Supreme Court Sides With Offshore Worker in Overtime Case
An oil rig supervisor who earned more than $200,000 a year working for Houston-based Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc is entitled to overtime pay, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a decision with costly implications for the oil and gas industry.The court in a 6-3 decision authored by liberal Justice Elena Kagan decided that because the rig supervisor, Michael Hewitt, was paid a daily rate of $963 and not a salary, an overtime pay exemption in federal wage law for highly paid workers did not apply to him.The justices affirmed a 2021 ruling by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S.
Justices Question Obama Climate Change Regulations
The U.S. Supreme Court appeared closely divided on Monday as it weighed whether the administration of President Barack Obama exceeded its authority when crafting the nation's first greenhouse gas emissions regulations. Justice Anthony Kennedy could hold the swing vote on the nine-member high court, with conservative justices skeptical of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) approach and liberal justices generally supportive. It is possible the court could opt for a compromise in which the EPA loses the case but retains most of its authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the specific program at issue in the case. Such a move could potentially win the support of some liberal justices.
AWO Hails Asian Carp Decision
The American Waterways Operators (AWO) hailed the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to keep the Illinois Waterway System locks open for the free flow of commerce. The Court rejected a petition brought by the State of Michigan and other Great Lakes states against the State of Illinois that sought a preliminary injunction to close the locks to prevent Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan. U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan had argued that closing the locks was not justified by available science and would not provide a solution to the Asian carp issue, since there are other outlets through which the fish can gain access to the Great Lakes. AWO submitted an affidavit on January 6, 2010 as part of Illinois’ response to the Michigan suit.
