When your company’s staff is culturally diverse, it may be tempting to require all employees to speak only English during work hours. After all, it might seem easier to promote unity and teamwork when everyone speaks the same language. But is it legal? This is a confusing area, but one that is becoming increasingly important […]
An international treaty called the Madrid Protocol makes it much easier for Americans to obtain international protection for their trademarks. It allows a trademark owner to seek registration in any of the participating countries by filing a single application, called an “international application.” The International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization, which is located […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) is reminding employers that they’re still prohibited from engaging in discriminatory practices covered by federal legislation. Here are some examples of major anti-discrimination laws that both employers and employees should review in the context of today’s unprecedented conditions. Civil Rights Act The Civil Rights […]
Pundits are predicting that even after the COVID-19 pandemic is ultimately brought under control — which might not occur for many more months — work-at-home arrangements will be more common than before the pandemic. “While the experience of working at home during the crisis may not have been ideal as whole families sheltered in place, […]
On July 20, 2020, the U.S. Centers Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) made major revisions to its COVID-19 “discontinue home isolation” guidance, upon which employers may rely to determine when it is safe for employees to return to work. This comes only a couple months after CDC made major revisions to the same guidance document when, […]
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the use of telehealth services has skyrocketed, especially among at-risk seniors and patients located in rural areas with limited access to health care. In recent months, telemedicine has proven to be an effective and cost-efficient way to deliver care to patients — and government officials have taken notice. If […]
If you’re experiencing financial distress during the COVID-19 crisis, you might be thinking about tapping into your Roth IRA to improve your cash situation. But before withdrawing money from a Roth account, it’s important to understand the federal income tax consequences, especially if you’re under 59½. Common Misconception You may think that all withdrawals from […]
Is your business in the practice of taking physical possession of another party’s property? If so, this may result in a legal relationship called a “bailment” and you should be aware of your rights and duties in this situation. Here are some common examples of when bailments are created: Computer owners leave their equipment at a […]
Many workplace crimes are “inside jobs.” They can involve employees stealing cash, inventory, equipment or intellectual property. Or they could include more sophisticated schemes such as bribery, kickbacks or payroll fraud. Internal fraud investigations can pose numerous challenges. Here are six costly mistakes an organization can make when faced with the possibility that one of its employees or […]
On Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at 1 PM Eastern, join Conn Maciel Carey and special guest Richard Fairfax, former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for a webinar regarding “OSHA and Labor & Employment Law Issues Associated with Employee Discipline.” Disciplining employees, a critical tool in enforcing workplace rules, has the […]
In response to the statewide increase in COVID-19 transmission, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that he would be pausing some reopening measures and reimposing some restrictions. He issued Order 46, rescinding Order 44 and previous guidance for gathering size, effective August 11. Governor Baker explained that Massachusetts was postponing indefinitely Step 2 of the current Phase 3 of […]
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech. As it is written, the Free Speech Clause constrains the government’s power to punish people based on the content of their speech, or to restrict people’s ability to speak. But not all speech is created equal under the law, and the […]
