By Alicia J. Samolis PS&H partner Alicia Samolis was one of the employer-side attorneys who recently weighed in on the new Rhode Island pay equity law to Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly. Alicia first advised that “[a]s a conceptual matter, don’t think of this as a discrimination law. Forget about ‘protected class’ status. Every single employee is...
COVID-19 has made remote work more prevalent. Employers considering making these work-from-home arrangements permanent need to be prepared for the compliance issues that arise when the remote work crosses state lines. PS&H attorneys Russell Stein and Alicia Samolis were recently interviewed by Providence Business News to discuss some of these concerns. As Russell and Alicia explain, when...
As demonstrated by the recent update to the EEOC’s Technical Assistance Questions and Answers relating to COVID-19 (“EEOC Guidance”), Employers with any sort of vaccine policy should pay close attention to how the law is evolving to avoid any technical missteps. PS&H partner, Alicia Samolis, was recently interviewed regarding the current status of employer’s rights...
By Alicia Samolis Many employers are worried that COVID will result in legal liability from employee claims. However, some employers are still focusing on the wrong things. Understanding What Is (and Is Not) Likely to Get You Sued Absent legislation or an executive order, liability from COVID safety employment claims is not likely to be...
After operating remotely for the past year, local law firms are contemplating when attorneys and staff will return to working in the office. PS&H managing partner, Howard Merten, was asked to give his thoughts on the subject for a recent Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly article titled, “With Vaccinations Rolling Out, Law Firms Eyeing Office Return”. Firm leaders...
PS&H attorney Brian Fishman shares his insights into the legal issues around housing that continue to affect litigation due to COVID-19. Read the full article as published in DRI’s The Voice
The Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts has recently decided that a worker’s compensation insurer could not be required to reimburse an injured employee for medical marijuana expenses he incurred treating chronic pain. PS&H partner, Travis McDermott, was asked to contribute his thoughts on this highly anticipated decision. His insights are included in a recent Massachusetts Lawyers...
By Alicia J. Samolis Employers are beginning to contemplate if they should require employees to take the COVID vaccine, once it’s developed. PS&H partner, Alicia Samolis, was asked recently to give her thoughts on this arising dilemma that employers face. Her insights are featured in a recent Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly article titled, Anticipating COVID Vaccine,...
In an article which appears in this month’s issue of The Standard, PS&H Attorneys Brian Reilly and Brian Fishman discuss developments in Massachusetts’ law that could impact insurance companies with commission-only employees. In May 2019, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued a decision interpreting the method for calculating overtime wages for Massachusetts commission-only employees. The article...
By Alicia J. Samolis Beginning in March of 2020, companies everywhere were forced to comply with local shelter and closure orders, as well as alter their operations to respond to the negative economic fallout from COVID-19. Companies rushed to keep their businesses going by implementing new, essential and often untested business practices. Common changes businesses...
