimination cases and opposing defense motions for summary judgment at an Advocates for Justice CLE in August.

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires that employees be paid the overtime rate for every hour worked in excess of 40 in a week. This article describes the factors for determining whether a worker classified as an independent contractor is actually an employee due overtime (and possible back payment for past unpaid overtime).

The Washington Supreme Court ruled that piece-rate compensated farmworkers are entitled to compensation for state-mandated rest breaks that regulations require to be "on the employer's time."

from an agency press release:    Winston-Salem Health Care Company Will Pay $48,000 to Settle EEOC Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit Company Fired Employee After She Requested Maternity Leave, Federal Agency Charged WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Level Four Orthotics & Prosthetics, Inc. has agr...

In a decision that is not binding on courts but potentially entitled to some deference, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled this week that Title VII's sex discrimination prohibition applies to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the employer's response to severe harassment (racist death threats) could be found by a reasonable jury to have been inadequate, where the employer is required to act promptly in a manner reasonably calculated to end the harassment.