On July 6, 2021, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed Pay Equity legislation (the “Act”) (H 5261A, S 0270A) into law. The Act is a broad piece of legislation that applies to all employers. While the Act does not go into effect until January 1, 2023, given the penalties and damages available under the Act, and the...
By Michael Gamboli and John Ottaviani A recent United States Supreme Court decision has limited the claims that an employer could assert against departing employees who steal trade secrets and confidential information from the employer’s computer systems. Background. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) is a federal law that makes it a crime for a person to:...
Utilize a Formal Employment Application (Optional but Recommended) Nonprofits should require applicants to fill out an employment application prior to starting work, even if the applicant is known to the nonprofit. While it seems like a formality, an application will help the nonprofit defend against negligent hiring claims. Depending on the position and circumstances, the nonprofit...
COVID-19 has made remote work more prevalent. Employers considering making these work-from-home arrangements permanent need to be prepared for the compliance issues that arise when the remote work crosses state lines. PS&H attorneys Russell Stein and Alicia Samolis were recently interviewed by Providence Business News to discuss some of these concerns. As Russell and Alicia explain, when...
Partridge Snow & Hahn Partner, Paul M. Kessimian, was recently elected to President-Elect of Defense Counsel of Rhode Island (DCRI). The state association of attorneys defending the interests of businesses and individuals in civil litigation, DCRI enhances the skills, effectiveness, and professionalism of civil defense lawyers through a provision of resources. They are committed to...
On Tuesday, June 22, Rhode Island took a major step towards legalization of marijuana. Although House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi still says legalization won’t be decided until after the budget process ends (perhaps even during a special session later this year), the Senate Judiciary Committee, by a 6-2 vote, sent a cannabis legalization bill to...
Massachusetts consumers finally have a new way to obtain recreational marijuana. In recent weeks, marijuana delivery services have started to operate in the Bay State. But customers are quickly learning that the process is not quite as easy as ordering products from Amazon or the local grocery store. According to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission...
Partridge Snow & Hahn partners Christian R. Jenner and Paul M. Kessimian presented at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Bar Association on June 23, 2021. The presentation—entitled What Now? Contract-ing COVID — included a survey of the pertinent law as well as a panel discussion of recent cases (from Rhode Island and elsewhere) involving legal issues arising out...
PS&H partner, Travis McDermott, is presenting A Crash Course in Licensing, Regulatory Compliance and Federal and State Enforcement, as the first part of a 3-course online seminar series titled Rhode Island Marijuana Business Law 2021. The full series, hosted by the National Business Institute (NBI), provides practical and timely guidance for attorneys advising marijuana-related businesses in Rhode Island....
A Rhode Island Superior Court judge recently cited the trend of decriminalizing and legalizing marijuana in granting a motion to suppress evidence that was obtained during a 2019 search of a vehicle after a traffic stop. Judge David Procaccini found that a ‘slight’ smell of marijuana, coupled with a driver’s nervousness and the fact that...
