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Michigan has the second longest coastline in the United States trailing only the state of Alaska. With the hot summer months quickly approaching, Michigan’s expansive coastline (including inland shorelines) will be taken over by beachgoers.

While Minnesota is well known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," the State of Michigan could also claim that title as it contains more than 11,000 inland lakes. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation notes that anyone living in Michigan is never more than six miles away from a lake or stream.

On June 6, 2018, the Michigan legislature voted to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law, which required union scale wages on public construction projects.

It is well established that the Michigan Worker's Disability Compensation Act (the "Act") provides that the recovery of benefits under the Act shall be the injured employee's exclusive remedy against an employer.

Public pension systems are increasingly underfunded. Data released in 2017 indicates that the median state funding ratio (the percentage of assets that a state has available for future payments to retirees) fell to 71.1 percent in 2016, down from 74.5 percent in 2015.

With summer right around the corner, many Michigan employers are staffing up with interns to help out with the workloads, and also as part of recruiting programs.

The United States Supreme Court gave employers a big win this week by ruling, in a 5-4 vote, that employers can enforce agreements that require employees to arbitrate disputes individually and waive the right to pursue such claims in collective or class actions.

For over 25 years, local, state, and federal governments have utilized public-private partnerships (P3s) to design, build and finance infrastructure, economic development, and social infrastructure. It is recognized as a seasoned, reliable delivery method.

The other day I arrived home after a day at the office and noticed someone had delivered (i.e. tossed in my yard) a recent copy of the yellow book where you can turn the pages in search of businesses who sell products and services that you may need. You know … the phone book.

Generally, meetings of public bodies must be open to the public according to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act ("OMA"), 1976 PA 267. So, how can a public body maintain the confidentiality of attorney-client privileged information that must be discussed by the board, council or commission?

Foster Swift is a nationally recognized Bond Counsel and Disclosure Counsel firm. We advise and represent Michigan townships on all aspects of borrowing money and issuing bonds, and also public private partnership (P3) projects.

Several municipalities in the state of Michigan (and nationwide) have filed lawsuits against drug manufacturers and distributors alleging deceptive marketing in the sale of opioids, including OxyContin and Fentanyl

Property tax exemptions can have a big impact on local communities. Although exempt properties do not generate tax revenue for local units or tax-sharing units (like schools and libraries), exempt properties still use tax-funded services, like police and fire protection. An increase in tax-exempt properties can in turn increase the strain on local budgets.

In 2017, the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) assessed $119,517,845 in penalties and settlements for violations of U.S. economic sanctions.

The Ag industry continues to face financial challenges. The potential of a bankruptcy notice remains ever present. Ignore a bankruptcy notice at your own peril.

By declining to hear 11 closely watched labor cases, the Michigan Supreme Court has made it clear that public employees such as teachers throughout the state can quit their union any time of the year — putting more emphasis on what Michigan’s Right-to-Work law means for public sector employees.

As I discussed in the first article in this series addressing property tax exemption issues in Michigan, property taxes account for billions of dollars for essential community services such as schools, public safety departments, transportation, infrastructure, and governance for local residents and businesses.

Public libraries play an important academic, cultural, and social role in communities across Michigan. Public Libraries are governed by elected or appointed boards that meet regularly to make important decisions and provide oversight and direction for a library. The role of a board is to set policy, and to leave implementation of policy to the library’s director and staff.

While every solar land use agreement can be unique, there are some considerations that are common to many of the agreements.

The U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently announced that its final rule (the “Final Rule”) on disability claims procedures for employer-provided disability benefits will go into effect on April 1, 2018.

In the last three years, growth of foreign expats working in Shanghai has declined to only about 1/10 the average annual growth of the last twelve year. Businesses are leaving and expats are being replaced by low-cost local staff alternatives.

In a recent opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court emphatically reaffirmed the requirement that collective bargaining agreements (“CBAs”) must be interpreted according to “ordinary principles of contract law” when deciding whether retired employees are entitled to health care benefits. CNH Industrial N.V. v. Reese, No. 17-515, 2018 WL 942419 (U.S. Feb. 20, 2018).

By most measures the economy is strong. Unemployment is low. The stock market is roaring. Gross domestic product is rising. Under these circumstances, bankruptcy is on few people’s minds.

Criminals have increasingly targeted the information necessary to fraudulently obtain tax refunds in recent years. While this goal remains a constant, thieves are constantly developing new ways to obtain this information.

Following fierce debate, extensive negotiations, and votes - then re-votes - in Congress, on December 20, 2017, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives approved the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Reform”), and sent a final bill to President Trump for his signature.

On February 6, 2018, Governor Snyder signed Public Act 16 of 2018, which creates a Uniform Commercial Real Estate Receivership Act (the “Act”) in Michigan. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Brandt Iden, of the 61st District. PA 16 can be viewed here.

Since 2008, when the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (the “MMMA”) went into effect, employers in Michigan have been presented with new and nuanced issues related to how the new marijuana law would impact employment-related decisions.

Many people spend more time working at their jobs than they do engaging in any other activity during waking hours. It’s inevitable, therefore, that workers will get hurt on the job.

We have written about the significant increase in the usage of drones for both recreational and commercial purposes.

Even as the rest of the world seems to require everything in writing, it remains an article of faith in farming communities throughout Michigan that business can still be conducted with a handshake. 

Sexual harassment is at the top of minds in workplaces across the country. It is up to employers to maintain a safe and secure workplace. This includes stopping sexual harassment from occurring in the first place and taking swift action to mitigate its consequences when it does.

The current prolonged downturn of the Chinese economy is the worst experienced by any of today’s Chinese business managers.

Did you know you can form a valid contract for the sale of goods without ever discussing the price?

A recent Michigan Supreme Court decision has caused concern among many local taxing units as it potentially opens the door to more properties receiving exemptions as “charitable institutions.”

The IRS has made changes to the process for amending and receiving approval for qualified retirement plans like 401(k) plans. The changes affected both "individually designed plans" and "pre-approved plans".

On December 22, 2017, the President signed into law the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" commonly referred to as "Tax Reform."

H.R.1, described as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (the “Act”) and commonly referred to as "Tax Reform", was signed into law by the President on December 22, 2017.

As Americans become ever more reliant upon the Internet to obtain information and perform everyday tasks, companies' websites are increasingly being scrutinized to determine whether they are accessible to people with disabilities.

Following fierce debate, extensive negotiations, and votes - then re-votes - in Congress, on December 20, 2017, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives approved the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Reform”), and sent a final bill to President Trump for his signature.