Employer fetal protection policies at work: Balancing reproductive hazards with Title VII rights
Perhaps one of the most compelling divisive workplace issues of the decade surrounds the use of increasingly complex chemicals in work environments which raises legal, economic, medical and moral concerns, especially as employers adopt employment policies meant to avoid the specter of massive tort liability for workplace exposure injuries to workers or third parties. In the case, /International Union v. Johnson Controls, the Supreme Court struck down an employer's policy prohibiting fertile women from work involving exposure to the well-known teratogen, lead, where the employer could not produce a defense to this facially discriminatory policy. The authors analyze the Court's opinion and concurrences, and note the important tensions still needed resolution after the case: namely the public policy mandate to protect all populations from workplace toxins; to eradicate toxins from the workplace; and to promote worker and safety health of both men and women.
Human and laboratory animal test systems available for detection of reproductive failure.
Abstract The human reproductive system in both males and females is highly sensitive to a variety of occupational and environmental hazards. Damage can occur in many target tissues in the fetus and adult, leading to reproductive failure. A more comprehensive awareness of such potential damage is essential to reduce the relatively high rates of reproductive failure in the human population. In this article, human and laboratory animal test systems available for the study of reproductive failure are discussed. Endpoints measured in these systems include adult infertility, spontaneous abortion, growth retardation, stillbirths, birth defects, and functional disease states in the offspring, such as cancer, mental retardation, and sterility. Validation of laboratory animal test systems with known human teratogens is urged. Routine surveillance of the human population via recording of the incidence of spontaneous abortion along with cytogenetic analysis is recommended, as well as semen analysis of occupationally-exposed males. The need for more extensive study of the association between paternal exposure and reproductive outcome is emphasized. Test schemes for the early detection of reproductive failure in the human population and for the identification of agents capable of causing this effect are proposed.
La inseguridad jurídica en normas de contratación estatal
It is established by different studies that the issue of government procurement has been marred by several factors, the test objective to publicize these factors, we take as starting point the constant conflict between the branches of government to try and organize this subject; will collect and analyze diverse regulatory and case material in order to achieve evidence and demonstrate the different concepts of constant change that produces excessive regulation of the subject procurement and is in turn causing rapid changes that result in legal uncertainty for our law on the Contract Status.