The 2019 Wage Theft Law – This Law Should Really Be Called the Employer Paperwork Creation And Administrator Blood Pressure Elevation Plus Wage Theft Act
June 14, 2019 | Scott M. LepakBack in the good old days wage theft was best described as taking employee payroll and putting it on horse number 5 in the 7th race at Canterbury Park. Starting next month (July 1, 2019), wage theft has gotten a new expansive meaning. The 2019 Wage Theft Law is a greatly expanded approach to employment record keeping. Employers are required to provide lots of information to new employees, create lengthy payroll earning statements and maintain (and make available) additional employer records. The “wage theft” part of the law relates to the potential criminal penalties for an employer’s failure to comply. These criminal laws become effective in August 2019. The new provisions fall into some basic categories: Additional information Employers are required to provide employees when they start work: The new employee hire letter must now include a written notice to employees about their employment status and terms of employment, including wages, hours and benefits. It must be provided at the start of employment. Specific information must include: • Employee’s employment status • Whether an employee is exempt from minimum wage, overtime and other state wage and hour laws, and on what basis • Number of days in the employee’s pay period and the regularly scheduled payday • Date the employee will receive the…
Read MoreWhen the Government Goes Out of Business
April 11, 2019 | Scott M. LepakThe North Suburban Hospital District, a political subdivision representing the citizens of Blaine, Fridley, Hilltop, Mounds View and Spring Lake Park, quietly and gracefully ended its long existence on April 10, 2019. The Hospital District was formed in 1960 for the primary purpose of building and initially operating Unity Hospital in Fridley. At the time it was formed and for the next 50 plus years, the Hospital District provided its citizens with a locally focused and stand-alone hospital providing a broad range of services. In meeting its obligation to the citizens of the five cities, the Hospital District contracted with service providers who operated the hospital. In recent years, the Hospital District weaned Unity from relying on tax dollars and did not levy taxes on its citizens. With the advancement and consolidation of health care in the metro area, the Hospital District board determined that it accomplished its mission. Unity is a facility that has been significantly updated. The area is now served by two hospitals as well as multiple clinics providing a broad array of services. Health care is a regional rather than local issue and is less centralized. An individual can now go into their local clinic and receive care that was only provided in hospitals as recently as a decade…
Read MoreBGS Attorney Scott Lepak Participates at Champlin's Heartsafe Community Training
December 12, 2018 | Scott M. LepakBGS Shareholder and Champlin City Attorney Scott Lepak participated in the City of Champlin’s Heartsafe Community CPR training during the November 13, 2018 City Council Meeting. The City of Champlin began its HEARTSafe Initiative to educate the community about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and increase the survivability of a person who has an SCA. HEARTSafe Champlin is a partnership between the Champlin Police Department, Anoka-Champlin Fire and Allina Health Services to provide training in CPR, access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and instruction in how to use them, as well as an outlet for purchasing these lifesaving devices. This is the third time Scott has been through CPR training. “When I had my first CPR class in high school, we learned the method of alternating chest compressions and mouth to mouth”, Scott said, “the mouth to mouth component always generated the most conversation and reluctance during the training. Now that we are taught to focus on chest compressions, this training is much easier and no longer contains the mouth to mouth element that many people hesitated to do.” Scott had his second training as part of our law firm’s commitment to this program. Scott said, “the AED equipment we have now is very user friendly – even for folks that have not done…
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