Daylight Savings Time, the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less, has been observed since 1895. The practice is the source of much annual anticipation for individuals eager to benefit from longer days and more day lit hours. A study from the American Psychological Association, however, suggests “springing forward” from Standard Time to Daylight Savings Time may have some unintended consequences such as disrupted sleep patterns and an increased risk for workplace injury.  With the change, you have to go to bed earlier and get up earlier than usual. According to the study’s authors, the hour of sleep lost when Americans set their clocks an hour ahead each spring results in higher rates of workplace accidents caused by sleep loss. The study analyzed accident and time use data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics, concluding that the average person sleeps about 40 minutes less the Sunday night of the time switch resulting in approximately 3.6 more work injuries the following Monday in hazardous occupations such as mining and construction.

If you were hurt on the job and are collecting wage loss benefits, company detectives may be stalking you to try to prove you are malingering. For about $300, Private Investigators (PIs) may mount a Global Position System (GPS) to the underside of your car and follow you throughout the day from their laptop computer. Some GPS devices are powered by the car’s battery and typically placed under the dashboard while other devices are equipped with their own batteries to enable inconspicuous placement on the vehicle’s body. PIs use the GPS device to see if you are working and not reporting your wages or if you are participating in physical activities beyond your work restrictions. Using a GPS in this fashion may have potential criminal stalking and civil privacy implications. For example, California and Texas ban the use of GPS trackers without consent with exceptions for law enforcement and car owners. If you find one of these devices on your vehicle, immediately contact your local police department.

I. Introduction Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Sessions and members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to appear before you today. My name is Tom Galligan and since 2006 it has been my good fortune to serve as the President of Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire where I am also a Professor in the Humanities Department. From 1998-2006, I was the dean of the University of Tennessee College of Law where I also held a distinguished professorship. From 1986-1998, I was a professor at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in Baton Rouge, where I also held an endowed professorship. From 1996-1998, I also served as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Judicial College. At both Tennessee and LSU, I taught and wrote about torts and maritime law. I am the author or co-author of several books and many articles on tort law and punitive damages. Along with Frank Maraist, I am the author of three books on maritime law, one of which is and another of which will soon be co-authored by Catherine Maraist. I have also written law review articles on various aspects of maritime law and given countless speeches on torts and maritime law; and I continue to speak and write on those subjects. It is an honor to appear before you today. The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has already resulted in death, injury, environmental devastation, and economic loss to individuals, businesses, and governmental entities. Additional damage is occurring every day; […]