Recent Blog Posts
What Businesses with up to 50 Employees Need to Know About the Affordable Care Act
Numerous provisions of the Affordable Care Act are slated to go into effect in 2013 and 2014. Many of these provisions will affect employers with up to 50 employees, and it is critical for businesses to be prepared. The U.S. Small Business Administration delineated some of these major changes, which include: Small Business Health… Read More »
The Basics of Following Labor Laws When Hiring Interns
Internships at for-profit entities must comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Department of Labor has issued a guide to help employers comply with the legal wage and overtime requirements of the FLSA. The law defines the term “employ” very broadly, and those who qualify as employees rather than trainees must be… Read More »
Immigrant Visas for Religious Workers
There are two types of immigrant visas for religious workers in the United States. One is the SD, for ministers of religion. The second is the SR for certain religious workers. The SD and SR categories are distinct from the Temporary Religious Workers category. According to the Department of State, in order to qualify… Read More »
What Constitutes an Undue Hardship for an Employer Under the ADA?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers must provide reasonable workplace accommodations to employees with disabilities to facilitate their employment or face serious consequences. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that employers are not required to provide a reasonable accommodation if it would cause an undue hardship. The standard for proving undue hardship… Read More »
What is a Reasonable Accommodation under the ADA? Important Information for Employers
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it would cause undue hardship. The act defines an accommodation as “any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.”… Read More »
Protecting Your Business’s Trade Secrets
Trade secrets can be crucial assets to your company. When a trade secret has been misappropriated, a business can seek an injunction and monetary damages. Under Maryland Commercial Law, a trade secret is defined as information such as a formula, pattern, program, device, technique or process that “derives independent economic value, actual or potential,… Read More »
A Fiduciary Duty: Who Should You Appoint Trustee?
You’ve built economic security during your lifetime through hard work and diligence. As you prepare your estate plan, you will likely utilize a combination of wills and trusts to minimize the burden of estate taxes, ensure your privacy and deliver hard-won assets to your named beneficiaries. In order to manage trust assets, you must… Read More »
EEOC Issues New Documents on Specific Disabilities
We provide legal counsel and guidance to business clients on labor issues including employment, discipline and discrimination. In recent months, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued revised publications concerning protection from employer discrimination on several specific medical issues. The four topics revised and published by the EEOC in May discuss how certain physical… Read More »
New Proposal? Old Offers? New Tax Proposal on the Table
In late July, President Obama put fresh energy into the upcoming legislative battle over corporate tax reform and the need for increased spending on new jobs and national infrastructure. While pushing the debate forward, these proposals offer a mixed bag — and highlight the need for a simpler, more comprehensive stand on taxes by… Read More »
Knowing When to Change Your Will
Despite the best laid plans, change happens. Details like estate plans may be overlooked or lost in the need to tend to financial or personal crises. What type of circumstances call for adjustment of your estate planning documents? Substantial change in wealth: If you experience either significant financial success or a decline in financial… Read More »
