Attorneys Dan Kniffen and Megan Noble are presenting at the Gwinnett Chamber's 2019 Employment Law Seminar. This seminar is to educate businesses on why it is important to be proactive and stay compliant with the current labor and employment laws. Dan will be presenting on the topic of "The Best Defense is a Good Offense: Winning at Employment Law," and Megan will be covering, "You Got Served: Avoiding Pitfalls During EEOC Investigations and Litigation." The seminar takes place at the John Maxwell Leadership Center at 12Stone Church in Duluth, Georgia on September 19th from 7:30am-3:30pm. Register Now ... Continue Reading
DEF Participates in Care-A-Thon 2019
Drew Eckl and Farnham's gift raised a total of $28,109 for the Aflac Cancer Center because of your matching hour! In that hour, over $18,000 was raised- and your matched pledge put us to over $28,000. For that we are so incredibly thankful for everyone at DEF Law— this was such a successful matching hour and one that would not be possible without you (and your radio skills!!) and DEF Law.Drew Eckl and Farnham’s gift raised a total of $28,109 for the Aflac Cancer Center because of your matching hour! In that hour, over $18,000 was raised- and your matched pledge put us to over $28,000. For that we are so incredibly thankful for everyone at DEF Law— this was such a ... Continue Reading
OSHA 101: Is It Cheaper to Run the Risk of an OSHA Citation or Enact Preventative Safety Measures?
Below is the chart of current OSHA maximum penalties per violation so you can see the potential cost of citations. Below is the chart of current OSHA maximum penalties per violation so you can see the potential cost of citations. Type of Violation Penalty Serious Other-Than-Serious Posting Requirements$13,260 per violation Failure to Abate $13,260 per day beyond the abatement date Willful or Repeated$132,598 per violation As of January 23, 2019 these are the maximum OSHA penalty amounts. Mr. Brunetz has experience working as an outside general counsel for a technology company assisting the company in negotiating and finalizing NDAs, SaaS agreements and technology development ... Continue Reading
OSHA Basics: The OSHA Form 300
What is it? The Form 300 is where employers record all reportable workplace injuries and illnesses What information is needed for the log? All reportable injuries and illnesses that occur in the workplace, where and when they occur, the nature of the case, the name and job title of the employee injured or made sick, and the number of days away from work or on restricted or light duty, if any. What types of injuries and illnesses should be included? DeathsDays away from workRestricted work or transfer to another jobMedical treatment beyond first aidLoss of consciousnessA significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional. How ... Continue Reading
Partner Barbara Marschalk Appointed to Serve on the Senate Study Committee on Reducing Georgia’s Cost of Doing Business
DEF Partner Barbara Marschalk was recently appointed by Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan to serve on the Senate Study Committee on Reducing Georgia’s Cost of Doing Business effective immediately. The committee is tasked with researching ways to help reduce regulatory and financial burdens on our state’s businesses. According to chair, Sen. John Wilkinson (R – Toccoa), “ensuring the state’s business-friendly climate helps encourage growth in both small businesses and large corporations and is vital to our continued economic success.” Barbara devotes her practice to defending corporations in litigation and is an expert speaker on a variety of topics. She has been invited to ... Continue Reading
OSHA Basics: Incident Reporting
Think of two different timing requirements. The first is for fatalities as a result of a work related incident. Fatalities must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours after the death of any employee. The second is for the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees or an employee's amputation or an employee's loss of an eye, as a result of a work-related incident. These incidents must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours. There are a few exceptions to the reporting rules. If the fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye occurred as a result of a motor vehicle accident that occurred on a public street or highway, but not in a ... Continue Reading
Did you know OSHA Handles Whistleblower Complaints?
Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees from exercising rights under the OSH Act. Rights include, but are not limited to: Filing a complaint related to the OSHA ActCommunicating with management about health and safety mattersParticipating in and on-site OSHA inspectionRequesting copies of OSHA required information Prohibited actions include, but are not limited to: FiringDemotingDiscipliningThreateningIntimidatingReducing hours or pay If OSHA finds the employee has been retaliated against in violation of the OSHA Act, The Office of the Solicitor of Labor may seek relief in U.S. District Court. In such ... Continue Reading
Attorneys Karen Karabinos and Sonya Jacobs Present at Google
Attorneys Karen Karabinos and Sonya Jacobs spoke to the women at Google's Atlanta office on finances. Karen and Sonya ensured that the women of Google's Atlanta office are aware of financial planning and the tips and tricks to stay prepared and secure. In the audience for support were attorneys Taylor Poncz and Juliana Neelbauer. At the end of the day, we are all supporting each other. ... Continue Reading
Passing of Jason Prine
It is with heavy hearts that we report the passing of Jason Prine, a partner at Drew Eckl & Farnham and a member of our family. We have suffered a great loss with his untimely passing. Jason was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer earlier this year and passed away peacefully on August 1, 2019 surrounded by love and family in his final days. His passing is a great professional and personal loss for our firm and the Atlanta community and he will be greatly missed by all of us. Jason will be laid to rest on August 7, 11 a.m., at Honey Creek Woodlands memorial nature preserve in Conyers. Following the burial, there will be a celebration of life at at ... Continue Reading
Jack Reale Presenting Champ Bailey into the NFL Hall of Fame
Partner Jack Reale is attending Enshrinement Week in Canton, Ohio as Champ Bailey’s special guest and presenter. Enshrinement Week is the annual celebration where more than 130 Gold Jackets return to the Hall of Fame to interact with fans, attend the Hall of Fame game, attend the Enshrinement Ceremony, and watch a performance featuring Imagine Dragons. Full Schedule of Events About Enshrinement Week ... Continue Reading