On April 11, 2020, Governor Ralph Northam signed yet another bill which fundamentally changes the employment law landscape in the Commonwealth of Virginia. HB798 is a comprehensive whistleblower protection law which prevents an employer from discharging, disciplining, threatening, discriminating against, or penalizing an employee because he or she: Reports a violation of any federal or state law or… Continue reading Virginia Enacts Sweeping Whistleblower Protection Law
Saturday April 11 was a great day for employee rights in Virginia as Governor Northam signed the SB 868, the Virginia Values Act, into law. The Virginia Values Act not only prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sexual identity in employment and public accommodations, it also creates a state court cause of action for discrimination on… Continue reading Huge Day for Employee Rights in Virginia
The Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Bar Association have confirmed our firm’s reading of Governor Northam’s Stay at Home Order, which is that law offices may stay open under certain restrictions. Governor Northam’s Executive Orders 53 and 55 provide that professional services, including law firms, are permitted to remain open during the Stay-At-Home Order in effect until June… Continue reading Professional Services and Law Firms Permitted to Operate During Stay at Home Orders
The best estate plans includes the adoption of a robust Advanced Medical Directive (AMD). AMDs are legally binding documents that provide direction into your personal healthcare decisions and often focus on end of life decisions – when you cannot make those decisions yourself. An AMD is a Living Will and a Health Care Power of… Continue reading Should Your 18 Year Old Have an Advanced Medical Directive?
These are unprecedented times for both employers and employees. To provide some clarity, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently provided guidance on common workplace issues that employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19 and its effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) and job protected… Continue reading COVID-19 and the Workplace
It is only a matter of time before employers begin to lay off employees due to the Covid-19 crisis. Some lay-offs may be inevitable. But not all employee terminations necessarily will be legal. Just because an employer says it must lay you off due to the crisis, that does not necessarily mean it is true.… Continue reading COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Know Your Rights
Many African American people have been rejected from jobs, punished at school and called out in other public places because of the texture and style of their hair. Several states and localities including California, New York and Montgomery County, Maryland, have passed or proposed laws banning policies that penalize diverse people from wearing natural curls,… Continue reading Natural Hair, Don’t Care!
On January 7, 2020, Sally Hudson (D-Albemarle) introduced HB1112, a bill which would ban all covenants not to compete in employment agreements entered into after July 1, 2020. If passed, HB1112 would have a huge impact on white collar professions such as medicine, sales, government contracting and other occupations where employers tend to make employees… Continue reading Bill to Ban Non-Compete Clauses
Cook Craig & Francuzenko, PLLC is pleased to announce that two of the firm’s attorneys, John C. Cook and Broderick C. Dunn, have been named “Top Attorneys” by Arlington Magazine. John made the Employment List for representing Employees while Broderick made the Employment List for representing Employers. The List recognizes the best attorneys in Arlington,… Continue reading Cook Craig and Francuzenko Attorneys Named to Arlington Magazine Top Attorneys List
The IRS has warned taxpayers and financial professionals about a new IRS email impersonation scam campaign which is spreading nationally. It is important to remember, the IRS never sends unsolicited emails to taxpayers, especially ones about your refund status. “The IRS does not send emails about your tax refund or sensitive financial information,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck… Continue reading IRS Warns of Email Scam
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