A bill passed in the Kentucky Senate (by a vote of 22-12) and currently awaiting House action in the Judiciary Committee proposes to amend the portion of KRS 311.377 pertaining to the confidentiality of certain medical records. If passed, Senate Bill 18, sponsored by Senator Ralph Alvarado of Senate District 28, will prevent ...
Small employers now have the ability to assist employees with the cost of health care through a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (QSEHRA). Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), small employers were able to offer stand-alone health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) to help employees pay for ...
On January 27, 2017, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order, entitled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” This Executive Order suspends entry by individuals into the United States who are from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for 90 days, and indefinitely suspends the ...
By Steve Hall
Having been sworn in as the Forty-Fifth president of the United States, Donald Trump will now appoint individuals who will leave their fingerprints on the intellectual property landscape. Although it might not happen overnight, at some point in 2017 the President is expected to appoint a Director of the United States Patent and ...
By Glen Krebs
Beginning January 22, 2017, Employers must use the new Form I-9 when hiring a new employee. The new form is dated 11/14/2016. The old form (dated 03/08/2013) will not be acceptable for a date of hire after January 22, 2017. The old and new forms are not too different. Regarding the new form, United States Citizenship and Immigration ...
In a matter of great interest to many employers, last week, the United States Supreme Court agreed to decide whether arbitration agreements that prohibit employees from pursuing class and collective remedies are enforceable. Courts are currently divided on the issue. The Supreme Court granted certiorari in three cases ...
Last week, the United States Supreme Court agreed to decide whether the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is the proper venue for challenges to the “Clean Water Rule.” As previously detailed on this blog, the Clean Water Rule was promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to clarify and ...
Last week, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals decided a case that sheds further light on a relatively new phenomenon associated with the term “reverse patent troll.” (Phigenix, Inc. v. ImmunoGen, Inc., January 9, 2017.) The notion of “abusive patent litigation” in the language of the Patent Office has existed for more than a decade ...
This week, Kentucky joined a growing majority of states across the country as a “Right to Work” state. This means employees in Kentucky cannot be forced to join a union and pay dues. The new law applies to all collective bargaining agreements (including extensions) entered into after January 7, 2017. The Right to Work law will not impact ...
Last Friday, January 6, 2017, Wyatt reported that Kentucky was poised to join 26 other states that have enacted right-to-work laws, as Kentucky’s new GOP House majority passed HB1. Over the weekend, HB1 was approved by the GOP Senate majority, and on Monday, January 9, 2017, Governor Matt Bevin signed HB1 into law. The new ...