For Any Reason or No Reason at All: Reconciling Employment-at-Will With the Rights of Texas Workers after Mission Petroleum Carriers Inc. v. Solomon.

Since its inception, Texas has been a favored destination for both up-start entrepreneurs and established corporations. One of the less heralded, but nonetheless significant factors that makes Texas so attractive to businesses is its long-standing devotion to the doctrine of at-will employment. The doctrine generally states that any employment relationship not governed by contract or a statutory provision is terminable at any time by either the employer or the employee for any reason or no reason at all. At-will employment has been praised by courts and commentators for the flexibility it offers both parties in decision making. Nevertheless, the at-will doctrine is not without its detractors. At-will employment has been widely criticized for the sweeping power it grants employers over employees. In a time when employee rights are already compromised by the at-will doctrine, random drug testing erodes privacy interests and further widens the power chasm between employer and worker to alarming levels. Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc. v. Solomon, highlights the danger this inequality poses to workers who submit to drug screening. The Texas Supreme Court held that an employer administering a drug test mandated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) did not owe a duty of reasonable care to his employee, despite the fact that the test, as conducted by the supervisor, violated a number of DOT regulations. The at-will doctrine shielded the employer from having to exercise any level of care when conducting the test, thus protecting the employer from any consequences arising from negligence. This adherence to at-will principles may protect the interests of Texas businesses, but in this case, it also imposed significant harm on the employee, who is now unable to find employment in his chosen line of work and has no legal recourse, despite the errors committed by the employer in administering the test

For Any Reason or No Reason at All: Reconciling Employment-at-Will With the Rights of Texas Workers after Mission Petroleum Carriers Inc. v. Solomon.

Since its inception, Texas has been a favored destination for both up-start entrepreneurs and established corporations. One of the less heralded, but nonetheless significant factors that makes Texas so attractive to businesses is its long-standing devotion to the doctrine of at-will employment. The doctrine generally states that any employment relationship not governed by contract or a statutory provision is terminable at any time by either the employer or the employee for any reason or no reason at all. At-will employment has been praised by courts and commentators for the flexibility it offers both parties in decision making. Nevertheless, the at-will doctrine is not without its detractors. At-will employment has been widely criticized for the sweeping power it grants employers over employees. In a time when employee rights are already compromised by the at-will doctrine, random drug testing erodes privacy interests and further widens the power chasm between employer and worker to alarming levels. Mission Petroleum Carriers, Inc. v. Solomon, highlights the danger this inequality poses to workers who submit to drug screening. The Texas Supreme Court held that an employer administering a drug test mandated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) did not owe a duty of reasonable care to his employee, despite the fact that the test, as conducted by the supervisor, violated a number of DOT regulations. The at-will doctrine shielded the employer from having to exercise any level of care when conducting the test, thus protecting the employer from any consequences arising from negligence. This adherence to at-will principles may protect the interests of Texas businesses, but in this case, it also imposed significant harm on the employee, who is now unable to find employment in his chosen line of work and has no legal recourse, despite the errors committed by the employer in administering the test

The state of the Martian climate

60°N was +2.0°C, relative to the 1981–2010 average value (Fig. 5.1). This marks a new high for the record. The average annual surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly for 2016 for land stations north of starting in 1900, and is a significant increase over the previous highest value of +1.2°C, which was observed in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Average global annual temperatures also showed record values in 2015 and 2016. Currently, the Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of lower latitudes

The Evolution of Radiation Therapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer: From Local Therapy to Systemic Agent

Radiation therapy is a mainstay of treatment in early and locally advanced breast cancer but is typically reserved for palliation of symptomatic lesions in patients with metastatic breast cancer. With new advances in the field of tumor biology and immunology, the role of radiation in the metastatic setting is evolving to harness its immune-enhancing properties. Through the release of tumor antigens, tumor DNA, and cytokines into the tumor microenvironment, radiation augments the antitumoral immune response to affect both the targeted lesion and distant sites of metastatic disease. The use of immunotherapeutics to promote antitumoral immunity has resulted in improved treatment responses in patients with metastatic disease and the combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy has become an area of intense investigation. In this article, we will review the emerging role of radiation in the treatment of metastatic disease and discuss the current state of the science and clinical trials investigating the combination of radiation and immunotherapy

Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District (semester?), IPRO 310: Hydrogen Fuel Lawnmower IPRO 310 Midterm Report Sp06

This semester, the IPRO 310 team is continuing the work started by the previous semester’s team. Our work will build off of the previous team’s work and many of our objectives will be an extension of their original objectives. This semester, the team has set forth the following objectives: Finish benchmark testing on the lawnmower including gas emissions Further research the safe storing and usage of hydrogen as a fuel Develop guidelines to create and maintain a safe laboratory area Investigate avenues to decrease overall conversion cost Perform the engine conversion Write a step-by-step conversion manual keeping in mind safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards Although the team’s main objective is to provide a safe way to convert a gas-powered lawnmower to a hydrogen-power lawnmower, the team will strive to create an environment in which team collaboration, the application engineering knowledge and ability, and individual passion for the project can flourish thus providing a rewarding and educational experience for all of the participants.Deliverables for IPRO 310: Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District for the Spring 2006 semeste

Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District (semester?), IPRO 310: Hydrogen Fuel Lawnmower IPRO 310 Final Report Sp06

This semester, the IPRO 310 team is continuing the work started by the previous semester’s team. Our work will build off of the previous team’s work and many of our objectives will be an extension of their original objectives. This semester, the team has set forth the following objectives: Finish benchmark testing on the lawnmower including gas emissions Further research the safe storing and usage of hydrogen as a fuel Develop guidelines to create and maintain a safe laboratory area Investigate avenues to decrease overall conversion cost Perform the engine conversion Write a step-by-step conversion manual keeping in mind safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards Although the team’s main objective is to provide a safe way to convert a gas-powered lawnmower to a hydrogen-power lawnmower, the team will strive to create an environment in which team collaboration, the application engineering knowledge and ability, and individual passion for the project can flourish thus providing a rewarding and educational experience for all of the participants.Deliverables for IPRO 310: Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District for the Spring 2006 semeste

Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District (semester?), IPRO 310: Hydrogen Fuel Lawnmower IPRO 310 IPRO Day Presentation Sp06

This semester, the IPRO 310 team is continuing the work started by the previous semester’s team. Our work will build off of the previous team’s work and many of our objectives will be an extension of their original objectives. This semester, the team has set forth the following objectives: Finish benchmark testing on the lawnmower including gas emissions Further research the safe storing and usage of hydrogen as a fuel Develop guidelines to create and maintain a safe laboratory area Investigate avenues to decrease overall conversion cost Perform the engine conversion Write a step-by-step conversion manual keeping in mind safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards Although the team’s main objective is to provide a safe way to convert a gas-powered lawnmower to a hydrogen-power lawnmower, the team will strive to create an environment in which team collaboration, the application engineering knowledge and ability, and individual passion for the project can flourish thus providing a rewarding and educational experience for all of the participants.Deliverables for IPRO 310: Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District for the Spring 2006 semeste

Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District (semester?), IPRO 310: Hydrogen Fuel Lawnmower IPRO 310 Project Plan Sp06

This semester, the IPRO 310 team is continuing the work started by the previous semester’s team. Our work will build off of the previous team’s work and many of our objectives will be an extension of their original objectives. This semester, the team has set forth the following objectives: Finish benchmark testing on the lawnmower including gas emissions Further research the safe storing and usage of hydrogen as a fuel Develop guidelines to create and maintain a safe laboratory area Investigate avenues to decrease overall conversion cost Perform the engine conversion Write a step-by-step conversion manual keeping in mind safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards Although the team’s main objective is to provide a safe way to convert a gas-powered lawnmower to a hydrogen-power lawnmower, the team will strive to create an environment in which team collaboration, the application engineering knowledge and ability, and individual passion for the project can flourish thus providing a rewarding and educational experience for all of the participants.Deliverables for IPRO 310: Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District for the Spring 2006 semeste

Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District (semester?), IPRO 310: Hydrogen Fuel Lawnmower IPRO 310 Abstract Sp06

This semester, the IPRO 310 team is continuing the work started by the previous semester’s team. Our work will build off of the previous team’s work and many of our objectives will be an extension of their original objectives. This semester, the team has set forth the following objectives: Finish benchmark testing on the lawnmower including gas emissions Further research the safe storing and usage of hydrogen as a fuel Develop guidelines to create and maintain a safe laboratory area Investigate avenues to decrease overall conversion cost Perform the engine conversion Write a step-by-step conversion manual keeping in mind safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards Although the team’s main objective is to provide a safe way to convert a gas-powered lawnmower to a hydrogen-power lawnmower, the team will strive to create an environment in which team collaboration, the application engineering knowledge and ability, and individual passion for the project can flourish thus providing a rewarding and educational experience for all of the participants.Deliverables for IPRO 310: Conversion of a Commercial-Grade Riding Lawnmower to Hydrogen Fuel in conjunction with John Deere and the Chicago Parks District for the Spring 2006 semeste