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Please Click HerePosted on June 19, 2014 by Amy E. Ebeling
I received a telephone call from a prospective client yesterday. Let s call her Suzie. Suzie called me asking for guidance on how to handle a phone call she received from the IRS. The caller stated on Suzie s voicemail that Suzie had 2 hours to return the call and resolve her tax issues or […]
Posted on June 18, 2014 by Amy E. Ebeling
This is your reminder that your Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Reports (FBARs) are due on June 30th. If you have a financial interest in or signature authority over a foreign financial account, including a bank account, brokerage account, mutual fund, trust, or other type of foreign financial account exceeding certain thresholds, you must report […]
Posted on June 18, 2014 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Many employers, in an effort to improve workplace productivity, efficiency and safety, implement so-called “Solicitation and Distribution of Materials” policies. These policies generally prohibit non-work-related communications by employees during work time, as well as distribution of non-work-related materials in work areas [or distribution in non-work areas by employees during work time]. These policies may also […]
Posted on June 16, 2014 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Recently, several businesses have asked me to carefully scrutinize their employment application forms for compliance with state and federal law. Interestingly, one question that consistently arises is whether employers in Wisconsin are permitted to ask questions about convictions and arrests within employment application forms. I have found that there is a great deal of confusion […]
Posted on June 13, 2014 by Shanna N. Yonke
Generally, federal and state bankruptcy laws protect traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) from creditor claims. Courts have differed, however, on whether those laws also protect an IRA that is inherited (an “inherited IRA”) by a child or other beneficiary of the account owner. Historically, Wisconsin courts have taken the position that inherited IRAs are not […]
Posted on June 11, 2014 by Amy E. Ebeling
Taxpayer Bill of Rights – On Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) unveiled the new and improved “Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights.” Unbeknownst to most taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Code actually sets forth rights of taxpayers (who knew!). The IRS touts that the new Bill of Rights will make it easier for taxpayers to understand their […]
Posted on June 10, 2014 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Many companies have a policy that prohibits employees from talking about their salary or benefits in order to avoid morale issues in the workplace. It is sometimes hard to enforce a policy like this, but companies believe it is important to make it clear that a discussion of salary that an employee receives is not […]
Posted on June 6, 2014 by Ruder Ware Alumni
A recent decision from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals has addressed the question whether a six-month leave of absence for a disabled employee is sufficient to satisfy the reasonable accommodation requirement. The Court of Appeals found that Kansas State University satisfied the reasonable accommodation requirements under the Rehabilitation Act when terminating an assistant professor […]
Posted on June 5, 2014 by Amy E. Ebeling
Over the past few years, we have all become accustomed to tax deductions, credits, and reduced rates expiring. We have also become accustomed to our elected officials debating until the very last minute about whether to extend sunsetting tax provisions. I am eager to report that 2014 will be no different – a senate bill […]
Posted on June 4, 2014 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The National Labor Relations Board continues to reach out to provide protection to employees. In a recent decision, the Board concluded that an outburst in the workplace by an employee was considered protected speech, because the employee did not explicitly threaten violence and did not act in a violent fashion. The employee did, in a […]