The National Swimming Pool Foundation® last week received settlement payments totaling $168,000 to resolve a copyright infringement lawsuit against the State of Nebraska and health departments of the Central District of Nebraska, Lincoln/Lancaster County and Douglas County. The departments were alleged to have lifted NSPF educational materials published between 1983 and 2007.
NSPF has announced an amnesty program to other health departments that may be improperly using NSPF materials. Departments that contact [email protected] prior to May 31 will not face legal action from the 501(c)(3) nonprofit. "The departments must agree to cease and desist from using NSPF materials and to work in good faith with NSPF to offer training consistent with the standard of care in our field," says Tom Lachocki, CEO of the NSPF.
In California, meanwhile, a $10,000 settlement has been reached between a San Diego boxing club and a group of U.S. Navy personnel who claimed they had been improperly charged membership dues. The plaintiffs had signed contracts with City Boxing with the understanding that they could either freeze their memberships or cancel them if they were deployed, but the club ultimately refused to stop billing them each month or refund the unused portion of their dues.
Under the terms of the judgment, former clients of City Boxing can request refunds for memberships canceled within the past four years by contacting the San Diego City Attorney's office at (619) 533-5600.
