For several businesses in the Baton Rouge area, one of the many implications of the recent flooding is the loss of business records that are subject to retention requirements under various state and federal laws. In light of the destruction of many such records in the flood, a question arises as to the applicability of
Employer Provided Assistance for Employees Affected by the 2016 Flood
Many employers have a number of employees who were affected by the August 2016 flooding event in Louisiana. These employers are looking for means to assist their employees in recovering from this significant disaster. Employers have a number of options for providing disaster relief assistance to their employees.
A number of employers are simply collecting
The Flood of 2016: Reduced Property Taxes
Property taxes in Louisiana are generally based on the status and condition of taxable property on January 1 of each tax year. For Baton Rouge and surrounding areas devastated by the recent flooding that could mean paying property taxes on homes and business property based on the condition of property before the floods.
Fortunately, Louisiana
Business Disaster Loans: Assistance for Uninsured or Under-insured Losses
In the aftermath of the floods that devastated southeastern Louisiana, many businesses will be in need of financial assistance for uninsured or under-insured losses. The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) offers financial assistance to businesses in declared disaster areas through low-interest, long-terms loans.
Business Physical Disaster Loans. Businesses of all sizes, as well as private,
Courts Finally Clarify Louisiana Property Tax Appeal Deadline
The statutory and regulatory deadline for appealing an adverse decision of the Louisiana Tax Commission (the “Commission”) is clearly thirty (30) days, but identifying the event that triggers commencement of the deadline has not always been easy. The applicable statute provides that the appeal deadline runs from the date the decision is “entered,” while the
HHS OCR: Ransomware Attacks Usually Qualify as a HIPAA Breach
Ransomware is here to stay. According to a recent United States Government interagency report, on average, there have been approximately 4,000 daily ransomware attacks since early 2016, which is a 300 percent increase from the approximately 1,000 daily ransomware attacks reported in 2015.[1] A significant percentage of those affected by ransomware have been healthcare
Pending Arbitration Agreements Rule: What Does This Mean For Your Company?
On Thursday, May 5, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a notice of proposed rules that would fundamentally change the way certain businesses contract with consumers. Among other actions, the proposed rule would eliminate class action waivers from pre-dispute arbitration clauses and agreements for certain businesses. The announcement of the proposed rule was
A Brief Examination of “Mineral Acre” and “Royalty Acre” in Louisiana
Terminology employed in oil and gas exploration may often become antiquated. In this regard, this comment is intended to introduce the reader to the dated and potentially confusing terms “mineral acre” and “royalty acre.” Although the author is not a large proponent of the use of such terms, they are part of the fabric of
The Final OT Rules Are Out – Time For Action!
The wait is over (for better or worse) – the DOL has released its final rule concerning changes to the salary requirements to be exempt from the overtime pay requirement under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Under the final rule, the DOL has increased the minimum salary threshold that must be paid in order
The New Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 Provides Federal Remedies for Trade Secret Misappropriation
On May 11, 2016, President Barack Obama signed into law the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA”). Through the DTSA, claims for trade secret misappropriation will now have a basis in Federal law and Federal Courts will have jurisdiction over such claims. In addition to the new federal cause of action, the DTSA adds