Business Law Telephone Seminars

Commonly Encountered Sales and Use Tax Audit Issues and Strategies to Defuse Them BenefitsStates are becoming more aggressive as falling tax revenues constrain expenditures and force budget cuts. Business structures, products and services are increasingly complex with outcomes that don't always fit neatly into vaguely worded and outdated statutes. Heightened audit activity, the states' shifting tax policies and a new wave of proposed sales tax legislation all serve to highlight  more...

Is Lookism Illegal? Appearance Discrimination at Work BenefitsMore and more frequently, the argument is made that there should be a law against 'lookism,' or appearance discrimination, in the workplace. This live audio conference will explore whether appearance discrimination is a significant problem, which laws already address it, and how a law might be written to outlaw it specifically. This program will better equip managers and human resources  more...

The Hazards of Overlooked Property Interests: The Relationship Between Intellectual Property and Estate Planning BenefitsIntellectual property is a hot area of the law, and businesses, along with individuals, are using intellectual property interests to start, grow and value their businesses. After the patent, trademark or copyright application is filed, most individuals and businesses think they are done with the process; however, some often overlooked interests - estate planning issues - can present  more...

Business Associate Obligations and Agreements after HITECH BenefitsThe development of HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA) forms and practices largely preceded the HIPAA compliance implementation date. BAAs and their use have often not been updated to reflect experience or sometimes even new law and regulation. In negotiating BAAs, HIPAA Covered Entities frequently overreach by including topics unrelated to the Business Associate's obligations under  more...

Prevailing Wage Law: An Understanding of Davis-Bacon BenefitsAlleged violations of wage and hour laws have become a major source for the new wave of employment class actions, which often result in hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in many cases millions of dollars, of recoverable damages and attorneys' fees awarded to the successful litigants and their attorneys - in addition to the substantial amount of legal fees and administrative costs  more...

UCC Article 9 Update BenefitsThe revisions to Article 9, which generally became effective in 2001, substantially changed the law. Now, with years of experience, the case law is developing, and practitioners are beginning to identify issues not contemplated by the original drafting committee. As a result, a Joint Review Committee was formed and has recommended changes to Article 9 that are expected to be approved this  more...

Medicare Secondary Payer Act: Protecting Medicare's Interest In Insurance Settlements BenefitsPursuant to 42 USC Section 1395y(b)(2), commonly known as the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, Medicare may not make payment for medical benefits where payment has been made or can reasonably be expected to be made under a workers' compensation law or plan of the United States or a state, or under an automobile or liability insurance policy or plan (including a self-insured plan), or under no  more...

Resolving Corporate and Construction Disputes with Collaborative Law BenefitsIn today's economy, all business people are looking for ways to cut costs. One budget item that can be substantially reduced is the expense associated with litigation. Corporations can cut overhead and construction companies can avoid unnecessary project delays by getting disputes resolved quickly and economically outside of the courthouse. Litigation involves more than legal fees; there  more...

Domestic Asset Protection Trusts: Fundamentals and New Approaches BenefitsThis live audio conference will focus on the uses, benefits, requirements and differences among the various Domestic Asset Protection Trusts ('DAPTs') permitted under state law and the reasons why one state law may be preferred over another. There will also be a discussion of the most recent applications involving trusts for protection and other uses. Examples include the use of a DAPT as  more...

Domestic Asset Protection Trusts: Fundamentals and New Approaches BenefitsThis live audio conference will focus on the uses, benefits, requirements and differences among the various Domestic Asset Protection Trusts ('DAPTs') permitted under state law and the reasons why one state law may be preferred over another. There will also be a discussion of the most recent applications involving trusts for protection and other uses. Examples include the use of a DAPT as  more...

Covenants Not to Compete and Trade Secrets BenefitsThis live audio conference provides an overview and general principles of the law and legal theories related to protecting competitive business interests and confidential business information - one of the fastest growing areas of intellectual property law outside of traditional patent, copyright and trademark concerns. You will learn about covenants not to compete, nonsolicitation  more...

Fraud Enforcement Trends in the Health Care Industry BenefitsNew funding, new tools, and a heightened focus on the health care industry by civil and criminal law enforcement authorities means that investigations are not what they used to be. Learn more about what areas enforcement authorities are focusing on, where the big and small cases are being brought, how to deal with law enforcement's new tools, and how best to prepare yourself and your  more...

Implications of Medical Marijuana in the Workplace BenefitsAn applicant takes a pre-employment drug screen and tests positive for marijuana but tells you that he is a registered user of medical marijuana to treat his medical condition. Can you refuse to hire him? An employee tells you that he needs to take a daily break in order to consume medical marijuana to treat his cancer. Do you have to accommodate this request? How is this request different  more...

Employment Law Compliance: Disciplining or Terminating a Workers' Comp Claimant BenefitsThis live audio conference will address many of the difficult issues that arise when considering whether to discipline or terminate an employee who is also a workers' compensation claimant. The program will cover the core concepts underpinning workers' compensation statutes and the primary types of anti-retaliation provisions found in workers' compensation statutes. The live audio  more...

Learning on the Job: Creating Legally-Sound Internship Programs BenefitsCreating a successful internship program is not as simple as identifying and assigning appropriate projects and requiring interns to shadow your employees. An internship can be a wonderful opportunity for the participant to learn about a business, organization, or industry. Organizations that maintain internship programs must be mindful, however, that they must comply with several federal  more...

Tax and Estate Planning for Clients Relocating to Florida BenefitsThis live audio conference will highlight the legal and tax impact of a client relocating to Florida. Certainly the appeal of Florida's great weather can be too much to resist for some, but the move has consequences. Tax laws in Florida are generally much more favorable than the laws of the state the client is departing. Similarly, the laws impacting asset protection planning are generally  more...

Hot Topics in Native American Financing 2011 BenefitsHear the latest legal news and developments on the following topics: 1) principal practice guidelines to ensure your financing documents are enforceable and compliant with federal law, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act; 2) the National Indian Gaming Commission 'declination letter' review process - how long does it take, what to include in your submission, and what does receiving a  more...

COBRA: A Little of Everything is Changing BenefitsThis live audio conference is for agents and new employee benefit specialists or the seasoned specialist that want to double check the basics and the most recent changes in the COBRA law. We will discuss who has the compliance responsibilities and what an employer must do every day to be in compliance! How do all of the employee benefit laws work together - when do they work separately.  more...

Employee Discipline for Conduct Outside of Work BenefitsIn this informative live audio conference, you will learn the legal rights and responsibilities of employers in disciplining employees for conduct outside of work. You will hear about recent legislation and court cases involving some of the hottest topics in employment law, including employee discipline for blogging, web-based 'employer trashing,' workplace dating and extramarital affairs,  more...

The Carryover Basis Election for 2010 Decedents Benefits2010 was the most complex year in the history of the estate tax to administer an estate. The 2001 Tax Act, EGTRRA enacted IRC Section 2210, which made the estate tax inapplicable to 2010 estates, and the GST tax inapplicable to generation-skipping transfers made in 2010. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the '2010 Act') Section 301(c)  more...

Current Issues in Billboard Leases BenefitsBillboards are an interesting and limited aspect of real property law. They are generally despised by environmentalists and conservationists. They offer nothing to the aesthetic value of our highways. They are often heavily regulated and limited by the various levels of government with jurisdiction over the motor vehicle right-of-ways. They are also a valuable source of revenue to property  more...

Legal Implications of Environmental Contamination BenefitsThis live audio conference will provide business managers, landowners, environmental consultants, and legal practioners a practical grounding in the basic concepts underlying environmental common law tort, statutory/regulatory and contractual liability. You will understand the framework of federal and state sources of environmental liability and learn how to avoid and mitigate exposure to  more...

Rules and Responsibilities Regarding Abandoned Wages BenefitsThis live audio conference will examine the rules and responsibilities regarding abandoned wages. If your payroll department is not handling unclaimed wages properly, you could be placing your company at risk for huge audit assessments, significant interest accumulations, and civil and criminal penalties. If your company issues any type of employment checks whether it be wages, bonuses,  more...

All You Need to Know About the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act but Didn't Know to Ask BenefitsAs the economy falters and the credit crisis continues help keep your business out of a lawsuit by better understanding and learning more about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, who is affected, what debts are covered, who enforces it and how you can collect more money while following the law. Failing to properly train collectors is a top reason companies get sued. Don't let this  more...

How to Handle Travel Pay Legally BenefitsMany companies do not understand how to compensate an employee properly for time spent traveling to destinations other than a regular work site. Many companies send employees to conferences and other work sites using commercial travel and personal vehicles. This live audio conference will enable you to understand how and when to compensate an employee for travel time away from a work site.  more...

IRS Form 5471: Information Return for U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations BenefitsAs more U.S. companies view global markets as a necessity to survive and to grow, more U.S. companies own foreign subsidiaries to conduct foreign operations. Whether you are a growing multinational company with subsidiaries all over the globe, or a small, closely-held company that owns a Canadian subsidiary, you will have to file IRS Form 5471 for every foreign corporation that you own.  more...

Florida Employment Law Update BenefitsThis audio conference will provide you with working knowledge of the most prevalent issues facing Florida employers. The speakers, experts in management labor and employment law, have identified three areas of utmost concern. You will gain insight and the tools necessary to avoid and combat these common workplace problems. This audio conference is designed for human resource managers,  more...

Status Classification: Exempt vs. Nonexempt BenefitsEmployees and their counsel continue to pursue individual and class action overtime claims based on the alleged misclassification of exempt workers at a fever pitch. Thousands of lawsuits asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act or parallel state laws are filed each year, and the costs of defending these matters and the damages claimed and paid, whether through trial or  more...

Understanding Massachusetts' Exemptions to Employment at Will BenefitsMany Massachusetts employers feel overwhelmed by the number of laws and regulations that govern the employee-employer relationship. Often, employers feel restricted in properly dealing with employee issues, especially when employees claim they have rights or they are being harassed at work. Massachusetts law, however, recognizes at-will employment, which provides you with significant  more...

Collateral Valuation in the New Economy BenefitsThe turbulent economy of the past several years has materially impacted asset values, and the complexity of investment vehicles has made asset valuation, at best, problematic. Investors must plot an optimal course with their existing holdings. Additionally, future investments require an entirely different valuation approach than is possible under traditional models. Only the architects of  more...

Medical Records: Responding to Subpoenas and Investigations BenefitsDon't be caught off guard. You could be breaching the confidentiality of patients without even realizing it! From HIPAA requirements to state privacy laws, legal issues abound in the medical records arena. If you're not up to date on medical records law, your company could face serious legal and financial liability risks. Attend this audio conference and gain critical information on  more...

Contract Basics for Paralegals BenefitsContracts govern the basic business and commercial relationships for most of us; yet for many the basics of contract law remain a mystery. There is often misinformation about such simple questions as 'Is a handshake enough?' or 'Do all the boilerplate terms of a contract really matter?' This audio conference will address these and many more issues surrounding the formation and enforcement  more...

Form 5500 Reporting Update BenefitsEmployers who offer an employee benefit plan must file an annual report regarding the plan's financial condition, investments and operations, unless specifically exempt by law. Filing the Form 5500 will satisfy this requirement. This audio conference will help you understand when you need to file a Form 5500 and what you need to file, and will focus on some recent changes that may impact  more...

Recent Developments in Material Participation for LLCs and LLPs BenefitsThe IRS has been actively auditing and disallowing losses claimed by owners of businesses organized as limited liability entities on the grounds that the owners do not materially participate in the operations of the business. The critical element of the IRS's attack is that members of a limited liability entity are, under applicable treasury regulations, equivalent to limited partners in a  more...

Family Limited Partnerships in Estate Planning BenefitsMany estate planners who are asked about family limited partnerships or family limited liability companies do not understand the reasons for forming these entities in the planning process. They also are not clear on what is the current status of statutory and case law concerning the continued use of these entities. This audio conference will help you learn to identify when the use of this  more...

Trust Situs and State Taxation: Practical Planning Implications BenefitsState tax departments are becoming more aggressive at collecting revenues and the trend is likely to continue in light of state fiscal issues. Trusts are no exceptions. The rules under which a state can tax a trust are complex and changing in more aggressive ways. How can a state tax a trust? What planning steps can be taken? What must you understand when preparing tax returns? Each rule  more...

Recent Developments in Employer Liability for 401(k) Investments BenefitsUnhappy employees, U.S. Department of Labor investigations, IRS investigations, massive class action lawsuits - an ever-expanding list of factors bombards sponsors of 401(k) plans, and places companies and their management potentially in the cross hairs. From Enron, Worldcom and Sarbanes-Oxley, to the more recent massive class actions filed against Fortune 500 companies regarding 401(k)  more...

Impact of Health Care Reform on Elder Law BenefitsThis teleconference will teach you how the recent health care act will affect seniors and persons with disabilities. President Obama signed into law, in March of this year, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act of 2010 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. These together are referred to as the Affordability Care Act. This act makes changes to Medicaid and  more...

Family Responsibility Discrimination Law: Family Friendly Employer or Litigation Target? BenefitsFamily responsibilities discrimination against employees because of their family caregiving responsibilities is becoming a major issue for employers. Employers have been the subject of increasing but not well understood claims based on FRD claims. These claims have been pursued under a variety of both federal and state laws, and have resulted in multimillion-dollar verdicts. This  more...

Labor Law: Could 2011 Be the Turning Point for Unions? BenefitsIt's been almost two full years of President Obama's administrative initiatives - a rollout of many campaign promises. Unions played a vital role in the 2008 elections and they continue to have a large voice in upcoming Congressional elections this fall. While most of the country has been focused on health care reform, 2011 could prove to be a pivotal year for union activity. What  more...

Health Care Reform Update BenefitsPresident Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. This legislation will effectively restructure one-sixth of our economy and have a significant impact on our personal lives. Beyond the partisan politics and media hype are the practical concerns of employers, HR professionals, attorneys, third-party administrators, and other consultants and  more...

Texas Nonsubscriber Claims 101: Perspectives From Employees and Employers BenefitsTexas is the only state in the union that permits employers to opt-out of worker's compensation insurance. Employers who opt-out are known as nonsubscribers. Some nonsubscriber employers purchase insurance products that pay for medical care, lost wages and indemnify the employer if a claim is filed. Other employers self-insure and handle claims in-house or send them to third-party claim  more...

Handling Paid Leave Requests in New Jersey BenefitsIn January 2009, New Jersey became one of only a handful of states mandating that certain kinds of family leave be paid leave. Paid leave brings with it new employer compliance questions. For example, what must an employer do when an employee makes a paid leave request? Who pays for such paid leave? What laws are implicated by such a request and who decides whether an employee is eligible  more...

10 Employee Handbook Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make BenefitsWith major developments occurring in labor and employment law over the past year, now is the perfect time to review your employee handbook to ensure it is in compliance with the latest changes and includes best practices. To avoid errors in this process, you will learn the top mistakes employers make and the keys to making the employee manual a valuable tool. The new governing legal  more...

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act: The Overhaul of the U.S. Financial System BenefitsThe Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed into law by President Obama overhauls the United States financial system. This legislation will affect every corner of the financial services industry. Learn how this legislation is likely to affect you. This teleconference will review many important aspects of the Act, including the new Financial Stability Oversight  more...

Political Law Update: The Latest Developments in Election Law, Lobbyist Regulation and Political Activity Compliance BenefitsThe past two years have been a watershed period for the law of elections, politics and lobbying. At every level of government, across all 50 states, government regulation of elections, politics and lobbying is increasing in scope and changing rapidly. The Supreme Court's landmark decision in Citizens United v. FEC recognized the First Amendment right of business corporations to expressly  more...

An Introduction to L3Cs: Low-Profit Limited Liability Companies BenefitsThe current state of the economy has left many charities and businesses, all with great intentions, struggling for financial support. These organizations need to re-evaluate their business models to successfully adapt in this economic climate. This teleconference will provide advisors and business owners with a broad overview of a new hybrid for-profit/nonprofit business model: the  more...

ADA Interaction with Addictions and Personal Habits BenefitsOne of the most confounding problems for employers is what to do when an employee comes forward with a drug problem or when an employee appears to be intoxicated while at work. This teleconference is designed to educate legal and HR professionals in addressing those situations within the boundaries of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which generally protects recovering drug addicts and  more...

Implications of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act BenefitsInternet gambling is legal in many parts of the world and remains one of the most profitable e-commerce activities, despite a crackdown by authorities in the United States at both federal and state levels. U.S. law in this area is both risky and complex. Intermediaries such as payment services, banks, publishers, and Internet portals all face risks under U.S. law for providing services  more...

Criminal Liabilities Under HIPAA BenefitsMany hospitals, physician offices and other covered entities have been surprised to learn that HIPAA rules provide for criminal penalties - up to 10 years in prison for intentional violations! Now the stakes are higher and there are more stakeholders: recent stimulus legislation dramatically increased the stakes for HIPAA compliance by substantially increasing penalties for HIPAA  more...

New Technology and the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act BenefitsThis teleconference will provide you with information regarding the interplay between the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the use of new technology in contacting debtors. The speakers will cover the use of voice mail, caller ID, email, text messages and faxes, and discuss recent case law addressing the application of this technology to the debt  more...

Screening Applicants Using Social Networking Sites: Legal or Liability? BenefitsJob applicants have long used the internet to research employers. But now, employers are using the internet to research job applicants as well. Employers aren't only using search engines to find information on applicants but are now examining social networking sites, such as Facebook or MySpace . For job applicants, social networking site are places to interact with peers in any manner  more...

8 Issues When Doing Business or Contracting With Native American Tribes BenefitsThere are more than 500 federally-recognized American Indian tribes in the United States, each established under a constitution unique to the tribe. Each tribe, through its constitution and subsequent legislation, has developed its own laws and regulations addressing issues of contracting, jurisdiction and waivers, if any, of sovereign immunity. Individuals and entities seeking to do  more...

Enforcing Federal Garnishments BenefitsNearly every employer at one time or another has received a garnishment, whether for taxes, child support or general creditors. Failing to follow garnishment laws can be very costly for employers, and thus it is critical to carefully follow the requirements of any garnishment. This teleconference will explain the different kinds of garnishments under federal law and their use and  more...

Federal Tax Classification of Series LLCs BenefitsThe series LLC may be the solution to many issues that confront federal tax practitioners on a daily basis. For example, the series LLC is very useful in situations where long and expensive regulatory processes are involved with a new state law entity. The series LLC also can be used in asset backed securitizations in place of business trusts in those states that treat single member LLCs  more...

Internal Controls BenefitsWhether you're part of the Fortune 500 or a small private company, understanding how to develop and implement effective internal controls is critical to your business. In addition to helping you comply with the law, a good system of internal control can dramatically improve your bottom line. In this 90-minute teleconference, you'll learn about basic internal control concepts that will help  more...

Stark Act Update: Recent Changes and Operational Challenges BenefitsThe Stark Act is a very technical law that prohibits several common financial arrangements between physicians and entities to which they refer, including hospitals. If a physician has a financial arrangement with an entity that bills for or performs 'designated health services,' the financial arrangement will need to meet all components of an applicable exception. If the Stark Act is  more...

Implications of the Stimulus Package on HIPAA BenefitsThe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes substantial changes to requirements for the protection of health information privacy and security under HIPAA, some of which are already in effect. New requirements for business associates of HIPAA covered entities and requirements to notify individuals in the event of a breach are only two of the many areas affected in the new law,  more...

Independent Contractor Reporting BenefitsIndependent contractor status has distinct advantages for companies and workers, and continues to grow in popularity. However, as independent contractor relationships have become more common, the risks have become more apparent as well. This teleconference will help you understand how independent contractor status is determined for tax, EEO state law and other purposes, including in PEO  more...

Current Issues in Attributional and Agency Nexus BenefitsA state's ability to impose taxes on a multistate business is limited by nexus standards rooted in the U.S. Constitution. In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed its longstanding rule and held in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota that nexus requires some form of physical presence in the taxing state. However, physical presence is not limited only to direct presence. It may also be established  more...

New Regulations for the Credit Card Industry: Prepare Now and Avoid Penalties BenefitsOn May 22, 2009, President Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 to regulate several aspects of the credit card industry. This is one of the most sweeping changes to hit the industry for quite some time. This new legislation amends the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, and places a  more...

A Privacy Law Primer: What Every Attorney, Compliance and Security Officer Should Know BenefitsPrivacy and information security legislation, standards and case law are having an ever-larger impact on your relationships with your customers, clients and employees, as well as on your company's management of personal information. Issue-spotting in this area requires some familiarity with the complex state, federal and international regulatory patchwork and nongovernmental standards that  more...

Collective Bargaining and Construction Labor Contracts BenefitsThe construction industry is rife with contractors who sign collective bargaining agreements and later find out that the agreements do not accurately represent the verbal understandings they had reached with the union. Many of these contractors soon learn they are bound to the collective bargaining agreements for longer periods of time than expected and that the agreements cover all  more...

Developing a Community Nonemergency Response System BenefitsCitizens are demanding fast, easy access to government services in an efficient manner that optimizes their investment. Municipal executives are consistently seeking government solutions to improve service without increasing budgets. Elected officials know the quality of services can mean the difference between re-election and defeat. This teleconference will provide municipal leaders the  more...

Avoiding Costly Mistakes In Harassment Policies and Investigations BenefitsSexual and other forms of harassment remain a significant problem for employers. Courts and legislatures continue to create new obligations for employers and continue to increase the potential for liability for employers. Many employers continue to have policies and procedures for harassment that are outdated or that actually create potential liability. This teleconference will help you  more...

Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors: What You Need to Know About ABC's BenefitsThis teleconference will give you an overview of the basics to general assignments for the benefit of creditors, a state law alternative for the liquidation of a distressed business that while long available under state laws, has had little use outside of states such as California, Illinois, Florida and Massachusetts. The fiduciary nature and responsibilities of the assignee will be  more...

Understanding and Troubleshooting Copyright Law BenefitsCopyright is one of the most complex, confusing and broadly applicable areas of law. Copyright protection vests in even the smallest amount of creativity, and with the proliferation of electronic media, your employees and clients have unprecedented access to these protected works. As a result, it is easier than ever for you, your clients or your company's employees to infringe the  more...

Can Medical Tourism Lower Your Healthcare Costs? BenefitsThis teleconference will address a myriad of legal issues associated with persons traveling abroad for their medical care. Medical travel, or medical tourism, has become a major focus of interest as a potential means for helping to mitigate the high cost of health care in the United States. It is no longer really about tourism but substantially more about the nature of medical care that  more...

Discipline and Termination Considerations for Employees on Leave BenefitsIn an economy when many employers are forced to terminate employees, they should be cognizant of federal and state laws that may be implicated with respect to employees on leave. Employee leave can be as short as a few hours to vote, several months to care for a newborn or longer than a year due to a disability. In the event that an employee who is on leave will be terminated, whether for  more...

Health Information Exchange: The Impact of the Stimulus Code BenefitsIn February of 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act known more commonly as the Stimulus Act. The legislation for a large part included tremendous new legislation, but brings to the forefront, the first time in history, incentives for American doctors to revamp their paper charts to electronic health  more...

Dissolving Business Entities BenefitsBecause liquidations of entities occur infrequently, many legal and accounting practitioners and owners or officers of entities have not focused on the mechanics of how state law dissolutions and liquidations work with respect to corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, nor on the federal income tax consequences associated with such liquidations. This teleconference will  more...

To Test or Not to Test: The Legal Implications of Pre-Employment Testing BenefitsAs technology advances and the pool of job applicants increases, pre-employment testing is becoming a more common hiring practice for many employers. But are all tests created equal? Are they all legal? This teleconference helps you navigate and understand the different types of pre-employment tests and understand the pros and cons of testing job applicants. This teleconference will also  more...

Nonprofit Joint Ventures - Partnering with For Profit Organizations BenefitsAs economic conditions improve, joint venture activity between tax-exempts and for-profit entities is again on the upswing. Despite evolution in business conditions, the IRS positions governing this complex area of law have not eased and can be difficult to apply to complex structures. This teleconference will enable you to learn how to structure joint ventures that make business sense  more...

Don't Bet the Company: Understanding and Avoiding Class Actions in Labor and Employment Law! BenefitsYou have all seen in the news media reports of companies settling employment-related class actions for many millions of dollars. The horror of class actions is that a small claim among a few employees can mushroom into a huge claim worth millions of dollars once some ferocious plaintiff's lawyers get their teeth into it and add hundreds of additional claims through the simple process of  more...

ADA Update: Overview of Americans with Disabilities Act and Practical Implications for Employers BenefitsThe ADA Amendments Act of 2008 takes effect January 1, 2009. The new amendments substantially alter and expand the definition of disabled under the ADA and who might be protected. This teleconference will review the ADA amendments and related issues, provide you with practical advice on how to comply with the ADA, and address common ADA and employment issues that may be impacted by the new  more...

Paid Sick Leave Update: Policies and Procedures in an Evolving Workplace nMany employers voluntarily provide their employees with paid sick leave. Increasingly, however, states and localities are dictating that employers allow employees to use these voluntarily-provided paid sick leave benefits for reasons beyond those covered by the employer's program. In some cases, states and localities have begun to mandate that employers provide employees with a minimum paid sick  more...

Writing an Employee Handbook nAre you overwhelmed with the task of revising your existing employee handbook or of preparing a new employee handbook? Are you unclear about what types of employment policies are required by federal law? Stop worrying and attend this teleconference. You will learn which policies are required by law and what employment laws apply to employee handbooks. Take the first step to creating your employee  more...

California Employment Law Update nCompanies with employees in California face a bewildering and complicated set of employment laws, which are often inconsistent with federal law. This three-hour teleconference will address the most important and current issues facing California employers (or out-of-state companies with employees in California), including wage and hour compliance and litigation trends, California's unique  more...

Labor Law Update: Preparing for Upcoming Regulations nAttend this teleconference and learn the new laws and strategies regarding a variety of employment-related laws that are in effect or are expected to be in effect for 2009. From the new COBRA rules, FMLA regulations, EFCA and union initiatives, issues involving wage and hour and independent contractors, the latest drug and alcohol testing, confidentiality and security of personnel data,  more...

The New HIPAA Special Enrollment Rules and Related Disclosure Issues nRecently enacted legislation expands the special enrollment rights currently applicable to group health plans and imposes new notice and disclosure obligations for employers that maintain such plans. While many of these obligations are not effective until after 2009, the special enrollment changes are effective April 1, 2009. In addition, the new law imposes civil penalties of up to $100 a day  more...

Preparing for and Properly Reacting To Legal and Illegal Drug and Alcohol Use in the Workplace nDrug and alcohol abuse continues to have a huge impact on employee productivity and safety. At the same time, recognizing drug and alcohol abuse is outside the expertise of most managers and human resource personnel, while dealing with the problem improperly can lead to significant liability under federal and law, including the Americans With Disabilities Act and employee privacy laws. This  more...

The Do's and Don'ts of Telephone Monitoring nMany employers monitor or record employee telephone conversations as a routine part of doing business. This monitoring must comply not only with the federal wiretap statute, but with a variety of differing requirements imposed by state statutes. Since courts in California have changed the rules for telephone monitoring for anyone who makes a call into California and other states with mutual  more...

Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes (UDIPTA): Business vs. Nonbusiness Income Tax nWhile most U.S. states impose income tax on multistate business under the principles contained in the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act, state courts and taxing authorities have interpreted that set of relatively uniform laws differently, especially with regard to the definition of business income. The differing interpretations of business income have increased significance to  more...

Estate Planning Opportunities in an Uncertain Environment nMotivate the reluctant client; freeze the estate value to reduce the estate tax load. How many of us have clients waiting on the sidelines to decide what to do after experiencing 2008? The uncertain times and uncertain market have actually created the perfect time to use some of the advanced planning tools in the estate planner's arsenal. Depressed values for good assets open up the opportunity  more...

Employee Retaliation: Supreme Court Update nThe mere mention of retaliation in the workplace today sends waves of concern throughout an employer's organization. Most recent court decisions recognize retaliation claims in nearly all areas of employment law and find adverse actions in a variety of circumstances, beyond demotion and termination, for purposes of upholding such claims. Most significantly, the U.S. Supreme Court recently  more...

What the New Ledbetter Pay Act Means for Employers nOn January 29, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, effectively changing the landscape of the statute of limitations for equal pay discrimination claims. The act greatly expands the amount of time that employees have to bring claims of discriminatory pay practices, which could have a substantial impact on employers. This teleconference will help the  more...

Using Medical Certifications to Minimize Employer Liability: FMLA, ADA and Workers' Comp nSince the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, proactive and proper use of medical certifications has proven to be a valuable tool to protect employers from liability under the ADA, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1994, and state workers' compensation statutes. But the legal landscape for managing employee health issues has had many changes in recent months. Amendments to the  more...

Restructuring: Changing Your Choice of Business Entity nEach business goes through various stages of its life cycle as it grows. The plans of its owners change, and management succession and exit strategies become more immediate concerns. As a result, initial tax and state law decisions need to be revisited, and when warranted, consideration of changes to a company's tax and legal structure may be advisable or necessary. This teleconference will  more...

Strategies Short of Foreclosure: Real Estate Short Sales and Beyond nRecord numbers of foreclosures have radically changed the residential real estate market in the last year and affected all aspects of the practice of residential real estate law, real estate closings, lending and sales. Whether your real estate market has experienced a bubble burst or merely a fizz, your practice has been affected by slowing markets, the subprime meltdown and the record number of  more...

Curbing Unauthorized Overtime Benefits Year after year, one of the most challenging tasks employers face is keeping track of the hours their nonexempt employees work and correctly paying any required overtime premium. When unauthorized overtime occurs, labor costs skyrocket, and businesses face a budgeting nightmare. And when employees perform compensable work off the clock, the potential overtime liability for an employer  more...