As an attorney and an HR professional, we have often been presented with the following questions: “How do I fire my employee?” or “Can I fire my employee?” These are seemingly simple questions. In earlier times, we might have responded, “Well, of course you can. You walk into their office and tell them they are [...]
Be Careful What You Put In Writing: Preparing Your Incident Reports All construction companies throughout Washington and Oregon have (or should have) detailed safety plans. In case of an injury, property damage, or a near miss on a jobsite, most safety plans include a standard accident or incident report that is filled out by the [...]
What are some basics that I need to know about the HIPAA privacy and security rules? Our clients are frequently asked if they are HIPAA compliant. Other than clinics and doctor’s offices, few of them are aware of even the basics. This brief article describes some key provisions of a very broad law. The Health [...]
What is a UCC Search and Why is it Important? You may not have heard of the UCC unless you frequently lend money, but if you are purchasing business assets you may need to understand the basics. Whether you’re purchasing used equipment or buying the books and accounts of a business, make sure you protect [...]
New Rules for Waiting Periods in 2014 An employer with a policy that requires a waiting period before an employee is eligible for health insurance coverage should review it to ensure they are compliant heading into 2014. Proposed rules implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would prohibit employers from imposing waiting periods of [...]
What is the Difference between an LLC and Corporation? The first major decision for any new business owner is, “how do I protect myself legally?” Whether through a google search or a discussion with a friend or lawyer, a new owner inevitably hears about limited liability companies and corporations. Since both offer the liability protection [...]
Lifting the Ban on General Solicitation in Rule 506(c) Securities Offerings In a long awaited and widely sought change, the SEC has recently announced a final rule (the “final rule”) lifting the ban on general solicitation or general advertising (collectively, “general solicitation”) in certain private offerings of securities, as required by the JOBS Act. The [...]
Do you know when your last project was substantially complete? Most contractors would probably agree that substantial completion is not actual completion. A recent Oregon Court of Appeals case, however, shed light on the meaning of “substantial completion” under Oregon’s statute of repose (ORS 12.135) for construction claims. A statute of repose is similar to [...]