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Is Age Discrimination the Next Big Supreme Court Issue?

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in a closely watched age-discrimination case against Sprint Nextel that the testimonies of a plaintiff's coworkers who allegedly suffered age discrimination could be admissible in court as evidence of a biased corporate culture-- some of the time, reports The New York Times. While on the surface it appears the ruling is a victory for employers, the decision is likely to prove more favorable in the long run to discrimination plaintiffs. Many lower courts, taking an approach similar to that of the Kansas district court, have been dismissing cases, granting summary judgment to employers on the grounds that coworkers' testimony, which often provides the strongest proof of a pattern of discrimination, is inadmissible, reports the Times. Under the Supreme Court's case-by-case approach, plaintiffs will have a greater chance of surviving summary judgment and getting their cases before a jury.

Native Americans Get Senate Healthcare Boost

The U.S. Senate passed a new bill that would grant better access to healthcare services, including screening and mental-health programs, for Native Americans, reports The Associated Press (AP). The bill would boost programs at the federally funded Indian Health Service, prompt new construction and modernization of health clinics on reservations, and attempt to recruit more Native Americans into health professions. It also would increase tribal access to Medicare and Medicaid. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Native Americans have access "to some of the least adequate healthcare in America … Far too many native children are diagnosed with diabetes, suffer from abuse and neglect, or die prematurely because of accidents or illness that could be prevented or cured." Similar legislation cleared the House Natural Resources Committee and a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee last year. It still must be approved by the full Energy panel and the House Ways and Means Committee before it heads to the House floor, reports AP.

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