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Please Click HerePosted on July 13, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Wisconsin’s exclusive remedy of worker’s compensation has long been a bulwark against civil suits brought by employees (subject to a few narrow exceptions not applicable here). This bulwark has survived a creative attack in an asbestos case in Pecher v. Owens-Illinois, Inc. 859 F.3d 396 (2017), which was decided on June 6, 2017. The case […]
Posted on July 11, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
On its face the decision of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Flug v. LIRC, 2017 WI 72 (decided on June 30, 2017), is a clear, important win for the employer side in common injuries that involve pre-existing degenerative conditions. The general circumstances presented in Flug are familiar. In that case, a forty-three year old retail […]
Posted on June 29, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
In a unanimous and much-anticipated decision released today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a committee of school personnel formed to review materials for a high school course under a procedure set forth in school board rules is a “governmental body” subject to the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law. The case (Krueger v. Appleton Area School […]
Posted on June 14, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Recent action by the Trump Administration has raised a new question regarding joint employer status and whether particular employees hired (individually or through a company) to provide work for another company should be considered an employee of the hiring company. The past Department of Labor issued various memos that indicated a crackdown on independent contractor […]
Posted on June 2, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
An age-old problem faced by municipal officials is what to do about residents and landowners who fail to take care of their properties and allow junk, debris, and other unsightly items to accumulate. This often leads to citizen complaints and even health and safety issues. When municipalities take enforcement action against such properties, they usually […]
Posted on May 31, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
A recent decision in the Northern District of California highlighted the importance of employers applying a consistent rule that employees must notify the employer if they are unable to report to work, even if the employee suffers from a disabling condition. In a recent decision, the Federal Court Judge held that a Company properly terminated […]
Posted on May 23, 2017 by Sara J. Ackermann
Some Frequently Asked Questions for the Curious… The House passed a bill named the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017 earlier this month that, if signed into law, would dramatically change private sector compensation in the United States. Interested? Keep reading. What is “comp time”? “Comp time” is the concept of allowing an employee who […]
Posted on May 22, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has interpreted the meaning of “substantial fault” in an unemployment insurance case, which will be applicable in worker’s compensation cases, as well. The case is Operton v. Labor and Industry Review Commission, 2017 WL 1743039. In doing so the Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, which […]
Posted on May 18, 2017 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on May 17, 2017 that the deadline for employers with 250 and more employees to electronically submit information from their 2016 Form 300A to OSHA is being extended. Under the electronic reporting rule that went into effect on January 1, 2017, the original deadline was to be […]
Posted on May 8, 2017 by Mary Ellen Schill
The Internal Revenue Service on May 5th announced the cost-of-living adjustments for the HSA contribution limits and for High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for 2018. HSA/HDHP Requirement Cost-of-Living Adjustments Limit on HSA Contributions – Self-only HDHP 2017 – $3,400 2018 – $3,450 Limit on HSA Contributions – Family HDHP 2017 – […]