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Marc Alifanz

Marc Alifanz

Recent Articles

New IRS Guidance for Health Care Reform: More News You Can Use

Dennis Westlind
April 06, 2011 13:23

Editor's Note: Today we are pleased to post the following health care reform update on new IRS guidance that came out last week.  Many thanks to our Seattle employee benefits colleagues, Howard Bye, Melanie Curtice and Erin Lennon, for sharing this timely content with World of...

Ninth Circuit Places Burden of Proof on Employers to Justify Refusal to Reinstate in FMLA Interference Claims

Dennis Westlind
March 18, 2011 17:27

A Ninth Circuit panel ruled yesterday in Sanders v. City of Newport that when an employer opts to not restore an employee who was on FMLA leave to her former position, that the burden falls on the employer to demonstrate that such action was justified. In Sanders, the plaintiff, a billing clerk,...

Service Animals Limited to Dogs and Some Miniature Horses Under New ADA Rules

Dennis Westlind
March 16, 2011 15:58

As reported in the Oregonian, the Department of Justice this week implemented amendments to a number of regulations governing Title II and Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Title II of the ADA applies to public entities, while Title III applies to...

Ninth Circuit Holds "One-Strike" Drug Testing Rule Does Not Violate ADA

Dennis Westlind
March 04, 2011 14:15

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday held in Lopez v. Pacific Maritime Association that an employer’s one-strike drug testing policy for applicants does not violate the Americans With Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The one-strike policy in question stated that the company...

Oregon: 2011 Legislative Session Preview

Dennis Westlind
February 22, 2011 14:00

Oregon’s 76th Legislative Assembly convened on February 1, 2011. The Legislature has wasted no time introducing a multitude of new labor and employment bills, some with potentially far reaching effects. Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of some of the more interesting bills up for...