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Posted on January 6, 2011 by Ruder Ware Alumni
As many observers anticipated, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”), prior to the expiration of Member Becker ‘s recess appointment on December 31, 2011, successfully promulgated and published a final rule adopting several so-called “quickie election” provisions designed to make union avoidance a more challenging proposition for private-sector employers. The final rule is available to […]
Posted on December 22, 2010 by Mary Ellen Schill
The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (“2010 Tax Relief Act”) provides a major change in the withholding of Social Security taxes from employees’ wages and provides for the extension of several other benefit related provisions that were set to expire on December 31, 2010. Attorney Melissa Kampmann recently authored […]
Posted on December 20, 2010 by Melissa S. Kampmann
On December 17, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (“2010 Tax Act”). The new law centers around a temporary, two-year reprieve from the expiration of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (“EGTRRA”) and the Jobs and Growth Tax […]
Posted on December 3, 2010 by Mary Ellen Schill
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the optional standard mileage rates for computing the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business, medical, and moving expenses for 2011. Effective January 1, 2011, the optional standard mileage rates will be 51 cents per mile for business transportation, and 19 cents per mile for travel relating to […]
Posted on December 3, 2010 by Ruder Ware Alumni
It is a well settled law in Wisconsin that an at-will employee may be terminated for any reason unless the termination violates public policy as expressed in the Constitution, a statute, administrative rule, or other enactment. Recently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court addressed a situation in which an at-will employee claimed that she was illegally terminated […]
Posted on November 23, 2010 by Mark D. Munson
December 2010 may be one of the best times to use a grantor retained annuity trust (or “GRAT”) to transfer assets to children and grandchildren free of gift taxes. The reason is that based on current tax rules, it is assumed that assets transferred to a GRAT in December 2010 will yield an annual return […]
Posted on November 15, 2010 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities. Although the ADA does not mandate that an employer grant a leave of absence to an employee with a disability, such a leave in certain cases may be necessary to comply with the ADA’s reasonable accommodation requirement. Thus, […]
Posted on November 12, 2010 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently filed an unfair labor practice complaint against a Company alleging that the Company has an overbroad Internet and blogging policy that interferes with an employee’s right to engage in protected activity. In a complaint filed against American Medical Response of Connecticut, Inc., the NLRB has alleged that the […]
Posted on October 28, 2010 by Mary Ellen Schill
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the cost-of-living adjustments for the various qualified retirement plan limits. Note that all of the limits shown below are unchanged from 2010, because the relevant cost-of-living index for 2010 is less than the cost-of-living index for 2009, the basis for the cost-of-living increases. Qualified Plan Limit Cost-of-Living Adjustments 401(k) […]
Posted on October 27, 2010 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The Federal Wiretap Act governs illegal recording of communications. A violation of the Federal Wiretap Act is when a person illegally intercepts an oral communication or intentionally uses or discloses the contents of an oral communication with knowledge that it was illegally intercepted. Recently, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction covers Wisconsin, ruled […]