On April 2, 2018, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision on the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA") exemption that provides the FLSA's overtime pay requirement does not apply to any salesmen, partsmen, or mechanics primarily engaged in selling or servicing...
PLDO Law Blog
Adam Greshowak
PRIOR SALARY HISTORY MAY NOT ALWAYS BE LAWFUL BASIS TO SET PAY
The Equal Pay Act provides that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work. In a recent case, Rizo v. Yovino, No. 16-15372 (Apr. 9, 2018), the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that an employer cannot justify a wage difference...
MA Cannabis Control Commission Opens Application Process for Recreational Marijuana Licenses
On April 2, 2018, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission began taking applications for adult use or recreational use marijuana licenses. The first eligible to apply are considered "Priority Certifications" and are those businesses that are already registered...
SEXUAL IDENTITY LAW CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
Federal law and precedent involving workplace discrimination based on sexual identity stands in stark contrast to current state laws in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and most "blue" states. However, that could change. Several federal courts have recently recognized that...
PAY EQUITY IN RHODE ISLAND: EMPLOYERS, ARE YOU IN COMPLIANCE?
Rhode Island’s Pay Equity Act was expanded in 2023, creating additional obligations for employers with employees located in, or working from, the state. Once only prohibiting differences in wages based on gender, Rhode Island’s Pay Equity Act prohibits differences in...
ESTATE PLANNING FOR THE BUSINESS. HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE DEATH OF A BUSINESS OWNER
In the final season of “Succession,” Logan Roy’s death creates a power vacuum within Waystar Royco, the fictional media conglomerate that Logan founded and acted as CEO of until his death. This raises a difficult question that many, if not all, business owners face:...
HOW A HOLOGRAPHIC WILL CAN LEAD TO LITIGATION
In season four of Succession, Logan Roy, the patriarch of the family and acting CEO of Waystar Royco, suddenly passes away amid a corporate merger. The majority ownership of the company was divided amongst the Roy Family, in what appears to be a series of highly...
I’VE WATCHED SUCCESSION – WHY ON EARTH WOULD I GIVE MY KIDS THAT LEVEL OF POWER?
Step into the “way back” machine when a younger media mogul, Logan Roy, was contemplating the succession of his empire and grooming his children by giving them management positions in the company. This is a common scenario in business, as well as estate planning....
HOW TO LEGALLY CHANGE OR REVOKE A WILL IN RHODE ISLAND
A last will and testament is a legal document that states your final wishes for your assets and estate. Commonly, the will you originally create will need to be amended or modified as life circumstances change. For example, births, marriages, divorces, and deaths...