Essentially every municipality has adopted a zoning ordinance which, among other things, serves to regulate the development of real property and the types of uses to which such real property may be put within the boundaries of the municipality. Typically, a...
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Essential Business Practice: Effective Record Retention Policy
Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that parties "may obtain discovery regarding any non-privileged matter that is relevant to any party's claim or defense [...]," but may not obtain discovery of electronically stored information from sources that...
Proposed Changes to the Physician Self-Referral Law
Health care providers should be aware of a proposed rule recently issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that expands the regulations governing physician self-referrals, (the "Stark Law"). The Stark Law prohibits a physician from making...
Private Foundation or Charity? Cracking the “Code” on 501(c)(3) Organizations
If you have been involved in the not-for-profit sector, particularly that subsect of the industry involving federally tax-exempt organizations under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, then you have probably come across well-intentioned colleagues using the words...
Navigating Mortgage Relief Options Under The CARES Act
Homeowners challenged to stay current with their mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 crisis are finding relief in several federal emergency measures provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act. Two provisions include a 60-day...
Remote Notarization Has Arrived in Rhode Island (Temporarily)
On Friday, April 3, 2020, Rhode Island Secretary of State issued revised Standards of Conduct for Notary Publics in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, adding Section 8, which authorizes Remote Online Notarization (RON) of legal documents during the...
Enhanced Bankruptcy Options For Small Businesses Under The CARES Act
With little fanfare, the Bankruptcy Code received its first major revision in 15 years in February 2020. This new revision – called “Subchapter V” – is primarily designed to make it easier for qualified small businesses with total secured and unsecured debt of up to...
“Inside Business – Powered Up For Success” Online Learning Center Offers Resources for Businesses
PLDO's recent launch of its online multimedia learning center, Inside Business - Powered Up For Success, is dedicated to assisting entrepreneurs, startups and business owners grow, thrive and succeed in today’s business environment. The platform is a resource library...
A “Reasonable Accommodation” Must Be Reasonable
For employers determining what constitutes a “reasonable accommodation” can often be a challenge. A very recent decision by a federal court in Connecticut highlights the fact that what constitutes “reasonable” is not without limits, and an employer is not obligated to...