Hot Topics News
Hot Topics
W.Va. attorneys secure key victory in Pa. contamination case
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Some West Virginia attorneys are declaring a key victory in a Pennsylvania case regarding properties contaminated with arsenic and lead decades after a U.S. Steel facility was shuttered.
Hot Topics
Retaliation claims dismissed from former Allegheny County Jail officer who refused COVID vax
PITTSBURGH – A federal court in Pittsburgh has dismissed retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 but preserved a discrimination claim lodged under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, in litigation brought by a former Allegheny County Jail corrections officer who lost her job for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
Latest News
Hot Topics
Trial on horizon for Philly prosecutor who refused COVID vaccine on religious grounds
PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has reinstated a religious discrimination lawsuit brought by a former prosecutor, concerning a COVID-19 vaccine mandate at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
Hot Topics
FTC issues report on pharmacy benefit managers following AG Henry’s call for more regulation of industry
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair said a new report issued by her agency shows that the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry is leading to higher prescription drug costs.
Hot Topics
Health care company that fired physical therapist for refusing COVID vax removes her suit to federal court
PITTSBURGH – An Ohio healthcare group has removed litigation claiming it discriminated against the religious beliefs of one of its physical therapists by refusing to extend her an exemption from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine before firing her, to federal court.
Hot Topics
Allegheny County denies violating religious liberty of corrections officer who objected to COVID vax mandate
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County has denied violating the religious liberty of one of its corrections officers, in a lawsuit over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate allegedly running afoul of that same plaintiff’s objections.
Hot Topics
Allegheny County Sheriff's Office employee loses religious exemption case over COVID vax
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County and its Sheriff’s Office have won dismissal of litigation which alleged that they failed to reasonably accommodate the religious beliefs of one of its employees, when it mandated obtaining vaccination against COVID-19.
Hot Topics
Fired Union County library employee settles case over religious exemption from wearing masks
WILLIAMSPORT – A former public library employee in Lewisburg who alleged her Christian beliefs were the determinative factor in the library’s decision to terminate her employment, when she sought a religious exemption to its mandatory mask policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, has settled her claims.
Hot Topics
Family of inmate about to be released after 45 years only to die of COVID-19 drops case
PHILADELPHIA – The family of a man who died from COVID-19 shortly before he was to be released from prison after more than four decades and sued state officials for not approving the decedent’s pardon in a timely manner, allegedly leaving him at greater risk for contracting the virus and causing his death, have voluntarily and mutually dismissed their case alongside the defendants.
Hot Topics
AG Michelle Henry: ‘The FTC and Congress must act to ensure fulsome regulation of PBMs nationwide’
State Attorney General Michelle Henry (D-Pennsylvania) sent a letter to U.S. Congressional leadership this week saying Congress should “act to ensure fulsome regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Hot Topics
Philly wins dismissal of RFK Jr.-chaired nonprofit's case against COVID child vax measures
PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia has won dismissal of litigation from a California nonprofit group chaired by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. concerning allegations that the City was vaccinating young children against COVID-19 without parental consent, for a lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
Hot Topics
Widow of man who died from COVID-19 tries to keep suit alive against Allegheny County corrections officials
PITTSBURGH – The widow of a man incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail and who passed away from COVID-19 two years ago, a plaintiff who contended that institutional failures on the part of the jail and its officials directly contributed to his death, is now trying to refute an attempt to dismiss her case.
Hot Topics
Pa. Supreme Court tells lower court to decide whether Medicaid can cover abortions
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s highest court has ruled that a lower appellate court will once again take up a case whose outcome will determine whether Medicaid funds will be permitted to cover the cost of abortions.
Hot Topics
$1.1M settlement proposed in class action versus Gannon University over its format during COVID-19
ERIE – An undergraduate student who filed a class action lawsuit against Gannon University, claiming that he and others were deprived of the on-campus education and experience they paid for when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and learning shifted to remote status, now looks to have the case settled for $1.1 million.
Hot Topics
Federal judge sides with former CHOP engineering supervisor, who was fired for not getting COVID vax
PHILADELPHIA – A federal judge has ruled that a former engineering supervisor who claimed he faced religious discrimination in his work at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia based upon his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine and who was later fired for that same decision, has presented a strong enough case for the matter to proceed.
Hot Topics
Philly argues that RFK Jr.-chaired nonprofit's case against COVID child vax measures should be dismissed
PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia seeks to dismiss litigation from a California nonprofit group chaired by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. concerning allegations that the City was vaccinating young children against COVID-19 without parental consent, for failure to state claims upon which relief could be granted.
Hot Topics
Pa. left as lone defendant in suit from family of man about to be released from 45-year prison term, only to die of COVID-19
PHILADELPHIA – The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the lone defendant remaining in litigation brought by the family of a man who died from COVID-19 shortly before he was to be released from prison after more than four decades, litigation which charged that state officials did not approve the decedent’s pardon in a timely manner, allegedly leaving him at greater risk for contracting the virus and causing his death.
Hot Topics
Allegheny County officials deny liability for death of inmate from COVID-19 in 2021
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County and the warden of its jail have denied responsibility for the COVID-19-related death of a man who had been incarcerated there two years ago.
Hot Topics
AstraZeneca wants to dismiss lawsuit from former executive fired for refusing COVID vax
PHILADELPHIA – Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a senior executive formerly in its employ, because he allegedly refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine and was denied an exemption for religious reasons.
Hot Topics
Gannon University settles class action claims that it didn't refund fees during COVID-19
ERIE – Gannon University looks to have settled class action claims which charged that students were deprived of the on-campus education and experience they paid for, when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and learning shifted to remote status.