KEY POINTS:
Even lawyers can indulge in tittle tattle from time to time.
It seems that America has an ability to amuse and shock us in equal measure. Two recent cases are good examples.
Marie Jarry of Connecticut has filed a law suit claiming she was forced from her job as a second grade teacher for appearing in a bikini on Howard Stern's radio programme.
In May, she and her husband Aaron participated in a "Hottest Wife, Ugliest Husband" contest on Stern's show, and won first prize. On returning to work, she was told that she had violated a school "morality clause", and was going to be fired, according to her complaint.
She eventually resigned, claiming she had been intimidated into leaving. She is seeking back pay, reinstatement, damages and legal fees. Unfortunately for her, she apparently took a sick day to attend the show, which probably won't help her case.
And stenograher Ann Smith was jailed in Florida for failing to type up a transcript quickly enough. The transcript was needed for an appeal case, and went untyped for months. After she missed a final deadline, Judge Charles Green had her arrested, convicted her of contempt of court, and jailed her. After two nights in jail, she had still not finished it. Judge Green had her released but put her under house arrest until the transcript was done.
They do say that employment law isn't exactly protective in the US ...
Greg Cain
Greg Cain is an employment lawyer at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts.
