Professor Jane Kirtley commented on a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling that allows a state government agency to charge nearly $45,000 to a news organization for access to public records on water pollution. The court said state law allows special fees if requests take more than four hours to compile the records. Local groups are concerned that exorbitant fees could be used to keep information from the public.

Prof. Matthew Bodie was quoted in the New York Times about the potential of college athletes either unionizing or being treated like other school employees. Recent congressional hearings discussed athletes at the University of Southern California requesting employee status and Dartmouth College athletes voting to unionize. In lawyers’ testimony, comparisons were made between athletes and other college employees but Professor Bodie said that is difficult to do.

Professor Paul Vaaler was quoted in the Star Tribune about a lawsuit filed against a Minnesota frozen-pop maker. JonnyPops advertises simple, real, and fresh ingredients, which a California lawsuit claims obscures the added cane sugar content. Other Minnesota food companies have faced similar cases, with many of them originating in California where state laws are favorable to consumers filing lawsuits about ingredients. According to Professor Vaaler, from a legal standpoint California has a reputation for being “pro-consumer.” 

Professor Kristin Hickman was quoted in Bloomberg Law about a federal district court’s invalidation of a National Labor Relations Board regulation on joint employer liability under federal labor law. The NLRB has several options to respond include appealing the decision, initiating new notice-and-comment rulemaking to rescind the Trump-era joint employer rule that’s currently in effect, and refusing to acquiesce to the judge’s ruling outside of his judicial district.

Professor Jill Hasday testified before the Minnesota Legislature on requiring employers to include pay ranges in job postings. The bill would require an employer with 30 or more employees to include the starting salary range and general description of benefits – or other compensation – for any job posting, whether printed or electronic. The bill’s author said that keeping wages secret can help facilitate pay discrimination among employees. Professor Hasday testified, “Pay transparency promotes pay equity.