Attention Maryland Employers: Ban the Box Law Effective February 29, 2020
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.
Exempt Employee: What Is The Level Of Discretion That Qualifies?
Our clients have generally recognized that providing an employee with a salary is not enough to exempt that employee from overtime. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) established the forty (40) hour week, minimum wage, overtime and what jobs were exempt from these requirements.
Managing New Overtime Rules
Possible Insurance Claims In The Face Of COVID-19
All of us who are trying to figure out how best to help our companies survive and perhaps even thrive in the coronavirus crisis should be sure to review and evaluate the insurance policies we carry to protect our companies from unexpected loss. While none of us fully understand the extent of what the current losses could be, a wise business owner looks to all possible ways of mitigating whatever losses do arrive.
Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits: Tips for Small Businesses
Emergency legislation has made unemployment benefits an important financial lever for small businesses faced with closing the margin between expenses and revenues. Labor costs often make up more than half of gross sales for service businesses, so payroll is one of the first places many owners are looking to be able to manage through the COVID-19 crisis. In previous articles, we discussed how to furlough employees, how to seek payroll loans and tax credits under the CARES Act, and specific business relief programs in the DC-Maryland-Virginia region for working capital and layoff aversion.
Going Digital
We are now living in a profoundly new world where many workplaces are being transitioned to teleworking with limited planning or time to test systems. This rapid shift brings challenges that must be addressed and resolved from both a legal and operations standpoint.
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) – Relevant Employment Provisions
Last week, the federal government enacted the CARES Act. It provides economic relief to Americans both as individuals and businesses. While the Act contains a variety of tax, loans and other measures, the following programs are of particular interest to employers and small businesses:
Covid-19 Weekly Updates – April 2, 2020
As the number of Covid-19 infections rise, the federal, state, and local governments are taking more drastic actions to protect and support the public during this time. The following updates summarize major changes that affect employers in the DMV:
Covid-19 Weekly Updates – March 27, 2020
Another week has passed during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we have seen the DMV governors close all non-essential businesses, schools closing for another month or even the rest of the school year, the legislatures are working to provide relief to employers and employees. The number of positive cases rise even as we wait with baited breath to see whether all the collective effort is “flattening the curve”.
Employer Update: Federal Paid Sick Leave And Family Leave Enacted
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The important part for employers is it enacts temporary measures requiring employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide paid sick leave and family leave for those directly affected by COVID-19.