Maine municipalities face another deadline for action to preserve their rights to accept the incipient dedication of undeveloped streets in “ancient” subdivisions recorded before September 29, 1987. A statute enacted in 1987, 23 MRS § 3032, provided that paper streets in such subdivisions are deemed vacated unless the municipality constructed or used and accepted theRead More
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Don’t FMLA Leave Me and Other Vexing Issues
In our last article, we talked about the barrage of paperwork required for family medical leaves and the relatively quick turnaround times required. What happens when some of that paperwork is not returned or provided? For example, let’s say the employee decides to decline FMLA leave or just doesn’t return any required certification form. ThereRead More
Joint Bank Accounts with Children: Why Joint Accounts Are Risky
If you are considering adding your adult child’s name to your bank account, you should consider the risks associated with doing so. Although it may be convenient and easy to accomplish, placing your adult child’s name on your bank account is not a recommended practice. The person you add to your account is presumed toRead More
FMLA Leave – Paper, Paper, Paper!!
On April 18, the federal DOL is coming to town to talk about the Family Medical Leave Act. The program is sponsored by Central Maine Human Resources Association. Non-members can sign up here. So, while we’re on that topic, let’s say that your employee has told you that they need to be out of work forRead More
LGBTQ in the Workplace and Beyond: Ask the Commission for Guidance
On Tuesday, March 21, at the Carriage House in Lewiston, Amy Sneirson, executive director of the Maine Human Rights Commission, and Bridget McAlonan, of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, will present a program discussing the law, regulations, and practical advice and guidance on handling LGBTQ issues in the workplace. They will also discuss how to integrateRead More
National Origin Discrimination: What You Need to Know… And Questions You Might Be Afraid to Ask
Regardless of which side of the aisle you fall on, we can all agree that national origin has been in the news quite a bit this winter. In November, 2016, the EEOC actually issued some updated guidance for employers on the ins and outs of national origin discrimination. You can find it here. Here’s what youRead More
If You Get a Trademark – Should It Be In Maine or Throughout The United States (Part II)
If you decide to trademark your company’s name, logo, slogan, or all of the above, one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is whether you’d like to register your mark just in Maine or on the national level. One of the benefits of registering just in Maine is that registration is lessRead More
To Trademark or Not to Trademark? (Part I)
That is the question. Many business and service providers operate for years without considering whether they should trademark elements of their business. The most common way people think of (and see) trademarks are through logos (think: New England Patriots or Apple Computers).* However, a company can also trademark a slogan it commonly uses, like, “Employment Wisdom on theRead More
Pay Up: New Maine Minimum Wage Affects Salaried Employees
On January 7, Maine’s new minimum wage went into effect. That meant that hourly workers had to be paid at least $9 an hour as of that day. The new minimum salary requirement will be $519.24 per week, up from the federal minimum of $455 per week. State law requires that overtime-exempt employees be paid anRead More
Mental Health in the Workplace: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
The EEOC just released a publication on the rights of job applicants and employees with mental health conditions. Such applicants and employees are likely to be protected by state and federal laws protecting disabled persons, and may entitle them to reasonable accommodations. There are also privacy rights attached to any information about mental health conditions,Read More