Notwithstanding continuing unfulfilled promises of business liability shields from COVID lawsuits at the federal level, a number of additional states are now considering implementing their own liability shields at the state level. Currently, both Indiana and Florida are considering bills filed for the new legislative sessions that would provide a level of immunity from potentially…
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Presidents and presidential candidates come and go, with this year’s election no different than many others in our country’s history in that regard. But many of the issues Dunkin’ franchise owners care about are not solely or even principally determined in Washington, D.C. Rather, state lawmakers and their counterparts on the local level – city…
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought small business numerous challenges. We can now add another to the list: Employees filing increasing numbers of COVID-19 related lawsuits. In fact, according to the Fisher Phillips Employment Litigation Tracker, as of November 1, COVID-19 related lawsuits have been filed against 950 employers. The highest number of lawsuits were filed…
Read More »As we trudge along to a presidential winner, the question of business COVID-19 liability shields for businesses continues to generate discussion. Yesterday in DC, the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development & Insurance held a virtual public hearing on H.R. 7011, The Pandemic Risk Reinsurance Act (PRIA). This legislation, filed by Congresswoman…
Read More »While the results of the presidential will not be known, let alone certified for quite some time, such delays are not the case in a host of ballot question issues from around the country. Perhaps having the greatest immediate impact on businesses, Amendment 2 was passed by Florida voters with a 61% plurality (the constitutional…
Read More »It might seem like nothing more than political rhetoric when it is spewed by Washington politicians, but helping small business cope with the fallout from the coronavirus is in the forefront of the voter’s mind according to the latest survey by Goldman Sachs. The financial giant released a survey of Florida voters earlier this month…
Read More »Speaking of efforts to mandate increases in state minimum wages, the latest polling on the Florida minimum wage ballot initiative shows the effort is not as sure a winner as was originally projected. Amendment 2 on the November ballot, which would increase the state current minimum wage of $8.56 per hour to $10 per hour…
Read More »The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation a few weeks ago that mandates businesses provide further accommodations for the convenience of pregnant employees. Although the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 2694) has yet to pass the Senate and may never, in fact become law, it was passed by the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in…
Read More »It may not be all that businesses need, but there’s many positives to be drawn from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signing HB 606 into law just over one week ago. The “Good Samaritan Expansion Bill”, as the legislation is known, provides employers with state-law immunity from civil actions brought by customers, employees or others for…
Read More »Elsewhere over the Labor Day weekend, activist groups – including SEIU and other labor unions – held rallies and protests in support of Amendment 2 on the November ballot. Amendment 2 is a constitutional amendment proposed – and funded – by Orlando attorney John Morgan to increase the state minimum wage to $15 per hour…
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