» Julie P. Cotant - Attorney

For the past 7 years, I have been fortunate enough to teach the Dale Carnegie Human Relations and Communications Course©, started by Dale Carnegie in 1912. The course boasts famous graduates such as Mary Kay, Dave Thomas (of Wendy’s), Lee Iacocca,… Read More

In 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its guidance regarding the use of arrest or conviction records when making employment decisions. In some instances, using the records may run afoul of the Civil Rights Act’s prohibition a… Read More

As described by Monica Davey of The New York Times, Michigan “has long been a symbol of union might and an incubator for the American labor movement.” Perhaps that is why the December 11th passage of “right-to-work” legislation is of particul… Read More

Confused about when to pay an employee’s travel expenses? You’re not alone. When travel goes beyond the traditional commute, knowing what to cover can be tricky. Regardless of the situation, the most important question to ask is whether the trave… Read More

The Society of Human Resource Management recently published an article notifying its members that surprise Department of Labor (DOL) visits are on the rise. According to the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division administrator, the DOL is showing up at works… Read More

While the Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act took effect January 1, 2009, their impact persists. After receiving my own refresher on the Act at a recent conference, it seemed appropriate to provide employers with some points to keep in… Read More

On February 23, 2012, the IRS announced that it has an estimated $1 Billion for the one million people who did not file their federal income tax returns in 2008, and of the one million people, over 33,000 are from Michigan. According to the IRS, it i… Read More

Effective January 3, 2012, new penalties may be imposed on commercial motor vehicle (“CMV”) companies as well as their drivers for using mobile phones. As a result of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s recent amendment to 49 CFR… Read More