In our last article, we talked about the barrage of paperwork required for family medical leaves and the relatively quick turnaround times required. What happens when some of that paperwork is not returned or provided? For example, let’s say the employee decides to decline FMLA leave or just doesn’t return any required certification form. ThereRead More
News and Events
Joint Bank Accounts with Children: Why Joint Accounts Are Risky
If you are considering adding your adult child’s name to your bank account, you should consider the risks associated with doing so. Although it may be convenient and easy to accomplish, placing your adult child’s name on your bank account is not a recommended practice. The person you add to your account is presumed toRead More
FMLA Leave – Paper, Paper, Paper!!
On April 18, the federal DOL is coming to town to talk about the Family Medical Leave Act. The program is sponsored by Central Maine Human Resources Association. Non-members can sign up here. So, while we’re on that topic, let’s say that your employee has told you that they need to be out of work forRead More
Jordan Payne Hay to Address Chamber of Commerce
Skelton Taintor & Abbott associate attorney Jordan Payne Hay will be the featured speaker at the Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce breakfast on April 6, 2017. The topic is intellectual property, and Attorney Hay will focus on various aspects of trademarks, such as the reasons to get a trademark, how to register, whereRead More
LGBTQ in the Workplace and Beyond: Ask the Commission for Guidance
On Tuesday, March 21, at the Carriage House in Lewiston, Amy Sneirson, executive director of the Maine Human Rights Commission, and Bridget McAlonan, of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, will present a program discussing the law, regulations, and practical advice and guidance on handling LGBTQ issues in the workplace. They will also discuss how to integrateRead More
National Origin Discrimination: What You Need to Know… And Questions You Might Be Afraid to Ask
Regardless of which side of the aisle you fall on, we can all agree that national origin has been in the news quite a bit this winter. In November, 2016, the EEOC actually issued some updated guidance for employers on the ins and outs of national origin discrimination. You can find it here. Here’s what youRead More
Rattey to Present at National Business Institute Seminar
AUBURN, Maine –Skelton Taintor & Abbott shareholder Norman J. Rattey will be one of three presenters at the National Business Institute’s day-long program titled Handling the Sale of a Business. It takes place on February 10, 2017 at the Fireside Inn & Suites in Portland. Designed for attorneys, accountants, enrolled agents, paralegals, lenders and loan officers,Read More
If You Get a Trademark – Should It Be In Maine or Throughout The United States (Part II)
If you decide to trademark your company’s name, logo, slogan, or all of the above, one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is whether you’d like to register your mark just in Maine or on the national level. One of the benefits of registering just in Maine is that registration is lessRead More
To Trademark or Not to Trademark? (Part I)
That is the question. Many business and service providers operate for years without considering whether they should trademark elements of their business. The most common way people think of (and see) trademarks are through logos (think: New England Patriots or Apple Computers).* However, a company can also trademark a slogan it commonly uses, like, “Employment Wisdom on theRead More
Pay Up: New Maine Minimum Wage Affects Salaried Employees
On January 7, Maine’s new minimum wage went into effect. That meant that hourly workers had to be paid at least $9 an hour as of that day. The new minimum salary requirement will be $519.24 per week, up from the federal minimum of $455 per week. State law requires that overtime-exempt employees be paid anRead More
