A new program from the non-profit Iowa Foundation for Microenterprise and Community Vitality (IFMCV), will provide a statewide mechanism for Iowa’s microentrepreneurs to connect with community development agencies for assistance. Among the groups spearheading the effort are the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation and the Community Vitality Center (CVC), a policy analysis center based at
Pizza Hut: A Tough Employment Situation Any Way You Slice It
The Des Moines Register had an article about how support has poured in for a Pizza Hut Delivery driver that was suspended from work after he shot an alleged armed robber. The employee had a valid handgun permit but a Pizza Hut human resources representative indicated that employees are not allowed to carry guns "because we (Pizza
BlawgIT has Moved to Its Own URL
Iowa’s first legal blog has moved to its own url at www.blawgit.com and new posts will no longer be available at its former blogger site. Iowa patent attorney Brett Trout has achieved remarkable success with his blog. It is an award winning blog that provides tremendous information on patent, trademark and Internet law.
Brett is also
Iowa Secretary of State Corporate Biennial Reports Due Today
It’s no April Fool’s joke, the Iowa Secretary of State corporate biennial reports are due today, April 1, 2008. If you have not filed your report be sure to do so today. In Iowa, limited liability companies are also required to file the report. If you file online the cost is $30.00 for the filing
What You Need to Know About Retaliation Claims
Pennsylvania employment lawyer Michael Moore has an excellent post on Five Things Every HR Generalist Should Know about Retaliation Claims. Michael notes that the number of retaliation claims rose 18% in 2007 to a record high, doubling since 1992. His post covers the following areas:
- What is unlawful retaliation?
- What is "Adverse Action" by
The Case for a New Polk County Courthouse
On April 29th, Polk County voters will decide whether we should fix the security and safety problems with the current courthouse and to build a facility that is large enough to meet the current demands of Polk County residents. Consider the following facts:
Overcrowding
- The current courthouse was built 108 years ago.
- The population of
Iowa: Two out of Three Ain’t Bad
Forbes Magazine ranks Des Moines as the fourth best metro nationally for business and careers. Iowa City ranked second in the smaller metro category.
Unfortunately for Iowa we also apparently rank first in the nation for corporate tax rates (and I don’t mean in a good way).
But the tie breaker is that we are cool.
Today’s Lawyers Must Be Mindful of Social Media and Pretrial Publicity
Des Moines attorney Charles Kenville has a great post on the need for lawyers to be mindful of the new media exposure in their cases. Chuck has a criminal law bent to his post but his reminder is just as true for civil cases.
I know from experience that savvy businesses are acutely aware
Franchise Agreement and Disclosure Document Review
West Des Moines, Iowa business and corporate attorney Rush Nigut of Brick Gentry P.C. has set up an affordable service targeted directly for individuals who are considering buying a franchise business. He routinely counsels clients through the franchise process. His franchise clients include business owners in financial services, hair salons, dry cleaning, real estate,
Iowa Employment Law Compliance Review
Are your employment policies and practices up-to-date? Every employer is at risk for an employment-related lawsuit. Every lawsuit is potentially devastating to your business, given the high costs of defending a suit, negative publicity, employee time spent in litigation, and ripple effect of employee complaints. You can significantly cut down your exposure to an employment-related