Category: Corporate & Business law
FMLA Boot Camp
March 18, 2019 | Tyler W. EubankThe Basics The Family Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, allows employees to take 12–26 months of unpaid leave for their own or a family member’s medical reasons. The FMLA generally applies to employers who have 50 or more employees. An employee covered by the FMLA must have been employed for at least a year and has worked at least 1,250 hours during preceding 12-month period. Intermittent FMLA and Reduced Leave Schedules Taking FMLA for a medical procedure or illness is one matter, it is another when that illness comes and goes unexpectedly. This is where intermittent FMLA and reduced leave schedules come into play. Intermittent FMLA allows employees to take FMLA in periodic blocks of time. For example, a pregnant mother may take days off in order to attend prenatal doctor appointments. Likewise, a migraine sufferer may use intermittent FMLA for migraine flare-ups. A reduced leave schedule allows an employee to reduce the number of hours the employee works in a day or a week. This is generally allowed for an employee recovering from an illness who is not yet able to work their full schedule. Certification The preceding likely has you begging the questions: What illnesses are covered and how do I know that the illnesses are real? The FMLA only applies…
Read MoreBGS proudly celebrates Women Entrepreneurs
October 19, 2018 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.BGS attorney Carole Clark Isakson has been a volunteer attorney with Women Venture for almost a year now, and last week was wonderfully surprised to find that her first WV client, LaTonya Johnson (Minnesota Electrolysis LLC) won this year’s “Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained Emerging Business Award”! Ms. Johnson’s award was presented on October 12, 2018 at the 23rd annual Women Mean Business luncheon and marketplace. Carole spent several months working with Ms. Johnson (and Women Venture) negotiating the terms of the purchase of assets, setting up Minnesota Electrolysis LLC, drafting documents and handling employee and operational issues. It was a great experience for lawyer and client alike, and Ms. Johnson’s receipt of the well deserved reward was an additional confirmation that her business will continue to prosper. For Ms. Isakson’s part, she found great satisfaction in using her legal skills to assist a new business venture, and continues to work with Ms. Johnson and Women Venture. BGS encourages all of its attorneys to play positive roles in community organizations and to provide pro bono legal services. In fact, Carole has been named a North Star Lawyer five consecutive years by the MSBA as certified that she provided at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services annually. Women Venture has been around for…
Read MoreBGS Attorney Presents Electronic Data Security Seminar
October 12, 2018 | Carole Clark IsaksonOn October 11th BGS attorney Carole Clark Isakson presented a seminar on data privacy issues to a large audience of Anoka County Bar Association attorneys. The seminar, entitled “Basic Electronic Data Security Issues”, addressed the professional and ethical obligations of attorneys in dealing with client (and employee) data in addition to covering privacy laws and how to implement them at law firms and businesses in general. Associate Attorney Nicole Wiebold spoke on the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which became effective in May of this year. [maxbutton id=”1″ ] Data breaches strike almost a third of US businesses each year, according to one source, and the costs of remediation (coupled with the loss of business and reputation) can result in the failing of many businesses. Protecting client and customer data requires focus on three areas, and Ms. Isakson discussed all three, taking questions from the audience throughout the presentation. Protecting data requires three things: 1. Technical controls (such as up to date computers and software); 2. Physical controls (like locked offices and elevators); and 3. Administrative controls (teaching all technology users to use cell phones and other devices in a safe way, and implementing firm wide data security assessments and policies). Ms. Isakson also offered practical advice on public wi-fi use (don’t!) and…
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