July 29, 2016

July 25, 2016

Breastfeeding in public and the workplace

August is National Breastfeeding Month and August 1-7, 2016 is World Breastfeeding Week. In recognition we have compiled this resource guide on Wisconsin and Federal laws regarding breastfeeding in public and in the workplace.

Compiled by Jaime Healy-Plotkin
Cover of  Your guide to breastfeeding

Wisconsin law

Federal law

  • Fair Labor Standards Act, Section 7 "Break time for nursing mothers provision"
    The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Affordable Care Act") amended section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA") to require employers to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express the milk. Employers are also required to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk. The break time requirement became effective when the Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010. 
  • Break Time for Nursing Mothers under the FLSA (US Dept. of Labor)
    Fact sheet and frequently asked questions.

Articles

Books in our library

Case law

  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Houston Funding II, Ltd. 717 F.3d 425
    "Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) brought action against employer on behalf of female former employee, alleging employer unlawfully discharged employee because she was lactating and wanted to express milk at work."
  • Martinez v. NBC, Inc49 F. Supp. 2d 305
    "The core claim in this case is that plaintiff's employer, MSNBC Cable LLC ("MSNBC") was insufficiently accommodating of plaintiff's desire to pump breast milk in the workplace so that she could breast feed her child while also returning to work promptly after childbirth.” 

Resources

July 18, 2016

The Lawyer as Leader

Earlier this year the Wisconsin State Bar ran an article on Dr. Artika Tyner's address at the 2016 Young Lawyers Division Leadership Conference.

The library now offers Dr. Tyner's book, The Lawyer as Leader, available for checkout. Find it on our new book shelf.

The Lawyer as Leader provides an introduction to social justice lawyering and leadership in social movements. What's inside:

  • Social justice lawyering
  • Lawyers and the exercise of leadership
  • Facilitating social change through public policy advocacy
  • Profiles of the new social justice lawyer
  • Building blocks of leadership
  • Planting people, growing justice
  • The new social justice lawyer's toolbox : redefining money, power, and lawyering

Check out The Lawyer as Leader today!

July 15, 2016

State law library to be named in honor of David T. Prosser, Jr.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack announced today that the Wisconsin State Law Library will be named in honor of retiring Justice David T. Prosser, Jr. in recognition of his life-time dedication to public service.

"In light of Justice Prosser's upcoming retirement and his many years of service to Wisconsin in all three branches of government, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has decided to name our law library the David T. Prosser, Jr. State Law Library," Roggensack said.

Prosser, who retires from the Supreme Court July 31, spent more than 40 years in public service in three branches of state government, including 18 years as a justice.

Prior to being appointed to the Supreme Court by then-Gov. Tommy G. Thompson in 1998, Prosser was a commissioner on the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission from 1997 to 1998. He served in the state Assembly from 1979 through 1996, including two years as Speaker and six years as Minority Leader. Before that, he served as Outagamie County district attorney.

Early in his career, Prosser worked in Washington, D.C., first as an attorney-advisor in the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Criminal Justice, then as administrative assistant to U.S. Rep. Harold Froehlich of Wisconsin, who was a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate impeachment inquiry.

"Few people have made as significant a contribution to serving the people of Wisconsin as Justice Prosser. His dedication to Wisconsin has been his life's work," Roggensack said.

Naming the library in honor of Justice Prosser is also appropriate because he has worked hard over the years to promote appreciation of the law library, not only by lawyers, judges and court staff, but also students, researchers and the public, Roggensack said.

The State Law Library is located on the second floor of the Risser Justice Center at the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and West Doty Street in Madison. A formal naming ceremony is being planned for September.

Job Posting: Library Assistant

Are you a detail-oriented individual looking for part-time work? The Wisconsin State Law Library is searching for a Library Assistant, 15 hours per week. Qualified applicants must be available to work 3 consecutive hours between the hours of 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 days a week, Monday through Friday.

Duties include: scanning, processing, and shelving appellate court briefs; staffing the circulation desk, cash handling, and invoice creation; bindery preparation, data entry, and other collection maintenance activities.

Skills include: exceptional organizational skills, above average computing skills, excellent customer service skills, and the ability to follow written directions. Library and/or scanning experience is helpful but not required. A demonstrated ability to do multiple tasks with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail is required!

Pay: $9.67/hour.
Start date: Monday, August, 8, 2016

Location: The Wisconsin State Law Library is located on a bus line, just off the Capitol Square at 120 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Madison.

To apply: Please email your resume and cover letter to Angela.Humiston@wicourts.gov. You must include your hours available for work.

Deadline for applications: Monday, July 25, 2016

Voicemail is Working Again

The statewide voicemail system is now working. Any voicemails left Wednesday evening or Thursday appear to have been lost, however. If you called us and have not received a call back yet please call us again at 608-267-9696 or email us.

We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to talking with you soon.

July 14, 2016

Voicemail Not Working

The State Law Library is experiencing problems retrieving voicemail left on our reference line (608-267-9696). If you called and left a message on Thursday, July 14th or the evening of Wednesday, July 13th and have not been called back, please call us at 608-267-9696 to speak with a librarian in person. 

You can also email us by using the form on our website. We apologize for the inconvenience and will post another message to our library news when voicemail is working again. 

July 8, 2016

WSLL at Your Service: July 2016

Our July issue of WSLL @ Your Service is now online and full of new book recommendations and technology tips.


What's inside this issue:

  • What's New: eFiling; Madison College Paralegal Program
  • This Just In: New & updated library materials; Monthly list of new titles
  • Tech Tip: Free PDF tools
  • WSLL Recommends: Cell Phone Distraction, Human Factors, and Litigation
  • Odds 'n' Endings: Teens and safe driving apps

As always, your comments are welcome. Please direct them to the editor, Kristina.Martinez@wicourts.gov.

July 1, 2016

Libraries Closed Monday July 4

The Wisconsin State Law Library, and Milwaukee and Dane County Law Libraries will be closed on Monday, July 4th. We will respond to questions and requests on Tuesday, July 5th.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.