Joanne Murray, as Associate of the Firm, published an article in the August, 2009 issue of "Small Business CEO" magazine to assist business owners in maintaining a good relationship with their lenders, particularly in this difficult financial climate.

 Joanne concentrates her practice in corporate and commercial transactional work, including commercial lending transactions. 

 

 To read the full article:

 

http://www.smallbusinessceomagazine.com/article.aspx?Article=405

Do you remember the email we sent you April 30th regarding the "Red Flags" Rule going into effect on May 1st?  Do you remember our email two days later advising you that the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") issued an eleventh hour stay of enforcement, changing the deadline from May 1st to August 1st?  Well, guess what?  Once again, the FTC announced yesterday that it will further delay enforcement of the Rule until November 1st, 2009.  You can breathe easier for 90 more days.  After that, who knows?
 
Since the "Red Flags" Rule has caused so much confusion and anxiety for our clients, Antheil Maslow & MacMinn, LLP is holding a Seminar in conjunction with Parente Randolph, LLC on October 29, 2009 at the Bucks County Bar Association from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.  Susan Maslow and Patricia Collins of our offices will be addressing the "Red Flags" Rule and the new HIPAA/HITECH requirements.    Chad Schieken, CISA, Director of Corporate Governance and Risk Management at Parente Randolph, LLC, will provide guidance on Network Security Assessments.  Save the date.  We know you will be fascinated.  Invitations will follow. 

Antheil Maslow & MacMinn, LLP can provide guidance in helping your Company comply with the Red Flag Rules and the new HIPAA/HITECH requirements.  Please call your primary attorney at the Firm, or if you are not presently represented by us, contact Susan A. Maslow, Esq. or Patricia C. Collins, Esq. to discuss any questions you have regarding the above issues or to schedule an appointment.

We routinely tell clients with fewer than twenty employees that they do not have to provide COBRA coverage to terminated employees.  Effective July 10, 2009, this will no longer be true for those small employers who provide healthcare coverage for their employees.  On that date, Pennsylvania's "Mini-COBRA" Law will require those employers to provide COBRA coverage to employees and their participating dependents who experience a "qualifying event," such as termination or a reduction in hours.  The coverage will continue for nine months after termination, but the terminated employee can continue the coverage under certain circumstances.  Mini-COBRA will require small employers to provide notice to employees that the coverage exists, and notice upon termination of the availability of the coverage.  Employers could charge the terminated employee 105% of the premium for Mini-COBRA coverage, subject to the subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("ARRA").
 
The ARRA subsidy requires employers to help terminated employees defray the cost of healthcare.  If an employee loses coverage under a health plan between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009 as a result of the employee's involuntary termination of employment, and elects Mini-COBRA continuation coverage, the employee will pay not more than 35% of the full premium for up to nine months.  The employer must provide the remaining 65% of the premium for a period of nine months, or until the employee obtains other coverage.  The employer is entitled to a tax credit as a result of these payments.
 
By July 10, 2009, small employers in Pennsylvania should work with their health insurance providers to assure that Mini-COBRA coverage will be available to eligible employees.  Antheil Maslow & MacMinn, LLP can provide guidance for employers to ensure compliance, and to prepare the notices required by the law. 

Mike Mills, a Partner of the Firm, published an article in the Spring 2009 Pennsylvania CPA Journal reviewing sophisticated federal estate tax planning strategies.  To read the full article:

No Better Time for GRATs & IDGTs

Have you been losing sleep, worrying about complying with the new Red Flags Rule? We have good news (and another Client Alert) for you.  Moments after we sent our Client Alert last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued an eleventh hour stay of enforcement.  The deadline for complying with the Red Flags Rule is now August 1, 2009. 

In recognition of the ongoing debate over the new rule, the FTC decided to give financial institutions and other creditors additional time to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs.  The FTC also wanted to give Congress more time to consider the scope and impact of the rule.  As we discussed in our Client Alert, the Red Flags Rule is intended to combat fraud and identity theft by requiring most businesses, health care providers and other organizations that allow payment over time to implement policies to detect the warning signs (red flags) of identity theft.  These policies include a written identity theft prevention protocol.  The FTC also announced that it will publish a template for “low-risk” businesses, such as businesses that know their customers personally. 

If you have any questions or would like assistance with preparing an identity theft prevention policy, please contact your primary attorney at the firm.  If you are not presently represented by us, please contact Susan Maslow, Patricia Collins or Joanne Murray at (215) 230-7500.

 

By now, you have no doubt heard of the new Red Flags Rule, which are intended to combat fraud and identity theft.  Most businesses, health care providers and other organizations that allow payment over time will be required to implement policies to detect the warning signs (red flags) of identity theft.  These policies include a written identity theft prevention protocol.  We’re taking this opportunity to remind you that these new rules go into effect May 1, 2009.  The Federal Trade Commission offers excellent guidance on these new rules:

For healthcare providers: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/articles/art11.shtm

For other businesses and organizations:  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/articles/art10.shtm

All covered entities might find this FTC guide of interest: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/idtheft/bus23.pdf

If you have any questions or would like assistance with preparing an identity theft prevention policy, please contact your primary attorney at the firm.  If you are not presently represented by us, please contact Susan Maslow, Patricia Collins or Joanne Murray at (215) 230-7500.

 

 

Susan A. Maslow, a Partner of the Firm, will serve as a panel member in the CBCC program “Succeeding in the New Economy: An Economic Summit” and will offer her perspective and general counsel as a business lawyer. 

This event will take place on the campus of Delaware Valley College  on Tuesday May 19th from 8:30 a.m to 1:00 p.m.   Ms. Maslow will serve with a panel of experts representing the local and regional business and government sector.

William T. MacMinn, a Partner of the firm, presented a program to physicians at Franford Hospital concerning issues of Professional Liability on April 23, 2009.

Bill concentrates his practice in the area of litigation, including Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury, Products Liability, Employment Litigation, Estate Litigation, Real Estate, and Arbitration. He represents a broad spectrum of individuals, corporations and institutions in commercial, employment litigation, collection, construction and personal injury actions.

Associate Patricia C. Collins co-presented to 40 members of the Women’s Business Forum of Bucks County on March 4, 2009 regarding Employment Law & Independent Contractor Agreements.  Collins provided a general overview of employment best practices as well as highlighted interview questions to avoid. 

Patty’s knowledge of employment law includes the Employee Retirement Income Security Act; federal and state employment discrimination laws, and employment contracts and wage claims. Patty is frequently invited to speak to employers about employment law, and provides training for their employees.

 In December 2008, we issued a Client Alert summarizing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the “CPSIA”) and the numerous regulations issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (the “CPSC”) interpreting that legislation. Since the enactment of the CPSIA and the issuance of those regulations, there has been much confusion in the various affected industries as to what actions are required by the legislation and concern over the impact of the new rules on businesses, particularly small businesses. Indeed, many businesses in the toy industry referred to February 10,2009 (the date the regulations were to have taken effect) as “National Bankruptcy Day” because of the profound impact the regulations were expected to have on small businesses.