News Category: Blog Articles
Privacy in the Workplace: Employee Searches
(This blog is the second installment in a multi-part series regarding privacy in the workplace.) Employers have a general right to protect their property and employees. In addition to surveillance and monitoring, some employers choose to conduct searches of areas and equipment used by employees. This can include searches of offices, lockers, desks, phones, computers,
As We Celebrate Diversity Month, We are Pleased to Introduce our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee!
At Lasher, we believe in having a workplace that is diverse, inclusive, equitable, and which builds goodwill in the many and varied communities in which we live and serve. We all need to be the change we want to see to build a better future. To that end, we are making it our mission to be
EMPLOYMENT LAW ALERT: ARPA Updates to COBRA
On March 12, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Importantly for employers, under the ARPA, any employee who is eligible for continuation of health insurance benefits pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) due to an involuntary termination (or reduction in hours) must be offered a subsidy
At Lasher, We Stand with Diverse Communities in Recognizing and Condemning Systemic Xenophobia and Racism
All of us at LHSE remain outraged and saddened by the ongoing acts of violence including the recent events in Georgia that stole the lives of eight people six of which were Asian women. The intersectionality of racism and sexism cannot be ignored, and the impact on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and others
Seven Things to Do Before Announcing Your Intent to Divorce
Your divorce can be one of the most important business decisions that you make in your lifetime. Whether you have years of employment ahead, have stayed home to support the household, or are nearing retirement, a divorce is a life event with long lasting personal, emotional, and financial implications. Some couples are quick to call
Tax Day is now May 17th, 2021 – The IRS extension: What it means to you.
The IRS announced Wednesday that the April 15th deadline for federal tax return filing and payments due for individuals, tax year 2020, will be automatically extended to May 17th, with formal guidance to practitioners to follow in the coming days. Individual taxpayers can also postpone federal income tax payments for the 2020 tax year due
DIVORCE DURING COVID – TOP 5 ISSUES TO WATCH
We have all read the headlines that divorce rates are increasing worldwide and those rates are not expected to be dropping soon. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many of us to our limits. People are stressed out and locked down, which has put pressure on relationships that may have already been holding on by a
Husband, Wife, Partner, Significant Other: Risks of Home Buying as an Unmarried Couple
The real estate market in Seattle is notoriously expensive and competitive and everyone seems to be looking for more space as we enter the second year of a pandemic. There is also a rise in nontraditional partners buying houses together. If you are considering buying a house with a partner to whom you are not
Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4: How to Legally Change your Name
From time to time a person may want to change their name—maybe their first name, or maybe their full legal name. Maybe it is for a serious and legitimate reason (perhaps they have married), or maybe it is for a more whimsical reason (Instagram stardom?). If you go by what you see on TV, you
New Year, New Uncertainties: Estate Planning Changes on the Horizon
With Democrats gaining control of the White House, the House of Representatives, and, albeit somewhat tenuously, the Senate, there is a growing possibility of legislative changes to the federal estate tax laws to fulfill Democratic policy objectives and combat the significant budget deficits caused in part by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the unlikely event some