As I have increased my peacemaking work, I have had extraordinary opportunities to participate in meetings with people I admire and organizations I respect. These are people with greater experience and following than I have, if not also greater pedigree, intelligence, and other qualities we look for in leaders. It is both humbling and reassuring…
Because of my 15 years litigating workers’ compensation claims in New York, I still get referrals from other attorneys who represent employers. It can often be quite difficult delivering bad news to a small business owner who tried to follow the many laws that govern his or her industry, and I can typically hear a certain disbelief…
It’s always challenging to start a movement that transforms centuries-old systems. We see a lot of the attempts in the United States today. There was #occupywallstreet. Whatever happened to that? The #blacklivesmatter is regrouping and focusing on policy-making. The #womensmarch seems to have come and gone to some degree. As a business owner who advises…
It still shocks me when I hear some of the employment horror stories people endure. Even in states and countries where there are substantial worker protections, We will occasionally learn about the employer who: Sexually harassed an assistant Dropped an injured worker off at the hospital but denied the employment relationship Wanted to call Immigration and…
On 05/15/17, the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (“FIFA”) takes effect in New York City, intending to give freelance workers additional protections from non-paying clients. This is a well-intended act that is based on misunderstandings and misinformation about who is a small business owner and what their duties are. Of course, I want to see freelancers, self-employed people,…
Many of us consider ourselves law-abiding citizens. We pay our income taxes, comply with numerous regulations, purchase mandatory insurance policies, and refrain from stealing, killing, and cheating. We register our cars and our guns, and we only use legal substances when we want to experience intoxication. Admittedly, we occasionally drive faster than the speed limit or jaywalk, but…
I understand, even what I don’t condone. I get it. You are in a sanctuary city, where your Mayor appreciates the risks you take to help people who have broken the law. Like mine, your ancestors might have been immigrants, and had the laws been what they are today, we could have also been undocumented. Maybe you simply see the opportunity…
The International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation (ICERM) is committed to supporting sustainable peace in countries around the world, and we are well aware of the contributions that can be made by our elders. ICERM has established the World Elders Forum strictly for elders, traditional rulers/leaders or representatives of ethnic, religious, community and indigenous groups. We…
One website reports that the average number of federal tort, or injury, lawsuits filed each year in the United States is 512,000. From there, you can probably estimate that a large number of tort lawsuits are filed in state courts, too, since most motor vehicle accident, slip-and-fall, and property damage cases are filed in the…
I have defended a lot of employers, workers compensation (“WC”) insurance carriers, and third-party administrators (“TPA”) in WC claims. Often, the cases we could be administering with minimal litigation end up with multiple hearings over periods of several years because the injured workers become increasingly disgruntled as the confusing process continues longer than they think…
