On this week’s OK at Work episode, Russell Berger and Sarah Sawyer discuss the Biden Administration’s decision to withdraw guidance surrounding COVID-19 vaccination incentives. The now-withdrawn guidance had expressly permitted employers to offer incentives to employees who were vaccinated, but only de minimis incentives. Now, while employers are free to offer more significant incentives, employers are left dealing with uncertainty as […]
In 2001, Warren Buffett famously described the stock market capitalization-to-GDP ratio as “the best single measure of where valuations stand at any given moment.” This ratio, now commonly known as the Buffett Indicator, compares the size of the stock market to that of the economy. A high ratio indicates an overvalued market—and as of February 11, 2021, […]
On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety and charged the Secretary of Labor and the Assistant Secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration with essentially 3 directives: Within 2 weeks of the Order, issue revised guidance to employers on worker safety. Consider whether emergency COVID-19 temporary standards need to be implemented. If such […]
John Grisham’s legal thrillers that were subsequently turned into movies have long been a hit with practicing lawyers. While a little far fetched on some levels to draw audiences in, there is a kernel of truth in most of them that rings true for practicing litigators. Grisham’s story in Runaway Jury – a tale about jury consultants […]
The Fair Housing Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq. (the “FHA” or “Act”), prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. The FHA is relevant in addressing concerns related to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and other pandemics for multiple reasons. The FHA imposes restrictions on a housing provider’s ability to make disability-related […]
On this week’s episode of OK at Work, Russell Berger and Sarah Sawyer discuss the new OSHA guidance recommending certain COVID-19 precautions in the workplace. While this is only a guidance for now, it is possible that these or similar guidelines could be made mandatory. Listen along to find out more.
It depends. Isn’t that a lawyer’s answer to just about everything? In Maryland, property acquired by inheritance or gift from a third party, or that was owned prior to the marriage, is non-marital property. It will not be divided between the parties upon divorce. However, if the inheritance is commingled, it becomes marital. Understandably, this […]
“The importance of a good education.” It’s a statement that’s about as apolitical as it gets…a proclamation even the deepest of reds and the darkest of blues can agree upon. Teachers are the lifeblood of our society. But in many ways they’ve been underappreciated and underpaid, undervalued, and often left without a strong voice to […]
On this week’s episode of OK at Work, Russell Berger and Sarah Sawyer discuss President Biden’s executive order that reverses certain restrictions that the prior administration had placed on the content of harassment, diversity, and inclusion training for federal workers and federal contractors. Sarah and Russell also discuss generally why all employers should conduct harassment training, even in a […]
Congress has passed legislation over the veto of former President Trump to require the disclosure of the direct or indirect beneficial ownership of US business entities at the time of formation. This legislation was included as part of the annual National Defense Appropriations Act, which took effect January 1, 2021. Under this Act, upon the […]
As discussed in the previous blog, the Department of Labor issued regulations that clarify the 2018 amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This is the second of a four-part series on these new regulations. This blog focuses on the amendments relating to Tip Pooling. PROHIBITION ON EMPLOYERS KEEPING TIPS As discussed in the last post, the FLSA expressly […]
If you spend any time online, it’s likely you’re familiar with some of the world’s most visited websites. On today’s internet, a handful of giants have unmatched dominance. Top Three Websites (Monthly visits): Google: 92.5 billion YouTube: 34.6 billion Facebook: 25.5 billion Together, the top three websites rake in 152 billion visits monthly, outpacing the next 47 […]