Verrill Voices

We recorded live at Verrill’s 2020 Annual Employment Law Update. During the course of the update, we talked to a number of participants and presenters concerning things that are going on now in the legal industry from an HR perspective. We talked to Eric Altholz, Partner in the Employee Benefits Group at Verrill. We talked to Whitney Stover, HR Consultant at AAA Northern New England. We spoke to Sarah Jordan, HR Generalist at Penobscot Community Health Care. We had an in-depth conversation with Scott Connolly Partner in Verrill’s Labor and Employment Practice Group about important things that need to be kept in mind about employment agreements. And last, but not least, we talked to the one, the only, David Ciullo, your cohost of the HR Power Hour.

In this episode of Verrill Voices, employment and labor attorney Tawny Alvarez discusses how organizations with respectful and inclusive work environments are typically better able to attract and retain top talent and minimize litigation. How do we achieve this while also minimizing risk? Tune in to this podcast to hear Tawny discuss steps to take.

Verrill Dana attorney Juliet Browne interviews Joyce Galea, Principal Owner of F3 Manufacturing, and 2019 Mainebiz Business Leaders of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

In this episode of our HR Law 101 series, attorney Tawny Alvarez discusses the Family Medical Leave Act or FMLA. In part 1, we discuss the federal act generally, including who it is applicable to, what rights an employee has, and how different terms in the statute are defined.

The Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, also known as USERRA, has multiple responsibilities for employers and employees. In this episode of HR Law 101, attorney Tawny Alvarez will highlight a few duties that the statute has and what laws are applicable to your organization.

Many business owners and HR professionals look for a concise and straight forward employee handbook. The truth is, there isn't just one universal handbook to put on a shelf with all you need to know. Listen to this episode of HR Law 101, part 3 and the final part to Handbooks and What to Include, to hear attorney Tawny Alvarez dive into leave policies, post termination issues, and wrapping up concepts that will provide your company with the most protections when using an employee handbook. Make sure to check out part 1 and 2!

In this episode of Verrill Voices, environmental attorneys Gordon Smith and Scott Anderson discuss how private property rights could save the world, or at least the coast of Maine, when the fate of ecologically vital rockweed hangs in the balance.

Verrill Dana attorney Eric Altholz interviews William Caron, CEO of MaineHealth, and Richard Petersen, President of MaineHealth and CEO of Maine Medical Center, and 2019 Mainebiz Business Leaders of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

Verrill Dana attorney John Giffune interviews Kelley Kash, CEO of Maine Veterans' Homes and 2019 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

Verrill Dana attorney Jonathan Dunitz interviews Bill Mitchell, CEO of GHM Insurance and 2019 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

This podcast, recorded live at Verrill Dana’s Annual Employment Law Update, not only dives into important topics for HR professionals and business leaders presented at the event, but also features live interviews conducted by Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Tawny Alvarez with participants from Career Management Associates, AAA, and Varney & Co. Benefits Advisors, who discuss the issues they face in the ever changing legal landscape.

Many business owners and HR professionals look for a concise and straight forward employee handbook. The truth is, there isn't just one universal handbook to put on a shelf with all you need to know. Listen to this episode of HR Law 101 to hear attorney Tawny Alvarez discuss what to include and be aware of when creating an employee handbook for your unique company.

Many business owners and HR professionals look for a concise and straight forward employee handbook. The truth is, there isn't just one universal handbook to put on a shelf with all you need to know. Listen to this episode of HR Law 101, part 2 of Handbooks and What to Include, to hear attorney Tawny Alvarez discuss the job policies and expectations for employees. Make sure to check out part 1!

Verrill Dana attorney Tawny Alvarez interviews Joan Fortin, Bernstein Shur Shareholder and Director of Attorney Recruiting, as well as a 2018 Mainebiz Woman to Watch in this special episode of Verrill Voices. This episode is part of a series of Verrill Voices interviews with Mainebiz's 2018 Women to Watch.

Verrill Dana Partner Suzanne Meeker interviews 2018 Mainebiz Woman to Watch Clayton Spencer, President of Bates College, in this special episode of Verrill Voices. This episode is part of a series of Verrill Voices interviews with Mainebiz's 2018 Women to Watch.

Verrill Dana Partner Juliet Browne interviews 2018 Mainebiz Woman to Watch Kristina Egan, Executive Director of Greater Portland Council of Governments in this special episode of Verrill Voices. This episode is part of a series of Verrill Voices interviews with Mainebiz's 2018 Women to Watch.

Gretchen Johnson, Verrill Dana's Director of Marketing, interviews 2018 Mainebiz Woman to Watch Dava Davin, Owner and Principal of Portside Real Estate Group, in this special episode of Verrill Voices.

Verrill Dana's Utilities Group has published the second edition of "Maine Regulation Public Utilities," the only treatise on the subject of public utility regulation in Maine. In this episode of Verrill Voices, Utilities Group Chair Bill Harwood discusses the reasons Verrill Dana undertook publication of a second edition of this publication and who will benefit from the book. A PDF copy of "Maine Regulation of Public Utilities: Second Edition" is available at www.verrilldana.com/maine-regulation-of-public-utilities-second-edition.

Verrill Dana's Gretchen Johnson interviews Josh Broder, CEO of Tilson Technology Management and 2018 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

Verrill Dana attorney Mark Googins interviews Steve Levesque, Executive Director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority and 2018 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

Verrill Dana attorney Tawny Alvarez interviews Kathie Leonard, CEO of Auburn Manufacturing and 2018 Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year, in this special edition of the Verrill Voices podcast.

Verrill Dana Labor and Employment Law attorney Beth Smith provides an update on the Maine Supreme Court's June 14 decision in Bourgoin v. Twin Rivers Paper Co, in which it was determined that employers in Maine may not be compelled to pay for employees' use of medical marijuana to treat work injury symptoms.

This podcast is a companion to our highlights of interviews recorded at the Manufacturers Association of Maine 2018 Summit. All of the interviews recorded by Verrill Dana attorneys Tawny Alvarez and Jonathan Dunitz, as well as podcast producer Aaron Harris, are included here unedited. Refer to the time codes below to access specific interviews: Zack Vincent, MAMe - 0:50 Dave Rycyna, Cirrus Systems - 4:02 Donna Brassard, Mainebiz - 6:42 Kent Peterson, Fluid Imaging Technologies - 8:07 Alan LaPoint, The Strainrite Companies - 14:18 Derek Volk, Volk Packaging Corporation - 15:52 Jason Gaboury, Northeast CNC 3D - 20:48 Craig Brazell, Constellation Energy - 24:34 Kim Davis, Procter & Gamble - 27:43 Steve Martin, FIRST - 31:18 Alyssa Turnbull, Jotul North America - 33:21 Auta Main, Maine Department of Labor - 38:00 Brian Deveaux, Hussey Seating Company - 40:06 Martin Grohman, independent Candidate for U.S. Congress - 44:08 Scott Moran, Northeast Technical Institute - 46:33 Peter Moore, Corporate Finance Associates - 52:24

Verrill Dana attorneys Tawny Alvarez and Jonathan Dunitz, along with podcast producer Aaron Harris, recorded interviews of attendees at the Manufacturers Association of Maine 2018 Summit to hear their thoughts on the value of attending the Summit, what they see driving innovation in the manufacturing industry, and where they see the industry in 10 years. This podcast includes highlights from these interviews. To here the full unedited version of these interviews, listen to the companion episode to this podcast on Soundcloud, iTunes, Google Play Music, or archived at www.verrilldana.com.

In this final installment of the Verrill Voices podcast series discussing recent changes to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) contract documents, Verrill Dana attorneys John Giffune and Rob Ruesch discuss the architect’s role in resolving disputes between contractors and developers, and how that role has changed. The contracts discussed in this podcast may be accessed at www.aiacontracts.org.

In episode 2 of the Verrill Voices series of Construction Law podcasts covering changes to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) contract documents, Verrill Dana attorneys John Giffune and Rob Ruesch discuss recent changes to termination provisions, including termination for cause and termination for convenience. The contracts discussed in this podcast may be accessed at www.aiacontracts.org.

In this edition of the Verrill Voices podcast, Verrill Dana Construction Law attorneys John Giffune and Rob Ruesch kick off a three episode series on what construction professionals need to know about recent changes to the American Association of Architects (AIA)contract documents. Specifically discussed are changes to A201 provisions regarding the Owner's obligations to disclose its financial arrangements for project funding and contractor responsibility for Owner directed means and methods. The contracts discussed in this podcast may be accessed at www.aiacontracts.org.

Job descriptions are important for ensuring that employers and employees are on the same page as to job duties and expectations, but what should be included? This episode of HR Law 101: Understanding the HR Basics, featuring Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Tawny Alvarez, will focus on best practices in crafting job descriptions for different duties within your organization.

In this episode of HR Law 101: Understanding the HR Basics, Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Tawny Alvarez walks listeners through onboarding best practices, including what paperwork and training are required by law when a new employee is hired, and the steps you should take in orienting your employee to the work environment and your operations.

You’ve been tasked with hiring a new employee, but where do you start? In this episode of HR Law 101: Understanding the HR Basics, Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Tawny Alvarez focuses on the nuances and pitfalls that arise throughout the hiring process, from defining duties and responsibilities to advertising to interviewing to solidifying the offer.

In this episode of HR Law 101: Understanding the HR Basics, Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Tawny Alvarez discusses the obligations that employers have under federal law to provide a non-discriminatory environment for employees, including who is covered under the statute and what it protects or prohibits.

In this episode of HR Law 101: Understanding the HR Basics, Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Tawny Alvarez focuses on understanding the basics of wage and hour laws – from exempt to non-exempt, salary to hourly, breaks and overtime.

Verrill Dana attorneys Jennifer Green and Jonathan Dunitz discuss the importance of entity formation to the overall success of a brewery business, and the differences between forming an entity using widely available online resources versus doing so with the assistance of an experienced attorney.

Verrill Dana labor and employment attorney Joanna Bowers and Judy Katzel, of KDK Consulting, and panelist at the 2018 Mainebiz Women's Leadership Forum, discuss the importance of being proactive and having an open and transparent dialogue with your employees to create a culture of inclusion and respect. In addition, they highlight communications best practices if an allegation does go public.

On April 1, 2018, the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will come into effect. Verrill Dana attorney Joanna Bowers discusses the new obligations of which employers must be aware and prepared to address as soon as April 1st.

Verrill Dana attorney Tawny Alvarez discusses the most critical things employers need to know about the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act.

Why are non-compete agreements such a hot topic? When are they enforceable? How will courts react when non-competes are contested by employees? Verrill Dana Labor & Employment attorney Calvin Woo discusses these issues in this latest episode of Verrill Voices.

Verrill Dana tax attorneys Jennifer Green and Cheryl Johnson discuss nexus and, more specifically, Maine's new tax provisions for online purchases. What will Maine's new provisions mean for other states? Learn more in this episode of Verrill Voices.

Verrill Dana promotions law attorney Rob Laplaca hosts this episode of Verrill Voices, in which he discusses the basics of commercial co-ventures. More on the topic of promotions law, including commercial co-ventures, is available on Rob's blog at www.YouMightBeAWinner.com.

When should employers conduct internal investigations? What steps should employers take to reduce their risk exposure during an internal investigation? Who should conduct the investigation and what follow-up steps should be taken once the investigation is complete? In this episode of Verrill Voices, Verrill Dana attorney Doug Steinmetz covers the essentials about what employers need to know when considering or conducting internal investigations.

Verrill Dana tax attorneys Cheryl Johnson and Jennifer Green discuss the new IRS rules regarding audits of partnerships. What are our clients asking? What are we telling them? What should partnerships be doing now to prepare for this significant change? Learn more at http://www.verrilldana.com/tax/

Since Verrill Dana established a presence in Boston in 2004, four of the firm's female attorneys have been named by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as "Top Women of Law." In this episode of Verrill Voices, all four sat down for a discussion about the paths that led them to the top of their profession, the changing role of women in the legal profession, and what they see on the horizon for female attorneys.

Verrill Dana maritime attorney Ben Ford discusses The Jones Act and its implications both on disaster relief efforts following the recent hurricanes, and on the potential of the United States to capitalize on increased trade in the Arctic Ocean.

Verrill Dana attorney Tawny Alvarez interviews Patricia Rosi, a 2017 Mainebiz Women to Watch honoree, about the path that led to her recognition as one of the most dynamic female business leaders in Maine.

Verrill Dana attorneys Chantal Wilson and Jonathan Dunitz provide an overview of Benefit Corporations in this episode of Verrill Voices.

Verrill Dana Labor & Employment attorneys Tawny Alvarez and Richard Moon discuss free speech in the workplace, and what protections exist for employers and employees.

Verrill Dana atttorney Karen Kimball Hartford discusses leadership and how to define success with one of the 2017 Mainebiz Women to Watch Dean Danielle Conway of the University of Maine School of Law.

Verrill Dana attorney Tawny Alvarez interviews 2017 Mainebiz Woman to Watch, Deirdre Wadsworth, President of Hardypond Construction, about the unique path that led to her success in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Verrill Dana attorney Chantal Wilson interviews Nancy Strojny about her recent recognition as a 2017 Mainebiz Women to Watch honoree, her career, and her role at SCORE mentoring entrepreneurs.

Verrill Dana attorney Chantal Wilson interviews Mainebiz Women to Watch honoree Elizabeth Hayes, President & CEO of Infinity Federal Credit Union, about her career and lessons she has learned along the way.

Verrill Dana labor and employment attorneys Tawny Alvarez and Richard Moon examine employment policy issues in the context of the Trump administration. In particular, sexual orientation and gender discrimination policies and the stalled increase in the overtime exemption wage are discussed.