Legal Solutions At Work

DOL ISSUES UPDATED FMLA FORMS The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently extended the validity of its online notices and medical certification forms for use in connection with leaves of absence under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) until August 31, 2021. There are no substantive changes to the forms. The updated forms… More

ARE YOU READY FOR MARYLAND’S DISCLOSING SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE ACT ON OCTOBER 1, 2018? As a reminder, on Oct. 1, 2018, Maryland’s “Disclosing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act of 2018” goes into effect. The Act prohibits employers, regardless of size, from requiring their employees to submit to mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment or… More

Late last year the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) unveiled a new, employer-friendly guide on how to bring your policies and handbook provisions into compliance with the National Labor Relations Act (the “Act”). By identifying three categories of rules: (i) rules that are generally lawful; (ii) rules that require case-by-case analysis; and (iii) rules that… More

July 1st Brings Increases to Maryland & D.C. Minimum Wages July is here, and that means barbecues, fireworks and … rising minimum wages. On July 1, 2018, the minimum wages in Maryland, D.C. and Montgomery County increased. In Maryland, the statewide minimum wage rose from $9.25 to $10.10 in accordance with House Bill 295, signed… More

Did you know … that the Maryland Insurance Administration recently confirmed that free warranties violate Maryland’s anti-rebating laws? The Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) recently reaffirmed that it is a violation of Maryland’s anti-rebating laws for title producers to give away free home warranties or free home inspections to consumers, even if those giveaways are offered… More

On May 15, 2018, Governor Hogan signed into law the Disclosing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act of 2018. The Act, which will go into effect on October 1, 2018, imposes new waiver and disclosure requirements regarding sexual harassment on Maryland employers. HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS? First, under the Act, all Maryland employers… More

Get Your Popcorn! The CFTC’s Fight With My Big Coin Pay Is About to Go Down Posted on June 4, 2018 by Shulman Rogers By Allison Baker Shealy The showdown between the CFTC and My Big Coin Pay is a legal nerd’s dream. There are discussions of legislative history going back to the Futures Trading… More

On Monday, May 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis, resolved a Circuit Court split by finding that arbitration agreements in which employees agree to arbitrate any claims against their employer individually, as opposed to on a class or collective basis, are enforceable and do not contravene the National Labor… More

On April 2, 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will start accepting applications for one of the most popular U.S. work visas, H-1B, for fiscal year (FY) 2019. The H-1B program is limited to 65,000 new H-1B visas per year, with an additional allotment of 20,000 for individuals who have earned a U.S…. More

In light of the government shutdown, employers with ties to the government, including government contractors and nonprofit organizations, may need to make changes to their workforce, especially if the shutdown continues for an extended period of time. Caution is urged, however, as these changes may have unexpected legal repercussions. For example, you risk losing FLSA… More