By Vanessa Lystad and Tatiana Hamilton Effective July 24, all Minnesotans are required to wear a face covering in indoor businesses and indoor public settings per the Executive Order of Governor Walz. This article explains how this Order affects businesses within Minnesota. Mandatory Face Coverings In general, the Order requires Minnesotans to wear a face…

By Drew Hushka Can law enforcement order a person to unlock his or her phone or electronic device?  That question has perplexed courts for years.  Generally, a search warrant allows law enforcement to search a device without violating the Fourth Amendment.  But, as countless legal procedurals have informed the public, the Fifth Amendment grants persons…

By Employer Defense & Labor Law Practice Group Many employers are beginning to call back employees, who were temporarily allowed to telecommute, furloughed, or laid off in response to the COVID-19 crisis.  As a measure to protect the workforce, some employers may be considering mandatory COVID-19 testing of employees as a condition of their return. …

While most people are familiar with the advice that they should not sign any contract before having the contract reviewed by an attorney, many people do not believe attorney review of contracts is necessary. If you are like many other people, you may think that a quick scan of a contract will reveal any undesirable…

By Caren Stanley Whiting Petroleum filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 1, 2020 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Case No. 20-32021. In a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, the debtor continues operations and attempts to restructure its debts as contrasted with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case in which…

Farmers are often practical and stoic people. Things need to get done, you get up and do them. If the weather’s bad or your equipment breaks down, you adjust. You fix things and move on. Good planning and hard work will get you through most situations, but that doesn’t mean stress won’t take its toll.…

In the last issue, we discussed the sigh of relief employers can breathe now that the NLRB has held employers may require confidentiality during the course of workplace investigations. The sharp inhale may return, however, when trying to determine how to handle the investigation. When an employee complains that he/she has been harassed/discriminated/retaliated against, an…

By: Vanessa Lystad, [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] For several years, employers have been burdened with a conflicting standard from the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) and guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) with respect to confidentiality of workplace investigations. On the one hand, the NLRB-in a decision called Banner Estrella Medical Center issued in 2015-adopted…

[nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] attorney Tami Norgard to speak at the upcoming Great Plains Land Expo. She will provide a comprehensive discussion of landowner rights and considerations when an easement is requested on your land. Tami’s practice includes natural resources and civil litigation, including land use, environmental issues, oil, water law, gas and energy issues. For more…

Distracted driving has escalated to one of the most pressing issues on the road. A quick glance away from the road may seem harmless enough, but that split second distraction is cited as a contributing factor as one of the leading causes of car accidents and resulting deaths and injuries. There are legal ramifications if…