The Right to Refusal to Work Executive Order Under Covid-19
May 15, 2020 | Scott M. LepakWhile the Minnesota Governor’s May 13, 2020 Executive Order related to the Safe Reopening of Minnesota’s Economy is generating considerable headlines and discussion, it is notable that there was an Executive Order issued the same day that also warrants attention by employers. In Executive Order 20-54, the Minnesota Governor ordered that employers must protect workers from unsafe working conditions and retaliation during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency. Employers are forbidden from discriminating or retaliating in any way against a worker communicating orally or in writing with management about occupational safety or health matters related to COVID-19, including asking questions or expressing concerns. This Executive Order also specifically applies existing law related to a refusal to work under certain conditions to the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers have the right to refuse to work under conditions that they, in good faith, reasonably believe present an imminent danger of death or serious physical harm. This includes a reasonable belief that they have been assigned to work in an unsafe or unhealthful manner with an infectious agent such as COVID-19. Employers must not discriminate or retaliate in any way against a worker for the worker’s good faith refusal to perform assigned tasks if the worker has asked the employer to correct the hazardous conditions, but they remain uncorrected. These…
Read MoreBGS Adds New Real Estate Attorney to Team
March 10, 2020 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Barna, Guzy & Steffen LTD. announces the addition of a new associate to our firm. Erik C. Ordahl has joined the firm’s Real Estate and Banking department and will be working closely with attorneys practicing in those areas serving existing clients and enhancing the firm’s ability to serve our community.He is an experienced real estate attorney who has worked with clients in commercial and real estate transactions negotiating and drafting agreements in land usage, real estate development projects, environmental issues, property maintenance, and more. He has also worked for the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Erik is a 2017 graduate of Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Cum Laude, where he was also a member of the Transactional Law Meet Competition team. Barna, Guzy and Steffen, LTD. has a long standing tradition of helping clients with their legal needs, serving generations of clients in the north metro. Erik is excited to be joining our legal team saying, “I look forward to being a part of the Barna, Guzy and Steffen team. It is an honor to be able to continue BGS’ long tradition of providing clients with the help they need.”
Read MoreBGS Helps Clients Navigate the Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Landscape
March 5, 2020 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.
Is your business compliant with the new California Consumer Privacy Act? Did you know the new CCPA requires many Minnesota businesses to comply with these requirements or face fines or legal action? Read on for information on how the experts at Barna, Guzy & Steffen are helping clients navigate the cybersecurity and privacy law landscape. Understanding cybersecurity and data breach laws The area of cybersecurity and privacy law is rapidly evolving. Now more than ever, companies face new compliance obligations, greater liability risk, and legal uncertainty from data breaches or privacy misconduct resulting in massive lawsuits. The passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act has led to sweeping nationwide legislation for companies to adopt appropriate data practices and manage the risks associated with new cybersecurity landscape. Steps toward compliance The first step toward compliance is understanding where and how your data is being collected, how it’s shared, and with whom – vendors, third parties, etc. Even if your business is not subject to the CCPA, you may still benefit from assessing your data-collection practices relative to enterprise risks. Next, it’s a good idea to review and update any internal privacy and security policies. The CCPA requires companies to tell consumers what type of third parties with whom you share information. Create processes to…
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