Taking Care of HR Business

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        by Tawny L. Alvarez on September 30, 2015

        Yesterday marked the end of the Spring/Summer 2016 fashion shows in Milan. Some of next year's fashion has been described a "lyrical nerdiness,"...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on September 30, 2015

        My Facebook news feed blew up last week with reaction to Martin Shkreli's company, Turing's, 5,000% increase in the price of the anti-parasitic drug...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on September 17, 2015

        It sounds like the start to a bad joke—25 student nurse anesthetists walk into a courtroom…let's just hope you don't fall asleep before we get to...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on September 11, 2015

        No matter the faith or belief, religion makes its way into the work environment more often than one would expect. This week's headlines serve as a...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on August 24, 2015

        While we often remind employers that complaints about on-the-job stress could be a reportable event to a workers' compensation carrier, we do not...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on August 18, 2015

        Earlier this month, Maine's highest court, the Law Court, held that Governor LePage's veto attempts came too late—meaning that 65 laws which he had...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on August 18, 2015

        Yesterday the NLRB issued a ruling in the Northwestern football players' attempt to unionize. While last year the Chicago office had issued a ruling...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on August 13, 2015

        Danny Tanner may have some words of advice right now, but we think that the more apt advice can be found in previous blog posts warning employers of...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on August 13, 2015

        On Monday, Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the District of Massachusetts entered judgment in favor of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., after a five-day...

        by Robert Laplaca on August 7, 2015

        Last month, the FTC issued new "guidance" on data security for companies that collect, store, and use consumer data. This guidance "summarizes the...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on July 28, 2015

        Let us frost your day with a tasty treat—an arbitration decision out of Ohio, In re First Student, Inc. What is sweet about this arbitration you...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on July 27, 2015

        Earlier this month, a California federal judge certified a class-action lawsuit of approximately 62,000 Abercrombie & Fitch employees who claim...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on July 21, 2015

        Last week we posted about the DOL's recent interpretation of workers' status as employees versus independent contractors. Even if your company does...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on July 13, 2015

        While many of us feel like prisoners to our cell phones (not to be confused with prisons you can buy for your cell phone or companies that appear to...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on July 7, 2015

        The answer is fairly obvious: don't refer to someone as having a Jezebel Spirit. If this happens, however, and an employee can't help but make the...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on June 24, 2015

        On Monday, jurors awarded Plaintiffs Jack Lowe and Dennis Reynolds $2.25 million dollars in a GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) action...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on June 17, 2015

        Our parents consistently told us honesty was the best policy. Being honest with the people you interact with, whether, socially, romantically, or...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on June 4, 2015

        As we near Father's Day, Ferguson v. Fairfield Caterers, Inc., serves as an appropriate case to remind employers of the many facets of a retaliation...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on June 1, 2015

        Today the Supreme Court issued a decision in the highly anticipated case of EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch. Background on the case is available, as...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on May 13, 2015

        Last week a class action was filed against restaurant chain Dave & Buster's Inc. accusing the restaurant of decreasing employee hours to avoid...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on May 13, 2015

        New England administrative agencies and courts have sprung into spring with a litany of action last week that will affect New England employers....

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on May 7, 2015

        Maine will not become the first state in the Northeast to pass a right-to-work law. Yesterday, law makers in Augusta on the Legislature's Labor...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on May 6, 2015

        Wage payment and the laws that regulate it are important to your business. Making sure you can cover payroll each month is extremely important to...

        by Robert Laplaca on May 6, 2015

        Why are we doctors or lawyers or other such professionals? We're analytical and creative, persistent and interpersonal. Where did we get these...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on April 30, 2015

        Earlier this week an arbitrator ordered that three performers who wore character costumes in the "Festival of the Lion King" at Disney's Animal...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on April 28, 2015

        For all our friends and colleagues in the hospitality and retail sectors of the Maine economy, please be mindful of two pending pieces of legislation...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on April 23, 2015

        Late last month we posted on Indiana's "Religious Freedom" bill. Since then, the bill has been amended and states (including Maine) with similar...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on April 20, 2015

        Earlier this month, the Sixth Circuit issued an en banc decision in the EEOC v. Ford Motor Co. matter concerning the ADA and telecommuting; finding...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on April 20, 2015

        Last week, the District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana denied, in part, the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System's...

        by Tawny L. Alvarez on April 9, 2015

        On Tuesday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ruled that the EEOC does not have to identify any specifically aggrieved...

        About the Blog

        Human resource professionals, supervisors, and company executives are constantly confronted with a changing legal landscape. Verrill’s Taking Care of HR Business blog is designed to keep you informed about the latest and most significant legal developments that affect employers.

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        About

        Human resource professionals, supervisors, and company executives alike face a constantly changing and evolving legal landscape. Verrill’s Taking Care of HR Business blog is here to keep you up to date on the newest and most important legal developments for employers.

        Verrill’s employment and labor attorneys are based throughout New England but practice on a national stage. In addition to regular appearances in state and federal courts, they often appear before state and federal agencies that create and enforce the various frameworks that regulate the employer-employee relationship. The Group has a wide range of experience in all aspects of labor and employment law and is frequently tapped to serve on state and national legal organizations, participate in industry seminars, and contribute to professional journals, thereby continually adding value to their client relationships. Learn more about Verrill’s Employment and Labor Group.

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        Firm Highlights

        Blog

        Working 9 to 5? It’s a Way to Make a Livin’, so Make Sure You’re Payin’ for Every Minute: A Maine Employer’s Guide to Stacked Wage & Hour Rules

        Four decades after Dolly Parton gave us both the namesake anthem of the American workday and the film about three fed-up office workers’ dreams of...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Can AI Pass the Doctor Test? FDA Considers Physician-Inspired Evaluation of GenAI Devices and Other Regulatory Measures

        AI is entering healthcare with indomitable will. It promises to increase efficiency, reduce administrative burden (which healthcare providers so...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Attorney Annabel Rodriguez Named Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill attorney Annabel Rodriguez has been recognized as a Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, and will be...
        Blog

        What Employee Benefits Lawyers Do (and How to Make the Best Use of Us)

        What do employee benefits lawyers do all day and how can clients make the best use of them? This post offers an overview of the kinds of things...
        Media Mentions

        Bloomberg Law Quotes Robert Keach on Expanded Access to Small Business Reorganization

        Verrill attorney Bob Keach was recently featured in Bloomberg Law, discussing legislation that would raise debt limits for bankruptcy relief and...
        Blog

        Phil Bartlett to Step Down as Chair of the Maine Public Utilities Commission

        On September 15, 2026, Governor Janet Mills announced that Phil Bartlett will step down as Chair of the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC)...
        Published Works

        Jay McCormack and Michael Fee Co-Author AHLA Article on Skin Substitute Enforcement Trends

        Verrill Partners Jay McCormack and Michael Fee co-authored an article for the American Health Law Association's Fraud and Abuse Practice Group...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Health Care & Life Sciences Attorney Elpida Velmahos

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill is pleased to announce that Elpida Velmahos has joined the firm’s Health Care & Life Sciences Group as an...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Litigation & Trial Attorney Emma Pooler

        PORTLAND, Maine – Verrill is pleased to announce that Emma Pooler has joined the firm’s Litigation & Trial Group as an Associate, resident in...
        Published Works

        Four Verrill Attorneys Co-Author Massachusetts Trends and Developments Chapter for Chambers and Partners Child Relocation 2026 Guide

        Verrill attorneys Mary H. Schmidt, Rachel A. Deering, Hannah R. Zukoff, and Mariah G. Tappan co-authored the “Trends and Developments” chapter...
        Blog

        A New Protected Class in Maine: Holders of Final Protection Orders

        In the lead-up to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, employers may be taking a closer look at how their policies and practices respond to...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Verrill Secures SJC Victory for Boston Legacy FC in White Stadium Litigation

        Verrill has secured a significant appellate victory for Boston Legacy FC in the litigation challenging the redevelopment of White Stadium in...