As of this writing, we are about one month away from the implementation of a new sales tax on certain technology-related services. The Maryland Comptroller's Office has published emergency regulations to implement the tech tax. This is a fast-moving matter, and to be frank, I...
As we approach summer, we are approaching the first summer (2025) when Maryland's Heat Stress Standards will be in effect. Adopted in September 2024, the standards apply to all employers in the state. Maryland’s new Heat Stress Standards establish mandatory protections for employees exposed to high...
As we all know, life happens, and sometimes life can bring you a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood, earthquake, power outage, or even a random government shutdown. We can't predict what will happen, but we can control our response to what happens. Planning for disaster recovery...
One of our many functions at the Johnston Business Law Group is to prepare, review, and revise employee handbooks and other Human Resources policies. Aside from contract review, employment law matters take up the vast bulk of our time here. While employee handbooks are a...
On January 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its long-awaited Final Rule on independent contractor classification. The Final Rule is intended to clarify the circumstances in which a company can properly engage a worker as an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards...
Okay, I will admit, it has taken me a while to get caught up on recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission activities. But back in September, the EEOC sued the Chesapeake Montessori Foundation, Inc., the operator of the Chesapeake Montessori School in Annapolis, MD. The EEOC...
Minimum Wage Increase Effective January 1, 2024, the state minimum wage will increase statewide to $15.00 per hour with a few exceptions. All employers in the state will be required to comply. However, like the federal minimum wage law, which operates as a floor, localities in...
The Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer as moot, leaving a crucial question unresolved regarding the standing of "testers" under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). "Testers" are individuals who assess compliance with the...
Effective October 1, 2023, Maryland will expand the number of individuals who cannot be subject to a non-compete agreement with their employer. Large employers, defined as companies employing 15 or more employees, may not impose a non-compete agreement on any employee earning less than $19.88...