Deciphering Trade Secrets: What Qualifies as Confidential Information in Your Business?
In the competitive business landscape, maintaining a competitive edge often hinges on safeguarding valuable assets. Among these assets are trade secrets – confidential information that provides a distinct advantage to companies. Understanding what constitutes a trade secret is paramount for businesses aiming to effectively protect and leverage these assets. In this article, we’ll discuss trade…
How Does the New NLRB Rule Change on Joint Employers Impact Subcontractors
The New NLRB Ruling on Joint Employers for 2024 The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently finalized a significant rule change regarding the Standard for Determining Joint-Employer Status. Effective December 26, 2023, the new NLRB rule represents a seismic departure from previous standards, promising far-reaching implications for labor relations and legal obligations. But what does…
The Challenge of Writing up Employees—and How to Do a Better Job at It
Our clients recognize how important it is to write up employees when situations call for it. Yet, most companies struggle terribly with getting supervisors actually to fill out a disciplinary form when a problem arises with an employee. Why is that? And what can employers do to fix it? The most common explanation we hear…
A Renaissance for Private-Employer Unions – Real or Fake News?
Depending on where you get your news, you might think that unionization at private employers is experiencing a drastic rise. Nearly every week, news articles highlight unionization efforts at high-profile companies like Starbucks, Amazon, and Mcdonald’s. Despite being only three-quarters of the way into FY22, union election petitions for FY22 have already exceeded the total…
Maryland Law Makes It Easier for Employees to Win Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
All employers know that maintaining a workplace that is free from sexual harassment is the right thing to do. A harassment-free workplace shows respect for all employees at work and creates a safe work environment. It also happens to be good for business. Complaints of sexual harassment are unsettling, distracting, time-consuming, and expensive. But from…
Litigation FAQ: Are My Attorneys’ Fees Recoverable?
One of the first questions many attorneys are asked when a client is considering filing a lawsuit is whether the fees and costs they will incur in the litigation are recoverable. In virtually all personal injury and property damage cases and in many business disputes, under what courts have dubbed the “American Rule,” the answer…
How to Handle Freedom of Speech at Work
The end of the current session of the United States Supreme Court has seen the Court issue rulings on many hot-button political topics including gun control, abortion, immigration, and environmental protection laws. These rulings, along with the January 6th Commission’s ongoing public hearings, have created an environment of heightened political tension and stress. While the…
When is Paid Sick Leave Coming to Maryland?
During the most recent legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Time to Care Act. The big takeaway from the passage of this law: Maryland will, eventually, have a paid leave program for employees who need time off due to childbirth or serious health conditions. Unfortunately, the coverage of the law’s passage has created…
Are Your Employees Ready to Go Back to “Normal”?
Across the country, government mask mandates are being lifted, students are attending schools without masks, and people are beginning to resume activities that were curtailed when the Omicron variant was spreading like wildfire only a few short weeks ago. Many employers are watching these trends carefully as they make plans to resume, expand, or modify…
Is Hybrid Remote Work the New Normal?
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, no one could have predicted the ongoing transformation it would have on our home and work lives. This transformation is particularly obvious in how we talk about remote work and how many companies have adapted to, and in some cases embraced, remote work. Once a perk offered…