Monthly Archives: August 2013

What is At-Will Employment?

Most workers are considered employees at-will which means generally that they can be fired at any time and for any reason. The employment at-will doctrine evolved over many years and provides that an employer or employee can end the employment relationship with no legal recourse… Continue reading

What is a Nuisance Bar?

In 1990, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (“LCB”) established the “Nuisance Bar Program” as a method of dealing with licensed establishments which were chronic offenders of the Liquor Code. In 1998, the program was expanded to allow the LCB to consider activity occurring on or… Continue reading

Tips and the Minimum Wage Laws – 2013 Update

As of the date this article goes to press, both the federal and the Pennsylvania minimum wage laws set the minimum wage at $7.25.  For some employers however, the minimum wage calculation can be more complicated than simply multiplying the number of hours worked by… Continue reading

Employment: Offer Letter v. Employment Agreements

Employers are requiring restrictive covenants much more frequently than they have in the past.  This is because “knowledge” workers are able to move among competing companies and may cause damage to a prior employer by revealing trade secrets or enticing co-workers or clients to move.… Continue reading

Queen’s English Fragments that Enhance

  We are taught to use complete sentences when we write, that every sentence should contain a subject, a verb, and convey a complete thought.  However, Roy Peter Clark in his “Glamour of Grammar” maintains that there are times when sentence fragments can be injected… Continue reading

Update on Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act

In our Summer 2009 Newsletter, we discussed in detail the new Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which requires contractors performing home improvements to register with the State.  The Act also requires that certain terms be included in any home improvement contract, and prohibits certain… Continue reading