As noted in the first entry of this series, reports of elder financial abuse have significantly increased in Oregon over the last several years. Although this indicates a rise in awareness about the issue, experts are concerned the number of reports is only marginal in comparison to the actual incidents of abuse. Unfortunately, this disparity may be for reasons that hit closer to home than we care to admit.
Is the residential real estate rebound ending?
If you're in the residential real estate business, you're likely longing for 2005; a time before the real estate bubble burst, and just before housing prices peaked. Without a time machine, however, 2013 may have been as close as you're going to get to that 2005 feeling. We recently highlighted the upward-to-downward trend construction spending has taken since the beginning of 2013, and it appears the housing market may be following suit.
What Is Shareholder Oppression?
No successful business embraces a 'less is more' philosophy. Unfortunately, the same often holds true for the distribution of power in majority and minority shareholder relationships. Though that doesn't always create friction, sometimes majority shareholders use that power as a way to treat minority members unfairly. Oregon law protects against such actions. Over the course of the next few weeks we'll attempt to illustrate how, highlighting the general principals of shareholder oppression law, as well as some of its case-specific nuances.
I 502 Marijuana Law Update: Producer Regulations Change
As promised in our previous I-502 Marijuana Law coverage, the recreational marijuana regulations in Washington continue to change. This time, what's changed is the limits on the area Producer licensees may grow marijuana.
Commercial Construction Spending May Slow in 2014
In somewhat startling contrast to the uptick in 2013 commercial and residential construction spending we recently wrote about, the outlook for Oregon in 2014 might not be as positive. The annual business outlook report by the Associated General Contractors of America revealed a split in sentiment as to Oregon's commercial construction spending projections for the remainder of this year. This murky outlook, however, could mean 2014 is just the right time to put your project in motion.
WARN Act Exception: Faltering Company
Recently, we've highlighted the WARN Act and its notice requirements and exceptions for employers. Today we'll continue that coverage by discussing the Faltering Company Exception to the WARN Act's notice requirements. Remember, if your business is facing a closure or mass layoff situation, you should contact a local attorney to determine whether your actions will be WARN Act compliant, or may fall within one of its exceptions.
OROSHA Cracking Down on Construction Project Safety Violations
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (OROSHA) is inspecting projects and cracking down on employers that are not adequately protecting their workers. The result of these inspections has been incredibly high fines, and referral of the matters to the Construction Contractors Board in extreme cases. You should always consult the OROSHA rules when planning a project, or consult an Oregon construction management attorney to make sure you're injury prevention methods are sufficient.
I 502 Marijuana Law Series: Tax Benefit for Double Licensees
For this entry in our I-502 Marijuana Law Series we'd like to highlight the potential tax benefits for entrants into the marijuana production and processing market.
WARN Act Exception: Unforeseeable Business Circumstances
We've previously discussed the WARN Act and the notice requirements it places on employers facing closures or layoffs. In certain circumstances, regardless of the size or type of business, liability for noncompliance with the WARN Act may be avoided. You should consult an employment law attorney if you anticipate any drastic changes to your business's employment structure
Appealing Land Use Decisions through LUBA
We've written before about the ways certain land use changes within a neighborhood can nuisance homeowners. There, we discussed the importance of the homeowner's right to have a say in what goes on in his or her neighborhood. Unfortunately, the city is not going to prohibit every change that creates a nuisance, but certain avenues do exist for appealing City decisions.
