PLDO Law Blog
New Deadlines Announced for Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law
In 2018, Massachusetts passed a new law that provides workers with paid family and medical leave (the “PFML Law”). With limited exceptions, it applies to most Massachusetts employers, large and small, and includes both W-2 employees and some independent contractors...
Artificial Intelligence – What The Developing Landscape Means For Your Business
The Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) industry is rapidly emerging as one of the most interesting new advancements likely to impact a broad array of industries. AI is well beyond the nascent stages of development, and is quickly taking center stage as a gateway profit...
Medical Second Opinions In The Digital Age: When A Tumor Isn’t A Tumor
Cybersecurity researchers have recently created a computer virus that was able to trick three radiologists into thinking their patients had cancer. The researchers were also able to fool automated screening systems by altering images and scans to place fake “tumors”...
DOL Issues New Opinion on Expanding Benefits Under The Family Medical Leave Act
With the latest pronouncement by the Department of Labor (“DOL”) regarding the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), employers are wise to review and revise leave policies to ensure that they do not run afoul of the agency’s most recent interpretation of the law. On...
BIG DATA – Approach with Mindful Caution
The digital footprint we leave behind when we post, purchase or shop online are like the bread crumbs of our daily lives and behaviors. This trail creates a profile of who we are, what we do, what we like or dislike and so much more. In this video, PLDO Partner Brian...
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...
Not The Sweet Kind Of “Cookies”: The New Tax On Vendors Making Internet Sales
Sure, it’s the holiday season, but these cookies aren’t the heart-shaped kind that you give your Valentine. These “cookies” are packets of data that businesses rely on to operate their websites. Cookies allow businesses to identify and track users, then customize...
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...
DANGER LURKS WITH INCENTIVE-BASED SALES STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH IT PLATFORMS
A wise person learns from the mistakes of others; and recently, the health IT industry was afforded such a learning opportunity by a well-known EHR platform. athenahealth, Inc. (Athena), an industry-leading EHR vendor, agreed to pay $18.25 million to resolve...
