In May, the Ohio Supreme Court in White v. King, 2016-Ohio-2770, expressly provided that a meeting of a public body does not have to occur face to face. A meeting includes discussions that occur “telephonically, by video conference, or electronically by e-mail, text, tweet, or other form of communication.” A. Specific Facts of White v. King. In White v. King, one member of the Olentangy Local School District Board of Education, Adam White, filed suit against the Board claiming that they had violated the Open Meetings Act (R.C. 121.22). White had conducted an investigation into alleged improper expenditures by two …
David Pierce Elected President of Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton
On August 17, 2016, Coolidge attorney David P. Pierce was elected and installed as President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, an organization established to further the welfare of the Jewish community. The Federation coordinates social, welfare and cultural programs; fosters cooperation among Jewish organizations; facilitates fund-raising activities on the local and national level; and stimulates participation and interest in community-wide activities. David also serves as Second Vice-President of the Dayton Bar Association, an association of lawyers dedicated to furthering the administration of justice; enhancing the public’s respect for the law and promoting excellence and collegiality in the legal …
Are sexual harassment policies unnecessary for small businesses?
There are many advantages to operating a small business as opposed to a large corporation. Smaller businesses can be more agile and quick to respond to consumer needs, they often have a strong knowledge of local markets and it can be easier to take ownership over certain aspects of a product of business when there are fewer people to pass the buck. When it comes to maintaining relationships with employees, small businesses can also come out ahead. With fewer employees, small companies can find it easier to foster honest, trustworthy and personal relationships between employees and with the employer. However, …
DOJ: Proposed healthcare mergers not healthy for economy
In this blog, we have discussed the various complexities and legal challenges that are presented when a company attempts to acquire or merge with another company. In this post, we noted that vast majority of these deals are approved. In fact, just 5 percent of filings for mergers lead to challenges from agencies like the Department of Justice. While they may be rare, these challenges do happen; when they do, they are often newsworthy events. For example, recently, the DOJ filed lawsuits to stop two mergers in the healthcare insurance industry. The two separate transactions would combine the third- and …
Coolidge Wall Sponsors Brian Hafer Memorial Golf Outing
On August 1, 2016, Coolidge Wall sponsored the Brian Hafer Memorial Golf Outing at the Dayton Country Club. The Brian Hafer Foundation promotes drug and alcohol abuse awareness. The Coolidge Wall Team, comprised of lawyers Chris Conard and David Pierce, CFO Matt Rauch, and client Scott Campbell, won first place in the Ben Hogan flight at the golf outing.
Fleischauer Was Presenter at Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce HR Forum
Labor and Employment Department Chair Marc Fleischauer presented to the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Human Resources Forum on July 14, 2016, as part of its seminar, “Top Concerns for Area Employers.” The seminar was co-hosted by the Miami Valley Human Resource Association. Marc and co-panelist Suzanne M. Perry, Chief Human Resources Officer for Staffmark, addressed recent changes to regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, including the implications for employers of the upcoming increased salary requirement for exempt positions. Other presenters included Karen W. Borgert, Vice President Strategic Human Resources at CareSource, speaking on ways to engage and retain …
Starting a business? How a name can set you up for success
Between finding investors and the logistical complexities of starting a business, new business owners face a lot of challenges in the early days of operation. Some don’t make it past this difficult stage, and others just barely make it through. The fact is there are many elements working against small business owners early on, but thankfully there are many things you can do to make the road ahead a little smoother. For instance, picking a business name can seem inconsequential, but it is one thing that could have a more profound impact on a company’s success than people expect. When …
OSHA Changes: Stiffer Fines for Serious and Willful Violations, New Electronic Reporting Requirements for Some Companies
OSHA is implementing new requirements that raise penalties for workplace safety violations and that mandate a series of new reporting obligations for most employers. Higher Penalties OSHA will be implementing new higher penalties for safety violations effective August 1, 2016. Although just coming into effect now, these changes have been in the works since passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 in November of last year. Pursuant to this legislation, all federal agencies, including OSHA, were required to adjust their penalty rates to track with inflation. OSHA itself has not increased its fine schedule since 1990. For violations predating …
Merle Wilberding Travels to Sarajevo as part of City of Dayton Delegation to Commemorate 20th Anniversary of Dayton Peace Accords
Merle Wilberding, a senior member of Coolidge Wall Co., L.P.A., was part of the City of Dayton Delegation that visited Sarajevo to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords. The delegation was led by Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, City Commissioner Matt Joseph, Montgomery County Treasurer Carolyn Rice, and Sister Cities Chair Hunt Brown. The Dayton City Commission had appointed Wilberding to the Sister Cities Committee a number of years ago. The Dayton Delegation was invited to a special reception at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, and later toured the Tunnel of Hope that served as a life-line during …
FTC could squash proposed acquisition by Walgreens
The decision to acquire another company is not one that should ever be made lightly, as this type of transaction can affect both companies involved, consumers, employees, stockholders and investors. The Federal Trade Commission certainly doesn’t take these transactions lightly, and in fact, it has been stopping some high-profile purchases in recent months. However, pharmacy giant Walgreens is hoping that its most recent proposed acquisition will make it past the FTC. According to reports, Walgreens is looking to buy Rite Aid, another chain of pharmacies, for about $9.4 billion. Interested parties are cautious, however, because the proposed acquisition is expected …