Case against trucking company backfires on EEOC

(AP) ? They were learning to become truck drivers but wound up in a nightmare. In detailed accounts to a federal agency, dozens of female employees of one of the nation's largest trucking companies told of being propositioned, groped and even assaulted by male drivers during cross-country training rides.

"I was beaten, I was fondled, I was humiliated and I was taught nothing," one trainee, Ramona Villareal, said in a deposition.

But rather than leading to a workplace discrimination judgment, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's sexual harassment lawsuit against Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based CRST Van Expedited Inc., has backfired and put the agency on trial. The agency is coping with a court ruling that could make it harder and more expensive to pursue large discrimination cases against companies in the Midwest, if not nationwide.

And dozens of women who described an ordeal of unwanted and aggressive sexual conduct may receive no compensation for lost wages or emotional distress because of judicial criticism of the agency's investigation.

A February ruling in the case sets a new standard for workplace class-action lawsuits in the federal court district that includes Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas. Before filing a lawsuit on behalf of employees alleging similar discrimination, the agency will first have to investigate the merits of every worker's claim and attempt to reach settlements. If the agency doesn't, EEOC risks having the case dismissed.

The agency has argued that such a standard is impractical in cases involving hundreds or thousands of potential victims. At a minimum, the agency says, investigations would take longer and delay relief compared to other regions, where class-action cases can be filed with a lower standard. EEOC has a deadline next week to determine whether to appeal.

"We are an agency with limited resources already, and this is something that, if it stands, would make it even more challenging for us to address and vindicate discriminatory violations in the 8th Circuit," EEOC general counsel P. David Lopez told The Associated Press.

But businesses say the ruling could stop unfair legal tactics and prevent unnecessary and expensive litigation.

"It's incredibly significant," said Chicago lawyer Gerald Maatman Jr., who represents companies sued by the EEOC. "It is a signal by the federal courts that the tactics the EEOC has been using over the last several years may be improper."

The ruling came as the agency has made systemic discrimination cases ? those involving many employees ? a larger enforcement priority. EEOC investigates 100,000 complaints of workplace discrimination annually, and recovered more than $450 million for employees last year.

The agency's tactics have rattled the business community, which says lawsuits can cost millions of dollars and destroy reputations. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the CRST case denouncing EEOC's tactics and calling for the agency to be more cooperative with industry.

The trucking company case was prompted by a December 2005 complaint from driver Monika Starke, of Azle, Texas, who alleged she was paired with a driver who constantly made crude sexual remarks and advances. After she escaped his truck, she said, she was paired with another driver who demanded sex in exchange for a passing grade.

After failing to reach a settlement for Starke, EEOC filed a lawsuit in 2007 on behalf of all female drivers subjected to "a sexually hostile and offensive work environment." After the company sent letters to thousands of female employees, about 150 gave depositions in which they described being alone for weeks in trucks with male drivers.

One woman said her trainer asked for oral sex every morning and told her if she slept with him she'd certainly pass. Another testified that her trainer put on pornographic movies daily and told her he wanted her to perform similar acts. "And he never let me go a day without telling me that he controlled me passing or failing," Yvonne Fortner testified.

But some of their claims were barred for a variety of legal reasons. And EEOC's tactics infuriated Judge Linda Reade, who said the agency used "a 'sue first, ask questions later' litigation strategy." She dismissed the case and ordered the agency to pay CRST an unprecedented $4.4 million in attorney's fees, acknowledging "dozens of potentially meritorious sexual harassment claims may now never see the inside of a courtroom."

The appeals court largely sided with her in a 2-1 ruling, but threw out the fee award and reinstated two claims: Starke's and one filed by a woman who said her trainer repeatedly entered the cab wearing only his underwear. The court ruled that EEOC should have done more investigation and informal mediation before filing suit.

CRST is expected to renew its request for compensation for legal fees. The company said it took disciplinary action such as banning offenders from riding with females.

"We think it was a very favorable decision," said CRST General Counsel Eric Baker. "We certainly believe in all instances we took those matters seriously. We do believe that we will be exonerated."

But one case that reached a jury ? a California woman who opted out of the EEOC process and filed her own lawsuit ? resulted in a $1.5 million verdict against the company.

"It's a tragedy what happened," said Cedar Rapids attorney Matt Reilly, who has represented women in the case. "The sad thing about this is, the merits haven't been an issue for so long. The appeal was about technicalities."

Associated Press

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Health & Fitness: 4 ways to bring your co-workers along for the ...

Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Are you flying solo as the only vegan in your workplace?? Unless you work at Google, Whole Foods Market, or any other venue where healthy vegan has gone mainstream, you may feel like a lone duck in the lunchroom pond.

And when you open your brown bag and dive in, you may even get curious looks and questions about your food.? More often than not, if your experience is like mine, you?ll also hear a lot of ?That looks good!?

So, how do you share your passion for your healthy vegan vittles with grace and ease?

Here are 4 tips to help bring your co-workers along for the healthy, happy vegan ride

1)? Don?t expect instant embrace.? You?ve probably already experienced this, if you?ve been eating vegan for any amount of time.? It is not uncommon for your mention of the word ?vegan? to stimulate a defensive response.? Somehow your choice immediately presents carnists and even lacto-ovo vegetarians with a sense of ?being judged?, no matter what your tone.? Be mindful of the fact that you have no control over their reactions.? Your choice NOT to eat animals and animal products makes other people instantaneously aware that they have chosen TO eat them.? Perhaps they are confronted with the possibilities of all the horrors and health risks that choice holds. Think back to your first exposure to the idea of veganism.? What was your reaction?? How did YOU respond to those with a vegan diet and lifestyle before you chose this path? Remembering your origins brings more caring into the present.? This is more about them, and not you.

2)? Carry compassion in your heart.? No doubt high on the list of your reasons for eating vegan is compassion.? Seeing that as a theme of your choices, carry it forward in your connection with others.? It furthers the message in a way that defensiveness can?t.

3)? Be resourceful, but don?t expect to know it all.?? Resourcefulness can take on many forms.? If someone sincerely expresses interests in your choices, suggest that you can direct them to some excellent resources and would be happy to share these with them so that they can further investigate for themselves.? Honestly, once someone finds out that you?re vegan, you are expected to be a nutritionist, dietician, physician, health professional, and environmental expert all at once!? If you are firmly grounded in some facts, it can be an opportunity to share, yet if you run right into the route of argument, there are going to be some high expectations that you deliver factually ? all the nuances of your choice.? You know what I?m talking about.

4)? Share your eats.? Everyone likes yummy food.? Each time you share the deliciousness of what?s on your plate, you open the possibility to winning another heart, mind, and body to a vegan diet.? Bringing enough of a special dish to share can be the inroad to change.? You may well even get asked for recipes.? Never underestimate the power of persuasion of the perfect bite.? Heck, maybe it will prompt a ?lunch and learn? opportunity for you to share more about veganism.? How about a? lunchtime showing of Forks Over Knives or Farms to Forks?? A distinct possibility!

Have you some ideas about? how to creatively bring vegan into the office?? Please share them in comments below.
Lani Muelrath, M.A. is Vegan Mainstream?s Health & Fitness Expert. Watch for regular articles from Lani on how to be a strong, healthy, fit vegan. Articles, videos, and more from Lani at www.lanimuelrath.com.

Lani is also ?The Plant-Strong Fitness Expert? of www.lanimuelrath.com and creator of Fit Quickies?., The Body Transformation Formula, and Boot Camp Mind: Top 10 Motivational Tools for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness Success. She has a Master?s Degree in Physical Education and over 30 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and trainer. She has received awards for her instruction, created and starred in her own CBS TV Show, and her expertise in the area of
health and fitness is called upon by examiner.com, Dr. John McDougall?s Health and Medical Center, Dr. Neal Barnard?s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program, the CHIP Program, and Engine 2 Diet.com. She is Certified in Plant-Based Nutrition Certification through Cornell University.

Healthy Living, Conscious Eating, Fit Body?>>>Go here now for free inspiration & information>>>

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Former S. Dakota Sen. George McGovern hospitalized

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Bariatric Surgery | Plastic Surgery for Self Esteem | Bariatric Surgery ...

Self-esteem is something men and women struggle with and it also affects people of various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. There are several factors of why some people have low self-esteem. One person may have suffered emotional and verbal abuse as a child while others have low self esteem because they had a physical ailment which leads to a visible deformity. some people deal with their self-esteem issues by acting out in anger while others either overeat or starve themselves. but these are not the best ways to improve self-esteem and in recent years more people turned to plastic surgery to improve their self-esteem.

Did you know that more men are getting plastic surgery to improve their self-esteem and image in the workplace? this may surprise some people since plastic surgery has traditionally been considered a woman?s domain. According to recent studies, 40-percent of men weren?t happy with the shape of their noses. It?s for this reason that rhinoplasty, or reshaping of the nose, is the most popular form of plastic surgery for men. Other men get changes made to their upper and lower eyelids as well as changes in their chin and neck lines.

African-Americans are getting plastic surgery in record numbers according to a recent article in Ebony. Historically, African-Americans shunned cosmetic surgery because they felt this meant they were ashamed of their features or that they wanted to look more European. However, this is no longer the case and African-Americans are more comfortable with using plastic surgery to improve their self-esteem. in addition, there are more African-American plastic surgeons which assist people of color in getting cosmetic work done. Breast reduction surgery and rhinoplasty are the most popular types of plastic surgical procedures for African-Americans.

When you research different plastic surgeons, it?s important to make sure they?re certified and licensed because you want to have the surgery done by a trusted professional. You should also get a physical checkup from your doctor before getting the cosmetic surgery to ensure that you?re healthy enough for it. another thing you should do is think about the goal of the p surgery and specific parts of your body that are causing you low self-esteem.

Plastic surgery is the initial step to improving your self-esteem, but there are additional steps you can take to be whole emotionally. Seek counseling from your pastor or a psychotherapist is wise because they will address the root of your low self-esteem and give you long-lasting recommendations to rebuild it after the surgery. Also try to work on your broken relationships because this may be another factor in building your self-esteem. If you?re stressed out from work, don?t run to your favorite high-calorie snacks. Instead, go for a long walk.

Cosmetic surgery is a good way to boost your self-esteem but it can also improve your physical health. For example, if you have excessively large breasts, you?ll experience back pain and it will be difficult to find good bras that fit comfortably. If you get surgery to reduce fine lines or bags under your eyes, your skin will look younger and fresher. as with any medical procedure discuss the options thoroughly with your doctor and think long and hard about the benefits and risks of this kind of surgery before you make a commitment.

Plastic Surgery for Self Esteem

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Improve Your Confidence And Self Esteem | Direct News Articles


td !?You would be amazed at how many of us lack self confidence and actually have quite a low opinion of ourselves, believing that we are incapable of achieving any success, and so willingly bend to other peoples? will to keep them happy, rather than ourselves.
There is usually no valid reason for this other than it?s something we?ve grown up with and got used to from an early age. There are various reasons for this, possibly ranging from being bullied as a child, to just ?going with the flow? for a supposedly easier life. Meaning there?s no ?physical? reason, just our acquired ?mental attitude? to life.

What we want to do is help you raise your self-esteem to levels that will enhance your life and the way you view life. Improving your self confidence can make a tremendous difference in your quality of life. Learning techniques to improve self-esteem can be taught and put into practice in just a few days. However, it will take practice to keep your sense of self-worth at the optimum.
Many people don?t even identify the issue, but, as you are looking over this, you certainly aren?t one of them! So? How would you increase your self esteem and confidence?
First of all, you must realize that it won?t happen overnight, but gradually, by learning to adjust your way of thinking, it will soon become second nature to you, and ?doors? previously firmly closed to you will burst wide open!
Now, let?s get started?
1: Make an effort to consider more really about yourself? by way of example, should you not believe you?re particularly ?fairlyInch or In .handsomeInches, you may well be helpful, ample, clever, and so on. Don?t give attention to any observed ?negativeInches element of yourself, and constantly counter which has an InchesgoodInch. Also remember that an InchdamagingInch may be some thing you?ll be able to improve?
2: Don?t expect to be perfect all the time? If you can do something reasonably well, realize that you might do it better next time, or with more practice. Setting yourself overly high standards is a common reason for low self esteem.
3: Don?t be frightened of making mistakes? It?s what makes you human. In fact, you will find that the few people that appear to be ?perfect? and ?error free? are often viewed with suspicion and even resentment by their peers.
4: Experiment, attempt something totally new? The reason why you might experience ?no realInches at something may be when you have not attempted anything at all nevertheless? Or at best, one thing you may be ?great atIn .. Yet again, Inchfear of producing mistakesInch typically helps prevent us from reaching something.
5: Don?t worry about things you can?t change? If you?re only 4feet 10ins tall, or only have one leg? don?t fret about it, you can?t change it, so focus on your superior limbo dancing skills, or wonderful hopping ability! I?m joking, but you get the idea? Learn to turn a disadvantage into your advantage.
6: Lighten up! Remember your sense of humor? enjoy yourself. You don?t have to be the ?office clown?, but if you make a fool of yourself once in a while? So what? Not many would hold it against you.
7: Move out and carry out some exercise? Fantastic for your health and standard a sense ?well-beingInches. You don?t have to chance a gathering, but choose strolls or find a game? You will never know, there?s a chance you?re good at it, just think how that will increase your confidence and self esteem!
Obviously, there is a lot more to improving your self esteem than I can cover here, as I said before, it?s not an ?overnight? process and will be harder for some than others? Everyone is different, and so require different levels of help, but remember that confidence is achievable by everyone. Hopefully these few tips will help you start building your confidence and self esteem, and you will want to take it further and continue your journey to self improvement? You won?t regret it!
Learn more about a href=?http://howtobuildselfconfidences.com/?building self esteem/a and confidence.
About the article author?
We believe that most people still have volumes of untapped potential hidden inside them, just waiting for someone to show them how to unlock it!
We aim to provide that ?self-help? resource, all on one site.Here you will find informative guides, books and inspiring articles promoting life improvement, self-belief, and self-confidence in all that you do. Learn how YOU can help yourself!
See our In .Greater ExistenceInch or InchesBetter CashInch sites and assert your No cost InchesManage CashInch Book!

More points are here, please click a href=?http://howtobuildselfconfidences.com/?how to improve confidence/a

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World stocks propped by China PMI; U.S. data eyed

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Social Media for Business-to-Business Sales | ID University: Brands ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Social Media for Business-to-Business Sales. Posted on April 2, 2012 | Leave a comment ... ?Nobody talks business on Facebook,? they say. Aaron Strout, interactive group director at WCG, begs to differ. ?It is actually easier to have one-to-one ...

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Romney halfway to clinching GOP nomination

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks to a crowd at a town-hall style campaign event in, Madison, Wis., Sunday, April 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks to a crowd at a town-hall style campaign event in, Madison, Wis., Sunday, April 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks to the Hood College Republicans during a campaign stop at Hood College in Frederick, Md., Monday, April 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, accompanied by his wife Karen, holds a cheese head hat at Simon's Specialty Cheese in Appleton, Wis., Monday, April 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

(AP) ? Mitt Romney is halfway to clinching the Republican nomination for president.

The former Massachusetts governor inched up to 572 delegates on Monday ? exactly half the 1,144 needed ? after the Tennessee Republican Party finalized delegate totals from its March 6 primary. Results in several congressional districts were too close to call on election night, leaving three delegates unallocated.

Romney got all three delegates. He also picked up an endorsement from a New Hampshire delegate who had been awarded to former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. Huntsman dropped out of the race in January and endorsed Romney.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul, meanwhile, won a Minnesota delegate over the weekend that had been allocated to former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Santorum won two delegates and Paul won one at Minnesota's 7th Congressional District convention.

Santorum had been projected to win all three delegates, based on the results of local caucuses in February.

Romney and Santorum have been sparring over the delegate count for weeks. Romney's campaign says there is no way for Santorum to reach the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, portraying the race as all but over. Santorum's campaign says Romney's numbers are inflated, raising the prospect of a contested convention in August.

According to the Associated Press tally, Romney has more than twice as many delegates as Santorum. Santorum has 272 delegates, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 135 and Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 51.

Romney has won 54 percent of the primary and caucus delegates so far, putting him on pace to clinch the nomination in June. Romney could substantially add to his lead Tuesday, when 95 delegates will be at stake in three primaries, in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Tuesday's contests mark the midway point in the race for delegates.

A total of 2,286 delegates are slated to attend the party's national convention in Tampa, Fla. ? 2,169 will be selected through primaries, caucuses and state conventions, while 117 are members of the Republican National Committee, free to support any candidate they choose.

Santorum, who has won 27 percent of the primary and caucus delegates so far, would need 74 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination before the national convention. Gingrich would need 86 percent and Paul would have to win nearly all of them, which won't happen because most states award delegates proportionally.

Associated Press

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Peace activists in failed bid to swarm NATO HQ

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