News & Insights

Employers in the mid-Atlantic region should be aware that Maryland and Virginia have joined the District of Columbia in banning drivers from writing and sending email and text messages while driving.  D.C. has prohibited texting while driving since 2004.  Virginia's ban went into effect Ju... Read more >

On August 24, 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published new regulations in the Federal Register that detail the obligation of covered entities to notify employees and, in some cases, the media and Secretary of Health, in the event of breaches of unsecured protected health info... Read more >

Despite last minute efforts by Congress at the end of 2009, the estate tax has been repealed for one year - 2010. Thus, under current tax law, if you die in 2010 your estate will not be subject to federal estate tax. This one year repeal was set up by the 2001 tax cut legislation signed into law by ... Read more >

FLSA Amendment re: Lactation Effective March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to require covered employers to provide breaks and space for nursing mothers to express breast milk. With minor exceptions, all employers covered by the ... Read more >

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has issued a notice informing employers that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is targeting industry groups, specifically the health care industry, in its investigations of FLSA compliance.   We have seen a significant increase in audits by... Read more >

Most modern businesses have experienced the tremendous frustrations caused by spam messages.  Unsolicited emails clog inboxes, crash servers, and cost companies billions.  In 2003, Congress enacted the CAN Spam Act (the “Act”) with the goal of drastically reducing or eliminating spam.&... Read more >

Filing an immigrant or non-immigrant petition for an employee soon?  It is probably going to be a little more expensive.  Facing a large budget shortfall, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) is changing filing fees effective November 23, 2010.  While most fees a... Read more >

In July, the Department of Justice ("DOJ") issued wide ranging regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA").  Now, the DOJ will hold public hearings on potential additional rules relating to electronic resources, such as web sites, used by places of public accommodation such as... Read more >