We have been tracking local, state and federal actions regarding COVID-19, including Governor Walz’s “stay at home” executive order, COVID-19 related paid-leave and small business loan assistance. Updates on the “Stay At Home” Executive Order The “Stay At Home” Minnesota Executive Order 20-20 issued on March 25th requires Minnesotans to stay home except to engage in certain […]
On March 18, 2020, the federal government passed emergency legislation to support businesses and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning Thursday, April 2, 2020, employees will be able to access new, temporary paid leave if they are absent from work because of COVID-19, including to care for children due to school closures. Employers may use […]
You are a shareholder, member, or partner in a closely-held business, but you and your fellow owners seem headed for a break-up. Here are nine things you should think about as you begin your dispute resolution. 1. What do your agreements say? Minnesota courts look to written agreements, such as operating agreements, member control agreements, […]
On December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) was signed into law as part of a larger government spending package. The SECURE Act includes several provisions intended to make it easier for people to save for retirement, and also to make it easier for employers to adopt and […]
On Thursday, August 8, 2019, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed a wage theft ordinance that is similar to but has key differences from the wage theft law passed by the Minnesota Legislature earlier this year and that went into effect on July 1, 2019. Minneapolis’s ordinance adds new requirements on top of the state […]
By Charles Berquist A recent issue of the New York Times contained an article about some LinkedIn employees who were granted shares with a value of $0.12 per share in 2003, which increased in value to $90.00 per share after the company went public in 2011. Based on a little-used section of the Internal Revenue […]
By Cathy E. Gorlin and Marshall H. Tanick “As Justice Ginsburg proceeds with her silver anniversary on the high court, her impact has gone well beyond the gender discrimination focus of her pre-judicial career portrayed in cinema, as reflected in this eclectic collection of real Minnesota cases.” You can read Bench & Bar’s full article […]
By Charles Berquist Section 457(b) plans are an effective way for tax-exempt employers to increase the retirement savings of their key employees through employee and/or employer contributions and earnings on those contributions. A 457(b) plan must be maintained pursuant to a written plan document that contains all of the material terms and conditions for benefits […]
You are the manager of Company ABLE. You sign an agreement with Company XENON that requires it to provide coverage under its Commercial General Liability Policy (“CGL”) to Company ABLE as an additional insured. The insurance agent for Company XENON sends you a Certificate of Insurance that shows the limits and type of coverage under […]
Designers, advertisers, and other creatives, as well as their clients need to think about potential trademark infringement liability each time a new tagline or logo is created and used to market goods or services. Potential liability is generally addressed by conducting trademark searches before launching the new mark in the public domain. But what if […]