The outbreak of COVID-19 has reached pandemic levels, prompting public and private action. Governments at all levels nationwide have issued emergency orders and resolutions establishing public health strategies and guidance for employers, communities and individuals to abide by during this time. Businesses are designing and implementing plans to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace with the hope that business operations can continue with minimal disruption. Even in the face of a pandemic, employers must pay attention to and comply with federal and state employment laws while making decisions that impact the health and wellbeing of their …
The Passage of Time Can Minimize the Effectiveness of Your Estate Plan
Estate planning is the process for how you transfer your personal and investment assets, business interests, and wealth in general to heirs and others. This process can be very important for anyone who wants to be certain that their loved ones are adequately provided for and taken care of, and that the process is streamlined and cost effective. When done properly, estate planning aims to allow you to pass on your assets as you see fit, minimize the tax issues associated with transfer of wealth, avoid probate court proceedings to transfer title to certain assets, and provide protections for your …
Political Signs on Limited Public Forums
As the 2020 primary and general election swiftly approaches, local governmental entities (i.e., cities, townships, villages, and municipalities) will be required to regulate hundreds of polling stations throughout the State of Ohio for citizens to vote for candidates in national, state, and local elections. These local governmental entities must effectively balance voters’ rights to free speech and the local interest to keep polling stations safe, organized, and void of any political bias for any of the candidates. Churches that serve as polling stations across Ohio have attempted to regulate the type of political signs displayed on their property. According to …
Seven Coolidge Wall Attorneys Named 2020 Ohio Super Lawyers
Coolidge Wall Co., L.P.A. is pleased to announce that seven of its attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in 2020 Ohio Super Lawyers®: Michelle D. Bach: Workers’ Compensation Christopher R. Conard: General Litigation, State, Local & Municipal, Land Use/Zoning, Administrative Law, Criminal Defense, Estate & Trust Litigation Marc L. Fleischauer: Employment & Labor, Employment Litigation David C. Korte: Workers’ Compensation Stephen M. McHugh: State, Local & Municipal, Estate Planning & Probate, Real Estate David P. Pierce: Business Litigation, Employment & Labor, Civil Litigation Richard A. Talda: Business Litigation, Civil Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution In addition, Mr. Pierce …
Electric Scooters: Regulation, Litigation and Consternation
Electric scooters are likely already in your city and if not, the chances are good that they will be soon. In cities across Ohio, the United States and the world, one often does not have to go far before stumbling upon, perhaps quite literally, a huddling mass of scooters on a corner or sidewalk. Ohio Cities Regulate Scooters with Local Ordinances: Will Statewide Regulation Be Next? Despite whatever differences exist between the Ohio cities and the scooter companies, local legislatures have found commonality in how they regulate the product and its use. All Ohio cities with scooters regulate their use, …
IRS Announces 2020 Pension Plan Limitations
The IRS has announced cost-of-living adjustments for 2020 retirement plan contributions. For 2020, the amounts that individuals will be able to contribute to 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) retirement plans will increase $500 to $19,500. The catch-up contribution limit for employees age 50 and over will also increase $500 to $6,500. This chart summarizes the limitations for 2020 (amounts that changed for 2020 are shown in bold): Contribution Limits 2019 2020 Elective Deferral Limit – 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) Plans $19,000 $19,500 …
Attorney Merle Wilberding Selected for Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame
Coolidge Wall Co., L.P.A. is proud to announce that Merle Wilberding, a long-time attorney with the firm, has been selected for induction into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, a State of Ohio program that honors veterans more for what they did after their military service than for what they did during their military service. Many other states have since established veterans’ hall of fame programs, including New York, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. Governor George Voinovich initiated the program in Ohio in 1992. Its charter members included six Ohio presidents who had previously served in the …
Is Your Business Experiencing a Cash Flow Shortage?
Running a business is hard. There will be times that every business owner will face an aggravated customer, an uncooperative vendor, a disgruntled employee or a difficult economic challenge. All of these situations are manageable, and the challenges can be overcome. Economic Distress Can be Managed and Overcome It is not uncommon for businesses to experience times of economic distress and cash shortfalls. A cash flow shortage could be caused by late paying customers, a need for increased inventory to support growth or a structural imbalance between revenue and expenses. A cash flow shortage can be extremely stressful to a …
Department of Labor Rolls Out Long Anticipated Update to Overtime Regulations
On September 24, 2019, the Department of Labor issued a long anticipated final rule that will update the overtime regulations that have been in place since 2004. The Department of Labor’s mandates are scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2020. We now have the long-awaited answer to the question posed in a Coolidge Wall blog published May 1, 2017, titled “What Will Happen To The Salary-Exempt Regulations Under the New Administration?” After a proposed 2016 final rule issued by the Department of Labor updating the 2004 salary threshold requirements for overtime was invalidated by the U.S. District Court …
Choosing the Right Fiduciary: ‘Tis a Reason to be Folly
“Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” This oft quoted line originates from Thomas Grey’s “Ode on a Distant Prospect at Eton College.” In modern parlance, this line is bifurcated and inserted casually into playful conversation. The saying “ignorance is bliss” is most often associated with a state of being lethargic with one’s mind and yet fulfilled, nonetheless. A closer look at Mr. Grey’s poem suggests a theme that is less about reconciling one’s choices by resorting to apathy. Instead, it serves as a gentle reminder that acting wisely and with conviction in the present may serve to …