Employment lawsuits and EEOC complaints are surging. All employers have had to adjust in response to federal, state, and local COVID orders. Small business not previously subject to FMLA have had to suddenly enact polices to comply with expanded regulations under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (“FFCRA”). Transitioning employees to remote work has not…
Tag: business law
FAQ: Michigan’s COVID-19 Response and Reopening Liability Act
In 2020, employers have been struggling to navigate a maze of ever-changing COVID laws, regulations, and guidance from both the state and federal levels. It has not been easy. Besides trying to keep their business open, make ends meet, and generally stay safe, employers now have another thing to worry about: liability lawsuits for potential…
Is Your Lawsuit Stuck Due to COVID? Stipulated Mediation May Be the Answer.
You may wish to give mediation a second look. If you are business owner involved in pending business litigation, you are likely frustrated with the progress – or rather the lack of progress – in your case. Whether as a plaintiff looking for a resolution of your grievance or a defendant eager for vindication, it…
Are you expecting payments under a lease, land contract, or promissory note? It may be time to dust off those documents and call a lawyer.
The economy is still uncertain, especially for business owners who rely on lease payments, land contract payments, promissory notes, or other installment-type payments for their income are in for tough month. Payees may very well be unable to make payments on time or at all. What are your options to protect your rights? It is…
5 Legal Tips for Business Owners Weathering the Coronavirus Disruption
There is no doubt you are distracted by this coronavirus outbreak. Constant news alerts, supply shortages, government-mandated closures and cancellations make it all but impossible to also run your business. However, remember that your lawyers are available to assist you. For example, if you have questions about obligations to your employees, insurance coverage questions, contract…
What Every Business Owner Must Know About PFAS Contamination
Remember when everyone was worried about PFAS contamination? Believe it or not, it was a serious concern that dominated headlines in late 2019 and early 2020 before COVID-19. It remains a serious environmental issue. But what is PFAS, and more importantly, how does it impact your business? PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which…
3 Common Mistakes that Compromise a Business’s Corporate Protection and Expose Your Personal Assets.
Businesses that commingle assets, forgo record keeping, official minutes, and fail to keep their registration with the State of Michigan up to date risk losing their corporate protections. In most cases, the corporate form limits your personal liability and insulates your personal assets from business debt – unless a creditor successfully argues that the corporate…
Does Your Business Have a Pre-Nup? The Importance of Planning for Life’s Unexpectancies.
Nobody likes to plan for life’s unpleasantries, including divorce. While divorce remains an unfortunate fact of life, proper planning with your business attorney can help protect your business from the unexpected. This is particularly critical where a business has multiple owners, members, or partners. In a recent case out of New York, a company’s three…
A Lesson in Licenses and Why You Own Nothing.
In 2019, Fortnite went offline. No one could play, stream, compete, or access their account. This was part of an in-game “event” known as the Fortnite Blackout or The End. Can Epic Games do that? What rights do you even have as a player, team owner, or competitor? It all comes down to the End…
Into the Fire: Effective Strategies for Litigation Management Before Going to Court
Are you a litigious business owner? Do you copy your attorney on correspondence to a non-paying client or a vendor? Have you ever threatened another business owner with “I’m going to sue you”? Is this something you do as part of your day-to-day business routine? Does your county’s local business judge know you by name?…
Smoke ’em if You Got ’em: 4 Questions to Ask When Selling Commercial Real Estate in the Marijuana Era
In 2018, Michigan citizens overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1 to legalize recreational marijuana. While medicinal marijuana has been legal in Michigan for several years now, the recreational marijuana law will certainly expand the availability of the drug across the state. But what does that mean for the Michigan business community? Legalization will impact your business, even…
Non-Compete vs. Non-Solicitation: Key Differences that Every Employer Must Know
No matter what industry you are in, you have probably encountered non-compete and non-solicitation agreements. In Michigan, standard pre-employment paperwork often contains obligations for the employee not to compete with the employer (non-compete) and not to solicit the employer’s existing customers or other employees (non-solicitation). Although these obligations may be in the same boilerplate paragraph…