Category: Business / Employment

Pennsylvania is an at-will employment state, which means that an employer can terminate the employment of an employee for any or no reason, so long as it is not an illegal reason.    The at-will employment doctrine allows either the employer or the employee to terminate… Continue reading →

  Owners of small businesses often ask whether they should have an employee  policy manual or “handbook.”   The potential benefits of a well-written employee handbook are many.   While there is no law that swners of small businesses often ask whether they should have an… Continue reading →

Since the late 1980s, when the State of Wyoming adopted this country’s first limited liability company statute, limited liability companies have become more and more common in the business world. A limited liability company is a hybrid entity that has attributes of both corporations and… Continue reading →

    Trade names and trade marks can be among a company’s most valuable assets, and lawsuits to protect them are not uncommon.  To name a few highly recognized trade names and marks, think of General Electric, Coca Cola (with its specially shaped bottle and… Continue reading →

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently held that discharge of an at-will employee for filing a workers’ compensation claim is against public policy. Most employers work under the basic assumption that unless the employee has a contract to the contrary, the employer may discharge an… Continue reading →

Most business people have heard the term “indemnity”, and at some point may enter into contracts, leases or agreements in which they agree to indemnification. But to what exactly are they agreeing?The duty to indemnify may arise in express or implied contracts, or the court… Continue reading →

Employment relationships often are not embodied in a written contract between employer and employee. Instead, most employment is of an “at will” nature, terminable by employer or employee on a moment’s notice, with or without cause. Some employment relationships should be embodied in written agreements,… Continue reading →

Now that computer online services are becoming more prevalent in the workplace and accessible by an increasing number of employees, what privacy rights does an employee have in his or her personal e-mail or internet access? To what may an employer rightfully have access? Suppose… Continue reading →

Here is a short quiz to see how your business is doing at avoiding some common wage/hour pitfalls: 1. Can an employer avoid paying overtime to employees because of their job titles or the fact that they get paid a “salary” (the same amount every… Continue reading →

Have you ever stopped to notice how prevalent intellectual property has become in our daily lives? Most brand names of products or services seem to carry the designations “©,” “©,” or ” “; many inventions display the “patent” or “patent pending” notices; and with barely… Continue reading →