U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt has ruled that males at the Houston office of the Securities and Exchange Commission sexually harassed female employees. Hoyt ruled that Wanderlon Ann Barnes, an African-American lawyer for the SEC who initiated the su it, is entitled to monetary damages because her supervisor engaged in various “sexual and vulgar acts.” […]
According to a doctor involved in the study, England’s Department of Health misinterpreted the study’s finding that new forms of birth control pills increased the risk of blood clots. The Department warned that women who take the new forms of birth co ntrol pills double their chances of blood clots. However, Walter O. Spitzer, involved […]
The Consumers Union, who publish Consumer Reports magazine, and the National Health Law Program Inc. report that under the proposed G.O.P. Medicaid reform plan, 12 million Americans would lose their health coverage. Furthermore, because of lack of funding, many hospitals would be forced to close their emergency rooms. The groups based their study on California’s […]
A Phi Beta Kappa student, Rebecca Lobo led Connecticut’s basketball team to an undefeated championship season. For her work and sportswomanship, the NCAA chose her as the NCAA Woman of the Year. Aside from playing basketball and graduating with a 3.6 GPA, Lobo volunteered for the Paul Newman Hole in the Wall Gang for terminally […]
The California State Supreme Court denied review of an appellate court decision which refused to exempt small businesses from discriminating against pregnant women. The appellate court ruled that pregnancy discrimination exists as a type of sex discri mination and therefore small businesses, (in this case, those with less than five workers), though generally exempt from […]
Since 1987 the Pentagon has used the “rule of two” when awarding contracts. The rule states that if two or more qualified small disadvantaged firms indicate interest in bidding for a contract, then only disadvantaged firms may compete for it. Last yea r, the rule resulted in $1 billion in federal business going to minority […]
On October 14th, Canada’s left-wing party elected Alexa McDonough, 51, as its new leader. For the past fourteen years, McDonough has led the Nova Scotia New Democrats and now faces a large challenge in resuscitating the national party. After winning a race in which she was considered the definitive underdog, McDonough commented, “We have a […]
A study commissioned by the New York City Bar Association and released in late September found that large law firms are three times more likely to promote men to partnership positions than women. Alarmingly, the difference in promotion rates occurs even though firms hire both sexes in roughly equal numbers. Women’s numbers among partnership positions […]
House Republicans, and four Democrats, passed an historic ove rhaul of Medicare yesterday. The measure, which becomes part of the budget reconciliation bill going to the floor next week, cuts spending dramatically and encourages the elderly to turn to private managed care organizations. In a press conference, Pres ident Bill Clinton renewed his threat to […]
White House officials announced Thursday that President Clinton supports a bill which would outlaw workforce discrimination against homosexuals. Clinton wrote Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), the chief sponsor of the bill, that “Those who face this k ind of job discrimination have no legal recourse, in either state or federal courts. This is wrong.” Clinton’s […]
Despite increased risks of breast cancer with age and Medicare coverage of the procedure, nearly two-thirds of women over the age of 65 fail to get regular mammograms. Health officials from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the H ealth Care Financing Administration announced yesterday that only 37% of women receiving Medicare […]
A panel of five admirals and three captains, which included two women, found Captain Everett Greene innocent of “unduly familiar personal relationships.” Two of his subordinates accused Greene, who at the time processed sexual harassment claims for th e Navy, of making them feel uneasy at work by repeatedly sending them cards and gifts. One […]
The European Court of Justice handed down a landmark sex discrimination ruling yesterday, finding an affirmative action law illegal The German law encouraged state agencies in Bremen to promote women over men, when both had equal qualifications. Earl ier a German Court had found the law consistent with employment practices and promoted equal opportunity for […]
California Governor Pete Wilson vetoed a health insurance bill yesterday which included coverage of federally approved contraception methods. He stated that the increased cost to health insurance could hurt small businesses. But, Assembly woman Jacki e Speier (D-Burlingame) who sponsored the bill, commented at a press conference, attended by representatives from many women’s groups, that […]
At its annual dinner Monday, the Women’s Sports Foundation named basketball star Rebecca Lobo and speedskater Bonnie Blair “Sportswomen of the Year.” Lobo led her Connecticut team to an undefeated season and the 1995 NCAA title. Blair has won five Olympic gold medals and broke her own world record last year in the 500 meters […]
The Supreme Court yesterday, without comment, turned down an appeal claiming that a San Jose ordinance banning picketing near a doctor’s private residence violated the free speech clause. The ordinance disallows demonstrations within 300 feet of targ eted private residences. The Court’s ruling is consistent with previous rulings which allow the bans on picketing near […]
Governor Pete Wilson signed a bill into law yesterday which bans charging men and women differently. As of January 1, 1996 the law bans charging different prices for services such as haircuts, dry cleaning and tailoring. Violators can expect to pay $ 1000 or up to three times the actual damages and attorney’s fee. The […]
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski’s (D-MD) office said today that someone mugged the Senator outside her home on Sunday night at approximately 11:45 p.m. A man in a blue sweat suit approached her as she headed inside. He knocked her down, stole her purse and left. Mikulski dislocated her hand while trying to defend herself.
Eighteen women were inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame on Saturday. They are: Virginia Apgar (1909-1974) – Invented the Apgar Scale, a life-saving health assessment test for newborns. Physician. Ann Bancroft – First woman to reach the North and South Poles across the ice. Amelia Bloomer (1818-1894) – Founded the first newspaper concerned […]
An organization of British doctors have asked 20,000 women to volunteer for a four-year cancer study. The Cancer Research Campaign plans to study the drug tamoxifen to find out if four years is enough time to take the treatment. Tamoxifen is an anti-hor monal compound, available on the market for twenty years, which doctors use […]
