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...
PLDO Law Blog
Firm News
WEDDINGS ARE (STILL) NOT AN “AGRICULTURAL OPERATION”
The Rhode Island Supreme Court recently had the opportunity to review a 2014 amendment to the Right to Farm Act (the "RFA") in The Gerald P. Zarrella Trust et al. v. Town of Exeter et al., SU #2016-301-A. In that matter, the plaintiff sought a declaration that RFA, as...
INSURING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE: A QUICK PRIMER
What do you do when your largest customer goes bankrupt? Panic? Probably. But, once the immediate panic subsides, some smart business owners call their insurance company and put in a claim under their "accounts receivable insurance" policy. Accounts receivable and...
Deadline for Comments to RI DOH For Proposed Cannabis Testing Laboratories is Jan. 18, 2018
The Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH) intends to stand up cannabis testing facilities, according to the agency's notice on Licensing Analytical Laboratories for Sampling and Testing Medical Marijuana. The public has until the close of business on January 18,...
ATTENTION SNOWBIRDS: DO YOU PASS THE DOMICILE TEST?
“A person doesn't know how much he has to be thankful for until he has to pay taxes on it.” This anonymous quote is timely. It is rumored that the Rhode Island Division of Taxation (“the Division”) is reviewing its procedures for determining whether a Rhode Islander...
HOW CLOSELY HELD BUSINESSES CAN PREVENT MANAGEMENT DEADLOCKS
Differences in opinion on how to achieve a stated goal in a closely held business can lead to disputes that block the enterprise from moving forward. Closely held businesses are characterized by a limited number of shareholders and a lack of public trading. The...
WHY ESTATE PLANNING FOR BUSINESSES IS CRITICAL (NOT OPTIONAL)
Owning your own business can be extremely demanding. From your customers to your employees, there’s hardly enough time in the day. While most entrepreneurs are consumed by the day-to-day challenges of running their businesses, they often neglect the critical task of...
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:...