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Put limits on custody complaints, group urges
Posted by: | CommentsCanadian law must be changed to make it far more difficult for disgruntled parents to file disciplinary charges against psychologists, psychiatrists and other health professionals who do assessments in child-custody cases, says a group of leading lawyers and therapists.
The complaints submitted to professional bodies by the losing side in custody battles are turning experts off the important work, the group says in a discussion paper. The result is a “major social and legal problem,” it says.
The group urges changing the rules so disciplinary bodies can only consider complaints from such parents if they have been first approved by the judge in the case or by the other, winning parent, or have been screened to weed out frivolous grievances
“The family law justice system is seriously undermined every time a vexatious complaint is made by a parent to the college,” said the paper signed by 11 psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers and social workers. “It feels like a professional sucker punch and has no correlation to the skill, experience and savvy of the assessor.”
Earlier this year, the Ontario Medical Association’s board directed its staff to work with other professionals to push for changes to protect members against such complaints.
A parents-rights organization, however, says people embroiled in emotional disputes often feel the assessor is biased against one side, and need some recourse to question their professionalism.
Kris Titus of the Canadian Equal Parenting Council said she has heard from parents about psychologists or others who will spend a whole day with one parent in their home, and an hour in a “sterile” office environment with the other.
“When you’re dealing with children, where every decision made is essentially going to affect someone’s entire future, there has to be strict regulation of assessors,” Ms. Titus said. “There are some assessors we have heard multiple complaints about.”
The report suggests three options, based partly on legislation in a handful of U.S. states.
- -Require that a judge approve any disciplinary complaint, ensuring that it is more than merely an attack on the assessor’s conclusions.
- -Require that the complaint be approved by both parents, again making it less likely the grievance will be just another appeal by the losing party.
- -Set up a vetting process within regulatory bodies that would throw out vexatious complaints before they are formally investigated.
Former workers file complaint against clam plant
Posted by: | Comments A group of workers at a Millville clam-processing facility has filed an unfair-labor complaint against the company, alleging that 32 people were improperly fired.
In the complaint, the group, which calls itself the Workers’ Committee of LaMonica Foods, reported that 14 female employees held a work stoppage at 9 a.m. Nov. 12 to request raises. The complaint alleges that all 14 women were fired within the hour, as were 18 male employees who also stopped work in solidarity.
The complaint states that most of the women “were earning less than the legal minimum wage on a piece rate basis.”
At a press conference Wednesday at the Bridgeton office of the Farmworkers Support Committee, or CATA, workers said female employees were paid $2.20 for each bucket of shucked clams they produced and that they averaged three buckets per hour. That adds up to $6.60 per hour. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
The employees filed the complaint with the assistance of the Farmworkers Support Committee. Jessica Culley, an organizer for that organization, said the company has since asked some of the fired workers to return, and a few accepted the offer because they needed the money.
Daniel Haledy, regional attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, said the agency will investigate the complaint and “if we decide the case has merit, we’re going to seek to settle it.”
If a settlement can’t be reached, the complaint would go before an Administrative Law judge, who would make a determination. Either side could appeal the judge’s decision.
Five-day event to help struggling homeowners
Posted by: | CommentsA nonprofit group is bringing a mortgage-modification marathon to Charlotte this week that aims to provide speedy help for struggling homeowners.
In the 12th stop on its “Save the Dream” tour, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America said it expects to draw 50,000 people over five days to a program that brings together borrowers, counselors and lenders. Some loans will be modified on the same day, the group said.
NACA is based in Boston but has been expanding a Charlotte office that helps coordinate the nationwide tour.
The borrowers that come to NACA usually have tried to work with their lender without success, said founder Bruce Marks, who was in Charlotte Tuesday to promote the event to be held at The Park, formerly the Charlotte Merchandise Mart. The group acts as a middleman on behalf of borrowers. “You have to push pretty aggressively,” Marks said.
NACA is known for protesting predatory lending practices and making its own affordable home loans to low-income borrowers. But increasingly it has focused on helping borrowers threatened by the nation’s foreclosure crisis.
The group this year began hiring in its Charlotte office as part of an expansion of its “Home Save” services. N.C. and local officials have promised NACA $3.5 million in incentives in return for hiring about 1,000 employees over five years. The group now has about 700 people in Charlotte and Marks has said the group plans to hire a total of 2,000 by the end of next year.
NACA works to find a quick, permanent solution for borrowers, while the government program starts with a trial-modification period, he noted. In a statement Monday, Charlotte-based Bank of America highlighted another challenge with the government program: getting borrowers to supply the necessary paperwork.
At the news conference, Marks acknowledged his approach is controversial. He has cultivated a reputation as a “bank terrorist” who holds protests at the homes of CEOs whose banks NACA deems to be engaged in predatory lending. This pressure has helped persuade lenders to sign loan-modification agreements with the group.
During the five-day event, Marks said monthly payments can be reduced by $500 or more and interest rates can be dropped to as low as 2 percent. The service is free. Borrowers are encouraged to pre-register at naca.com or by calling 888-499-6222, but walk-ins are welcome. The event runs 9 a.m.-8 p.m. each day, although counselors will stay later working with people who arrived during those hours.
At the news conference, NACA touted some of the homeowners the group has helped. Eddie Cuffie, a Charlotte retiree, said he didn’t have good credit when he took out a Countrywide Financial loan with a monthly payment of $975 and a 9.75 percent interest rate. With NACA’s help, he now has a Bank of America loan with a $683 monthly payment and a 5 percent interest rate.
Maine Churches Threatened With IRS Complaints for Marriage Support
Posted by: | CommentsA group advocating for gay marriage is leading a campaign seeking to revoke the tax-exempt status of churches that supported the repeal of Maine’s gay marriage law.
Maine Marriage Equality reports that 80,000 people have joined its online effort to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) churches that advocated for Question One, which revoked the state’s same-sex marriage law Nov. 3 with 53 percent of the vote.
Claiming the IRS “clearly forbids churches from participating in political campaigns in any form.” Maine Marriage Equality provides complaint forms and contact information for the IRS at its Web site. The group also lists churches and organizations that campaigned for Question One along with major financial contributors.
“It’s no secret that the Catholic Diocese led the ‘YES on 1′ effort in Maine, among many other churches encouraging their congregations to vote ‘YES,’ handing out signature forms and collection plates during service, and constantly asking for ‘sacrificial contributions’ from churchgoers,” the group claims
“Pastors and churches have a right to speak about biblical truths from the pulpit without fear of punishment,” Stanley said. “They can encourage their congregations to take a stand for marriage and can directly support legislative issues like Question 1 without running afoul of IRS rules.”
ADF is offering free legal assistance to any church the IRS targets.
“Groups that want to redefine marriage are intentionally threatening the tax-exempt status of churches through fear, intimidation and disinformation to silence their voice,” Stanley said. “ADF will stand with these churches to defend their right to free speech and religious expression against these baseless scare tactics.”
Two Chicago Men Face Terror Charges
Posted by: | CommentsU.S. prosecutors accused two men in Chicago of plotting with a Pakistani terror group to carry out an attack on a Danish newspaper that in 2005 printed controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
Criminal complaints filed by federal prosecutors against David Coleman Headley, a 49-year-old U.S. citizen, and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 48, a Pakistani native with Canadian citizenship, alleged that the men plotted with members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group in Pakistan to carry out unspecified attacks on the offices of Jyllands-Posten in Denmark.
Mr. Headley was arrested Oct. 3 as he prepared to board a flight on a planned trip to Pakistan, and Mr. Rana was arrested Oct. 18 at his Chicago home, according to the complaints. The complaints against the men, made public Tuesday, were sealed by a federal judge after the arrests while investigators continued their probe. Each faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of charges of providing material support to terrorism.
According to the criminal complaints, Mr. Headley allegedly identified and conducted surveillance of potential targets on two separate trips to Denmark in January and July 2009, and reported and attempted to report on his efforts to others involved in the plot in Pakistan. Mr. Rana’s helped arrange Mr. Headley’s travels overseas and discussed potential attack targets with Mr. Headley, according to the allegations in the complaint.
The published cartoons depicting Mohammed prompted protests by Muslims who said they were offensive.
In October 2008, Mr. Headley allegedly posted a message on an Internet discussion group saying of the published Danish cartoons: “I feel disposed towards violence for the offending parties” for “making fun of Islam.”
Humane Society: IHOP’s eggs aren’t `cruelty free’
Posted by: | CommentsThe Humane Society of the United States filed complaints Wednesday against the International House of Pancakes, alleging that the restaurant chain lies about the living conditions of the chickens that lay the eggs for its omelets and pancakes.
IHOP claims that its eggs are “cruelty free” and animals used for its food receive “dignified, humane treatment.” The animal welfare group said that’s not true and filed complaints with federal regulators saying the Glendale-based company is engaged in “false or deceptive advertising.”
The complaints allege that the eggs for IHOP’s 1,421 U.S. restaurants come from chickens raised in cramped cages that do not allow them to stretch their wings, walk around or nest.
That doesn’t meet a consumer’s reasonable expectation of what “cruelty-free” means, the Humane Society said.
“Consumers do not consider it `humane,’ let alone `cruelty free,’ to confine hens for life so tightly in wire cages that they cannot fully spread their wings, as IHOP’s standards allow,” the group said in its complaint.
The Humane Society and its supporters have waged a long-running battle against the restaurant industry over the conditions in which chickens are raised. They have persuaded national food outlets such as Burger King Corp., Costco Wholesale Corp., Denny’s Corp. and Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. to buy at least some of their eggs from producers that allow their hens to roam
It’s there hope in the jungle
Posted by: | CommentsImagine yourself in the Amazon Jungle.1 Deep in the jungle. Your friends convinced you to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip. You withdrew all your savings, called a travel agent, hooked up with an outfitter and a guide, and took off, seeking adventure. Two planes, an old pick up, a sputtering boat, and more mosquitoes that you can count, and you’re in the heart of the Amazon Jungle.
Your guide leads your group of six or seven thrill seekers into the thick vegetation. For the first two days, you walk along in awe as your guide points out the various kinds of plant and animal life. On the third day, you happen to be taking up the rear of the group. You stop to lace up your boots. As you bend over, your backpack tips over and spills its contents.
When you’re done gathering and repacking your gear, you look up and your group is nowhere in sight. You jog ahead a little to try to catch up, but then the trail just disappears right before your eyes. There is a hint of a trail to your right, so you try that, but no luck. Before you know it, you’re standing in the middle of the jungle with no trail and no people in sight, and you’re not even sure which way you came from. By this time you’ve resorted to screaming, but your group is long gone.
The foliage is so thick that you can’t even see the sky. The ground is slippery in the humid air, so you’ve been slipping and falling a lot. Thorny vines have been cutting itchy lines in your shins. You run desperately in a hundred different directions, but eventually you must face the bitter truth. You are lost. Hopelessly lost.
“For some, even for many, hope is in short supply.”5 There seems to be no way out, no real answers, not when you’re stuck in the jungle.”
Drop you in a downtown and tell you to find a Starbucks – no problem. But here, it’s just too much. You just can’t handle the jungle. You sit down on a log, tired and depressed, burry your face in your hands and think, “It’s hopeless; I’ll never get out of here.”
“Can you freeze frame that emotion for a moment? Can you sense for just a second how it feels to be out of your element? Out of solutions? Out of ideas and energy? Can you imagine, for just a moment, how it feels to be out of hope?”
Often, life is a jungle. “Not a jungle of trees and beasts. … Our jungles are comprised of … failing health, broken hearts, and empty wallets. Our forests are framed with hospital walls and divorce courts. We don’t hear the screeching of birds or the roaring of lions, but we do hear the complaints of neighbors and the demands of bosses.”4 And tromping through the brush is exhausting.
Complaints filed against pharmacy lobbyists
Posted by: | CommentsEthics complaints were filed Wednesday against the Iowa Pharmacy Association for its failure to properly file a lobbying report for an event that was attended by a lawmaker later arrested on a charge of drunken driving.
The complaints, filed by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, will be reviewed by the House and Senate ethics committees.
The committees can’t fine the association but they could move to publicly reprimand the group or, in extreme cases, they could revoke the group’s future lobbying privileges.
The Pharmacy Association held a reception at Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines on Feb. 10. Rep. Kerry Burt, D-Waterloo, attended the reception and later was arrested by Ankeny police on a charge of drunken driving.
Iowa law requires that a form be filed within five business days following the date of the reception if it takes place during the Legislature’s session and every lawmaker is invited.
The report was filed last week, five months late, after reporters asked questions about the reception.
The report showed that the association spent $7,127, of which $2,438 was spent on beverages.
The association’s CEO, Thomas Temple, said Wednesday that the cost for alcohol was actually $733. The rest of the expenses were associated with an all-day conference for roughly 200 of its members.
Temple emphasized that his group was not associated with any of Burt’s activities after 7:30 p.m., roughly seven hours before his arrest.
“It wasn’t intentional and it wasn’t deliberate that we didn’t file a report,” said Temple, who noted that the association didn’t receive the bill from the hotel until about a month after the event. “It was just oversight from our staff. We were just busy at the time.”
By mid-May, at least 11 more organizations disclosed their spending, in some cases filing for events that happened in February.
Citizens for Community Improvement says the most critical issue is the unknown number of other events that have showered lawmakers without public disclosure.
The group’s initial research shows 26 late-filing violations during this year’s legislative session, or roughly a third of the 90 reports filed.
Oregon Trans Mayor receives complaint
Posted by: | CommentsA group has filed a complaint against the first openly transgender U.S. mayor, Mayor Stu Rasmussen, for violating the Silverton, Ore. City council’s dress code reports the Advocate.
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Silverton Together, a nonprofit community organization in Silverton, filed the complaint after Rasmussen wore a short skirt and halter top to speak to a group of teenagers.
“It is surprising and disappointing that an organization chartered to promote diversity and cultural understanding would take a public position of intolerance,” Rasmussen said.
The group’s executive director, Brenda Sturdevant, said that her group regularly sends youth home to change into appropriate clothing. “I expect our public leaders to follow the same guidelines that we have for our youth,” she told the Statesman Journal.
Rasmussen -who identifies as transgender prefers male pronouns- has called the dress code unnecessary and explained that he wore the outfit due to the heat.
“It was hot and sticky. My attire was completely appropriate to the circumstances and I also received a number of compliments during the day,” he said.