First Thursday, August 2026

This month’s podcast is all about information. Information about the public and employees. Who controls it, who has access to it, how can it be used, and what role does the union play? The Cases How local and state legislative bodies are handling issues that impact public safety employees. (0:37:16)

Marijuana, Guns, & Public Safety Employees Marijuana laws have been loosening in many states, but the drug is still illegal at the federal level. This month’s podcast covers what happens when state and federal laws collide on this issue, and why the labor contract is so important. Coming up from LRIS (02:48) The Cases Jersey […]

The Brady Rule affirms that the government, because of its obligation to provide defendants with a fair trial, must turn over favorable, exculpatory evidence to a criminal defendant. Over the years, Brady has become as impactful on public safety labor law as it has in criminal law. Brady Lists of officers with histories of misconduct […]

The Supreme Court has wrapped up its 2026 docket, and, in this podcast, Rick covers three decisions that impact public safety employees. US v. Hemani (03:19) Margolin v. National Association of Immigration Judges (32:13) Trump v. Slaughter (45:40)

Rick Poulson covers a potpourri of cases from across the country, including two involving police take-home vehicles. Cases: New Mexico Labor Relations Board Finds Police Take-Home Vehicles Policy A Mandatory Subject Of Bargaining, Village of Hatch Police Officers Ass’n v. Village of Hatch, PELRB No. 128-25, 2026 WL 1031973 (N.M. Pub. Emp. Lab. Rels. Bd. […]

The rise of gambling apps has created an multitude of issues, and the public safety labor environment has not been immune from its effects. In this episode of First Thursday, Rick Poulson explores this rapidly growing issue and its implications for public safety agencies. Sparked by both personal observations and a high-profile case involving alleged […]

Upcoming seminars from LRIS (00:01:12) The Cases Court Rejects Late First Amendment Challenge to “Talk My S**t” Termination, Shelton v Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (6th Cir. 2026)(00:02:40) No ULP When Citgy Refused To Make Firefighters Whole For W-2 Errors, Rochester Fire Fighters Ass’n v. City of Rochester, 58 PERB ¶ 4569 (2025)(00:13:16) New Jersey Labor […]

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in the case United States v. Hemani. The case deals with whether federal criminal statute 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which makes it a felony for an “unlawful user” of a controlled substance to possess a firearm, is constitutional when it is used to prosecute a person who […]

Employers often try to win disputes by focusing on technical definitions or procedural arguments. They will apply a narrow definition to an employee’s workplace right and reframe the dispute so the protection seems not to apply. All four cases covered in this month’s podcast are examples of this tactic. See how courts decided. The Cases […]

In part two of this month’s podcast, Rick offers his predictions for 2026 for three different categories.