A recently published article in The Baltimore Sun states that Maryland officials seized $400,000 in overdue child support from one parent, constituting the largest such collection in state history.
In September 2011 the Maryland Court of Special Appeals issued a wake up call to the unwary who perform work for public entities but fail to strictly follow contractual and procurement requirements. In short, the Court made it clear that performing work outside of the original scope of a contract without formal approval is a recipe for disaster - or at least, a recipe for nonpayment.
In Freilich v. Upper Chesapeake Health System, the Maryland Court of Appeals offers valuable guidance to those involved in physician peer reviews, as well as to attorneys involved in peer review litigation. In short, due process and fairness are critical to protecting those involved from the costs and burden of retaliatory lawsuits by disgruntled physicians. In fact, those involved in properly administered peer review activities are immune from liability to disgruntled physicians.
Effective January 31, 2012, all employers who are covered by the National Labor Relations Act ("NLRA")– whether union or non-union – will be required to comply with new National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB) notice posting requirements. Most employers will be covered by this requirement, as the NLRA applies to almost all private-sector employers engaged in interstate commerce.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") has entered an agreement with ICM Registry, LLC ("ICM") to launch the .XXX top-level domain ("TLD"). This new TLD will host web sites dedicated to the adult entertainment industry (the "Adult Entertainment Community").
Where is your money and is it protected? Often, account holders such as businesses determine that their financial institution is insured through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and do not think about it again. During the financial crisis Congress expanded coverage, but that is changing. In light of those changes it is prudent for businesses to think about where their money is located and the extent to which it is protected.
Three lessons from the world of sports are relevant to guiding clients. For more information, view "Labor: How Golf Can Improve Your Business Practices", an article written by Melissa Jones and published in Inside Counsel.
Employers rely on noncompetes to protect customers and other assets. Find out how government entities affect court enforcement of noncompetes by reading "Labor: Public Sector - Uninvited Guest or Essential Party?", an article written by Melissa Jones and published in Inside Counsel.
What can you do about bad behavior in the workplace? Find out by reading "Labor: Why Jerks Are Bad for Business," an article written by Melissa Jones and published in Inside Counsel.
The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (Act) signed by President Obama is expected to stimulate the economy by providing tax relief to individuals and businesses. The Act reinstates many Bush-era tax cuts that expired in 2009 and extends others that were scheduled to expire on December 31, 2010. The Act also overhauls the current estate and gift tax regime by providing generous estate and gift tax exemptions and rates for 2011 and 2012.