Craig Seldin on Hurricane Sandy and America’s disaster preparedness

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Urban America could not be less hysterical in anticipating the landfall of Hurricane Sandy, although it was not alone in the damages. Power outage and flash floods in New York contrasted with a death toll of more than 200 in countries that the Atlantic hurricane affected. Only the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans presented a more devastating picture in both casualties and worth of damages.

It is disheartening to see a ravaged urban landscape, with its bustling life disrupted by the forces of fire and flood. Communities burned to the ground in Queens while the subway system in New York was an intractable piece of technology for days. For a country with a record of penetrating outer space, this picture presented a truly remarkable contrast of helplessness.

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All the more as arguments about disaster preparedness have been floated in the following days of damage assessment. The damage is estimated at more than 20 billion dollars, calling in the nightmare of destruction that was Hurricane Katrina. In that particular disaster, people have wondered whether better disaster preparation could have been a mitigating consolation. All the floodwater under the bridge could only render useless the flashback of solutions.

What’s certain is that federal assistance will bankroll recovery for New Jersey and affected communities. But given the record of the United States’ vulnerability against disasters, federal action and budget could (and should) be split by post-disaster response and the anticipation of the next hurricane’s landfall.

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Craig Seldin is a Houston-based lawyer specializing in labor law, among others. Subscribe to his Facebook and Twitter for more.

Pregnancy and pink slips: Craig Seldin and workplace discrimination

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Attorneys who are well-versed on employment law, such as Craig Seldin, explain that pregnancy discrimination in the workplace involves treating a woman (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. This article gives a primer on pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.

Since 1978, it has been unlawful in the United States to discriminate based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspects of employment, including hiring, termination, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits such as leave and health insurance, and any other term of condition of employment. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA), note lawyers like Craig Seldin, only applies to companies with 15 or more employees (including part-time and temporary workers).

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However, even with the PDA, the number of complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has continued to rise since the office first started tracking charges in 1992. Last year, the EEOC recorded 5,797 pregnancy discrimination charges. The highest number of cases recorded by the EEOC was 6,285 back in 2008.

Craig Seldin is a Houston, Texas-based attorney whose expertise includes employment law.

Many would expect that pregnancy bias would be a non-issue now, especially with the PDA. But as statistics from the EEOC show, this is not the case. In fact, the EEOC recently developed a strategic plan to target employers who discriminate against pregnant women, particularly those who forced pregnant women onto unpaid leave after being denied accommodations routinely provided to similarly situated employees.

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If you have been treated unfairly at work or have been wrongfully terminated, Atty. Craig Seldin can help. Visit this website for more information.