IN BRIEF

Order stops mask policy at Las Vegas hospitals

A federal judge on Friday issued a temporary restraining order preventing Sunrise and Southern Hills hospitals from instituting a policy forcing unvaccinated workers to wear surgical masks.

Federal Judge Robert Jones issued his order Friday and will hear arguments Monday on the order.

Service Employees International Union Local 1107 complained about the Healthcare Corporation of America's plans to require health care workers to either receive seasonal flu vaccinations or wear masks or markers on their badges while in patient-care areas.

Jones' ruling, however, allows the hospitals to set a policy requiring all workers to wear masks while in patient-care areas as long as unvaccinated members aren't singled out.

The Local 1107's complaint also made a pre-emptive strike against any future mandatory H1N1 vaccination policy, and claimed the new policy was a violation of its collective bargaining agreement with HCA.

Gold futures near $1,100 an ounce

Gold futures jumped to a record, approaching $1,100 an ounce, on mounting speculation that low U.S. borrowing costs will drive down the dollar, boosting the appeal of the precious metal as an alternative investment.

Gold futures for December delivery rose $6.40, or 0.6 percent, to $1,095.10 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, climbing for the fifth straight day. The price has gained 24 percent this year.

"Until Washington stops exploding the deficit, the dollar will continue to weaken, and gold is going higher," said Tom Pawlicki, an analyst at MF Global Ltd. in Chicago.

List of taxpayers with refunds available

The Review-Journal is helping the Internal Revenue Service make some Southern Nevada taxpayers a little wealthier.

The IRS provided a list of taxpayers in Clark County who didn't receive a tax refund check because the Postal Service returned the mail with the check as undeliverable.

The government agency lists 1,370 taxpayers in Clark County who are owed one or more refund check. The average check is for $1,333, and the IRS figures the total owed to taxpayers here is $1.8 million.

Visit http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/business/Is_your_name_on_this_list.html to see if you or your friends are on the list.

Then, call the IRS at 868-5005 or go by the local office at 110 City Parkway in Las Vegas.