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The Texas Senate recently approved Senate Bill 14 (“SB14”), coined the Business Freedom and Uniformity Act, which would ban cities and counties from requiring businesses to provide paid sick leave, predictable work schedules, and other employee benefits. Supporters of the bill believe that it will allow businesses to operate in multiple cities. However, opponents have called it an existential threat to Texas workers. In the past three years, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio passed paid-sick-leave ordinances, requiring employers to pay employees who use earned sick leave for hours spent not

Cryptocurrency is a bit of a loaded term. For some, it is a fascinating form of the future incarnate. For others, just reading the term “cryptocurrency” in an article triggers an automatic reflex to click on another story. Regardless of your comfort level, the reality is that cryptocurrency is here and trending to become more and more commonplace. Two recent examples show just how prevalent cryptocurrencies have become. Exhibit A: PayPal, one of the largest online payment systems in the world, has announced that it will be launching a cryptocurrency checkout service allowing consumers to p

While the Payment Protection Plan (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) have stolen the media spotlight, other financial incentives for employers to retain employees during the ongoing pandemic abound.  In the recently enacted 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, one such incentive, the employment retention credit, has received a new lease on life.  First, a brief history about the credit during the pandemic. Under the initial COVID-19 stimulus act, the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) signed into law a mere 12 months ago, eligible businesse

On March 3, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-34 to provide that, in all counties in Texas not in an area with high hospitalizations: a.  there are no COVID-19-related operating limits for any business or other establishment; and b.  individuals are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings over the nose and mouth wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household, but no person may be required by any jurisdiction to wear or to mandate the wearing of a face covering. The Order, effective March 10, 2021, all

Several pieces of legislation were passed and signed into law at the end of 2020 as part of the second round of COVID-19 stimulus relief. One of those laws was the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA 2021) which extends some of the relief offered under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). While not as extensive as FFCRA, employers can offer some additional benefits to employees while still receiving the tax benefits allowed under FFCRA. There are limitations on time and scope that employers should study before deciding whether to offer the additional benefits allowed under CCA