Articles and Blogs

Abortion is no longer a federal constitutional right. As a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, states may regulate abortion in a manner consistent with their own state constitutions and judicial precedent. The Dobbs decision overruled the Court’s own 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which... READ MORE

On Thursday, November 2, 2017, Republicans in the House of Representatives released the text and summary of H.R.1, their promised tax reform bill. The short title of the bill is the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” It is the first substantive shot fired in the tax reform war that the Republican leadership intends to wage... READ MORE

Have you ever asked or been asked, “What can I put away for retirement this year?” The answer could be different almost every year. Most of the limitations in the Internal Revenue Code are indexed with inflation.  They increase many years but not all. The IRS and Social Security Administration have released the 2017... READ MORE

On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a landmark opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry in all 50 states and that there is no lawful basis for a state to refuse to recognize a lawful same-sex marriage performed... READ MORE

On April 16, 2015, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) announced the issuance of a proposed rule that would describe how Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) applies to employer wellness programs that are part of group health plans. The proposed rule was officially published in the Federal Register on... READ MORE

A private employer planning on downsizing or implementing a reduction in force (“RIF”) has many items on its checklist to consider.  The employer that intends to offer severance pay benefits must understand how Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) may impact the RIF.  Severance pay arrangements fall into one of three classifications under... READ MORE

Release and Waiver of Claims Can’t Release and Waive Too Much  Employee severance agreements often grant severance benefits conditioned upon the departing employee’s signing an agreement that includes a general waiver and release of all claims.  That’s a common and prudent practice.  However, a recent complaint filed by the EEOC shows that common release... READ MORE

If you are one of those generous employers who provides educational scholarships to current employees and prospective employees, we strongly recommend that you evaluate whether you are appropriately taxing these benefits.  When an individual hears the word “scholarship,” they frequently don’t think of this financial award as potentially having tax implications.  However, for purposes... READ MORE