27Mar
“Economic Uncertainty Boils Over in Workplace”
Globe and Mail (CAN) (03/26/09) ; Leeder, Jessica
Workplace violence experts are trying to determine whether the global recession has sparked an increase in the number of violent incidents in the workplace. A number of such incidents have taken place throughout the world as the economy deteriorated and job losses mounted over the last several months. At a 3M manufacturing plant in France, for example, workers are holding the company’s director of French operations hostage in an effort to win better severance packages for those laid off and better conditions for those who remain on the job. There have also been incidents targeting high-profile executives. In one such incident in Scotland, Sir Fred Goodwin, the disgraced former head of Royal Bank of Scotland, had the windows of his home and Mercedes smashed by vandals who were upset about news that he left his job with a roughly $1.2 million annual pension. Experts say that it is not surprising executives are being targeted, since they are often perceived to be the ones who have instituted layoffs or badly managed a company. However, layoffs themselves are often not the cause of workplace violence, experts say. They noted that employees are often more upset about the unemotional way managers tend to handle lay offs.
(go to web site)
20Mar
“Computer Experts Unite to Hunt Worm”
New York Times (03/19/09) P. A15 ; Markoff, John
Computer security experts and ICANN are battling the author of the Conflicker botnet to prevent the malware program from causing further disruption on the Internet. Since first appearing late last year, Conflicker has spread rapidly, infecting millions of computers and creating a powerful botnet. Conflicker’s author has updated the program several times in response to efforts to shut it down. An examination of Conflicker found that infected computers are programmed to try to contact a control system for instructions on April 1. Speculation over the nature of Conflicker’s threat has ranged from a wake-up call to a devastating attack. Researchers working on disassembling the Conflicker code have not been able to determine where the author, or authors, are located, or whether the program is maintained by one person or a group. The consensus is that the Conflicker botnet will ultimately be sold as a computing-for-hire scheme. Several experts who have analyzed various versions of the malware say that Conflicker’s authors have been monitoring the efforts to restrict the malicious program, and have repeatedly demonstrated that their skills are at the cutting edge of computer technology. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Paul Bresson says the bureau is aware of the worm and is working with security companies to address the problem. A report from SRI International says the latest version of Conflicker, Conflicker C, represents a major rewrite of the software that makes it far more difficult to block communication with the program, but also gives it the ability to disable many commercial antivirus programs and Microsoft’s security update features.
(go to web site)
20Mar
“Armed at the Workplace?”
KTRK-TV (Houston) (03/18/09) ; Abrahams, Tom
The Texas state Senate is considering a bill that would allow workers who hold a concealed handgun license to keep firearms in their vehicles while at work. The state House is considering an identical bill. The legislation is opposed by a groups such as Texans for Gun Safety, which says that allowing workers to keep guns in their cars could result in more workplace shootings. “We feel that if a gun was available to someone who might have an altercation inside the workplace, that would give them such an opportunity to go in and show them how they feel in that particular moment, as opposed to if you had your gun at home,” said Texans for Gun Safety’s Tommie Garza. “You may take off in a rage, but by the time you got home, it would have given you time to cool off.” Supporters of the legislation, however, say it would make gun owners feel safer while at work.
(go to web site)
13Mar
“Fired Worker Must Prove Danger Met Standard: Court”
Business Insurance (03/09/09) ; Greenwald, Judy
A federal district court in Hartford, Conn. has ruled that employees who file lawsuits about unsafe working environments must meet an objective standard of alleged danger that was laid out in a 1997 Connecticut Supreme Court Decision. The federal district court ruling came in a lawsuit brought by Cesar Ferrer, who claimed that his employer, T.L. Cannon Management Corp., fired him for complaining about the company’s alleged violation of a public policy that required it to provide a reasonably safe workplace. Ferrer had complained to his supervisor that a coworker who tried to punch him and missed had assaulted another employee about a year earlier. In its ruling, the federal district court agreed that T.L. Cannon was required under the 1997 Connecticut Supreme Court Decision to take reasonable steps to provide a reasonably safe workplace, though it added that Ferrer’s claims that the coworker who tried to punch him had assaulted someone else did not meet “the objective standard enunciated” in that decision. The federal district court said Ferrer could have three weeks to amend his lawsuit to show that the coworker “had a known propensity for violence” and that he specifically threatened him with serious bodily injury. In the wake of the ruling, Ferrer’s attorney continued to maintain that T.L. Cannon fired his client in retaliation for his complaint about an unsafe workplace. Ferrer’s attorney also noted that his client has not decided whether he will plead the case again.
(go to web site)
Recent Comments