Sound Counsel. Smart Business.
How to Fix Those Mistakes Before Uncle Sam Finds Them By Randy Cook Qualified retirement plans are wonderful business tools for attracting and retaining employees, maximizing tax savings, and planning for retirement. For many businesses, the company-sponsored retirement plan is one of the most valuable assets associated with the business. As such, the prospect of …
On September 27, the shareholders of Saalfeld Griggs offered up an end-of-summer BBQ for the firm, complete with the roasting of a pig and a great assortment of side dishes. Chefs Mark Shipman, his son, Jon, and John Griffin, our fearless administrator, roasted the whole pig in just four hours with the help of a …
By Alan Sorem Oregon land use laws have a substantial effect on all Oregon business and individuals. As members of the public, we benefit from living in a well-planned state and city. As taxpayers, we have an interest in seeing property developments pay their fair share of the costs of necessary public streets, utilities, and …
By: Caleb Williams 2013 Legislation Affecting Oregon Business: Benefit Companies In 2013, Oregon has become the most recent state in a wave of states to create a legal framework for a “benefit company.” As of this writing, 19 states and the District of Columbia have adopted similar legislation. Oregon is relatively unique, in that it …
By Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group In an article published earlier this year, we discussed the new 3.8% Medicare tax, or Net Investment Income Tax (“NIIT”), and recommended taxpayers evaluate the need to amend lease agreements and make the grouping election under IRC section 469. We have received a number of inquiries regarding …
What’s An Employer To Do? By Jennifer Paul The close of any legislative session is a great time to dust off your employment manual and review it for legal compliance. This is particularly true following the 2013 Oregon Legislative Session. This year’s session adjourned on Monday, July 8, 2013. During the course of the session …
Another Painful Lesson in Patient Privacy By David Briggs A southern California case should put all health care providers on notice that they need to ensure patient privacy at all times. However, as Shasta Regional Medical Center (“SRMC”) learned, that may mean that you have to take a tie one hand behind your back in …
$25.5 Million Technicality: Intermountain Health Care By Wayne Kinkade Saafeld Griggs PC Intermountain Health Care Inc. recently agreed to pay the United States $25.5 million to settle largely technical Stark Law and the False Claims Act violations. According to Intermountain, which operates a large health system in the state of Utah, the violations mainly involved things such …
HHS Business Associates Agreements By David Briggs SAALFELD GRIGGS PC For many dental practices, the fact that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new regulations earlier this year related the HITECH Act went completely unnoticed. These rules came in addition to a litany of tighter privacy and security requirements, including new …
HIPAA/HITECH Compliance Deadline Looming By David Briggs and Wayne Kinkade Saalfeld Griggs PC As most practices are already aware, September 23, 2013 is the deadline for health care providers and other entities to update many – if not most – of your business associate agreements along with updating your notice of privacy practices. During the …