Even though employers are busy adjusting, evolving, and pivoting their policies due to the constantly changing effect of the Coronavirus pandemic, Virginia employers must also ensure they are complying with new employment laws that will be effective on July 1, 2020. Many of these laws have significant penalties for non-compliance from by the employee and the Commonwealth so it is important for Virginia employers to treat these changes seriously and take steps to prevent any issues.
There are a lot of websites out there that allow you to make your own estate planning documents at a bargain rate. Wills, Powers of Attorney . . . even Trusts.
Re-opening your business is the hot topic as local and state governments relax COVID-19 shelter in place orders. Regardless of industry, most small businesses need to address core labor issues and evaluate what additional industry-specific concerns should be addressed. Both valid and specious employment claims are already on the rise due to a combination of new laws, economic pressures, and a tight job market.
While much of the recent Maryland Legislative session was consumed with the coronavirus crisis, several pro-employee bills were passed. These bills address race discrimination, sex discrimination, pay equity, and wage transparency. All will become effective October 1, 2020 without the signature of Governor Hogan, who declined to hold any bill signing ceremonies this month. The following summarizes the relevant laws, as well as, provides recommendations for Maryland employers.
A recent Supreme Court decision in Babb v. Wilkie has eased the burden of proof for federal employees to prove discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”). Getting relief is still challenging for employees no matter where they work, nonetheless, with a contracting economy, an uptick of age discrimination claims is expected in the next few months.
Beginning on February 29, 2020, all Maryland employers with fifteen or more employees must comply with the new ban the box law unless they fall within an exemption.
Now that Maryland is beginning to relax its shelter in place order and other local jurisdictions will likely follow suit, business owners need to begin planning for re-opening so that it can be done in a safe and effective way. Over the next few weeks, we will be publishing a series of articles that are designed to help you target the relevant issues as you contemplate re-opening, managing labor risks, and possibly shutting down again.
Effective as of May 15, 2020, at 5 p.m., Governor Hogan has amended Maryland’s COVID-19 “Stay at Home Order” to ease certain restrictions on businesses and gatherings and to allow for the re-opening of certain businesses. This article discusses Order No. 20-05-13-01. A link to the complete Order appears at the end of this article.
Many leases for retail spaces, including restaurants, include terms that require the tenant to pay to the landlord a percentage of profits earned from gross sales. This “percentage rent” payment is over and above the monthly base rent, operating costs and taxes that the tenant also pays the landlord under the lease.
