A cleaning company has been taken to the cleaners. They will be paying 450,000 dollars to settle a racial discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a suit against Matrix, LLC, a company that specializes in professional cleaning and janitorial services and operates in areas throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The EEOC filed the lawsuit on behalf of 15 former employees. Matrix will pay nearly a million dollars and will also be providing substantial relief.

More at source: Human Resource Journal

MISSION, KS, Jan 05, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- (Family Features) Staying indoors so much during the winter months can create clutter and mess around the house. But you don't have to wait until spring to give your house a good spring cleaning, and you don't have to do an extreme makeover. You can wake up and spruce up a tired-looking home with a few simple cleaning and organizing routines.

Here are some tips and tricks for making your home spring-clean right now, one room at a time.

More at source: Market Watch

If you set out to buy certain cleaning supplies in the new year, don’t forget to bring your ID.

Under a new state law, retailers are now required to keep a registry of people who purchase items that contain certain chemicals, such as sulfuric acid and ammonia water. The legislation was initiated after two attacks on Chicago women who were badly scarred after having acid poured on them, according to the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

More at source: Daily Chronicle

The number of Latinos who own and operate small businesses in Minnesota is booming. This state-wide trend is spreading to Moorhead.

Express Janitorial Services owner Jesus Gutierrez is making sure Fargo's Family Healthcare is squeaky clean.

Jesus Gutierrez – Express Janitorial Services: "I want to provide to my family whatever they need."

Gutierrez is pretty busy. He's got accounts all over the F-M area, including Moorhead's Menards

More at source: WDAY

As the New Year's Eve contract deadline looms for office cleaners who attend to some of New York City's most iconic buildings and the companies that own them, janitorial staff in cities across the country have indicated they won't cross picket lines if the two sides can't reach a deal.

Should unionized building cleaners around the country stand in solidarity with the 22,000 New York City office cleaners represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, the city's cleaners' struggle could swell to include about 100,000 workers.

More at source: Huffington Post

Police in Southern Indiana are searching for a janitor at an Oakland City high school.

Michael Shafer is suspected of making meth at the school last week.

Officers found the meth lab at Wood Memorial High School. They found it in an area of the school that is off limits to students and most staff members.

Source: WSBT

Scores of contractors with responsibility for janitorial work at the country’s public hospitals face the axe in the coming year. Minister of Health Dr Fuad Khan who openly vented his anger and disgust over filthy conditions at the institutions, yesterday said his intention is to hire in-house cleaning contractors on a 24-hour basis to make the system more transparent and reliable

More at source: Guardian

A janitor working in a German library has discovered a treasure trove of ancient Roman coins stored in a box that was stashed away in an archive located at Passau's historic state library in Bavaria, Germany.
Read more at source: Digital Journal

BISMARCK (AP) undefined The North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled that Washburn Public Schools can be sued for allegedly not properly supervising a janitor after a parent complained about his conduct.

The Bismarck Tribune reports that the unanimous decision handed down this week returns the lawsuit to district court.

The 16-year-old student alleged that the head custodian touched her inappropriately and made inappropriate comments to her during her employment, which lasted until 2003.

More at source: Jamestown Sun

Hartford and New Haven area office cleaners voted Thursday to authorize their SEIU 32BJ bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary for the nearly 2,000 janitors it represents. Asked if they wanted to authorize a strike the janitors and office cleaners shouted “Si se puede!” from the pews at Central Baptist Church in Hartford. When they were asked “No podemos” which translates to “we can not” the room fell silent. The voice vote was unanimous and a strike can proceed if necessary.

More at source: CT News Junkie