Yesterday, after much deliberation, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finally issued a final rule to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).  After receiving over 100,000 public comments since proposing rules for the PWFA in August 2023, the final rule is scheduled to go into effect on June 18, 2024, unless delayed by legal challenges. In short, the PWFA requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide “reasonable accommodations” to workers with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would ..read more

Join us for our biennial employment law update! Ever-changing labor and employment laws and regulations are an endless challenge for HR professionals and business owners. That’s why every other year we offer our Vogel Employment Law Update, bringing you the latest information on new laws, regulatory changes, and recent state and federal court cases of critical importance to North Dakota and Minnesota-area employers. Our expert presenters will cover 2024’s hot employment law issues, including: KrisAnn Norby-Jahner, Attorney: “Hiring and Managing Remote Employees” – In this session, Vogel attor ..read more

According to the National Safety Council, in 2021, large trucks were involved in 5,700 fatal crashes, killing 5,788 people! This is a 47% increase in fatalities over the preceding 10 years. In 2021, large trucks were also involved in 117,300 crashes injuring 155,000 people! Of this number, 71% of the injuries predictably involved occupants of the “other vehicle.” Accidents involving 18-wheelers or other large trucks result in catastrophic injuries and deaths throughout the Upper Midwest. A critical first step to obtain the compensation you or a loved one deserve is to begin the investigative p ..read more

Unsurprisingly, participation in telehealth services increased exponentially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some sources report that the percentage of physicians providing telemedicine in any form increased sixfold from 2018 to 2021. Indeed, telemedicine presents a cost-efficient solution for many and provides an opportunity for increased quality of care accessible to those in currently underserved communities, including those in rural areas. As with any technological advancement, there are also potential challenges posed by telehealth, including technical difficulties, access barriers ..read more

The honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action. -Aristotle Our firm is proud to have 16 lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® and 8 lawyers recognized in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2024 editions. These recognitions by Best Lawyers signify excellence in practice and are based on comprehensive peer-review surveys. This year’s survey comprised of more than 16.1 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys and almost 58,000 voters responded to the surveys. The purely peer review methodology is at the core of Best Lawyers credo, as th ..read more

Vogel, one of the largest law firms in the region announces a new president and management team, steering in a next era of excellence and vision for the firm. After completing his term as President, Rob Manly, announced our new President, Andrew Smith at the annual December attorney meeting.  Andrew is a member of the firm’s real estate and business transactions groups, and has served the firm in various committee and operational roles since joining the firm. Andrew will continue to provide services to his clients while helping guide the firm moving forward into the future. Former Vogel P ..read more

Proper Tires Can Save Lives It’s that time of year again when we start our day reading and hearing about the previous day’s collisions, injuries, and deaths. Most recently we have read: “5-year-old killed in rollover crash” “Passenger injured in rollover on I-29” “Driver killed in pickup rollover crash on I-94” The common cause for these accidents is the seasonal change in road conditions from “dry” and “clear” to roads packed with snow and ice due to snowfalls and freezing temperatures. The change in road conditions causes vehicles to lose traction and spin out of control and to take longer t ..read more

EEOC guidance on harassment in the workplace For the first time since 1999, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently proposed updating its Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace, which provides EEOC staff with direction for investigating, adjudicating, and litigating harassment claims.  The proposed Guidance places an emphasis on sexual harassment but also covers harassment based on other protected characteristics, such as race, color, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, and age. Although this proposed Guidance would not be legally ..read more

Today, Best Lawyers publicly announced the Fourteenth Edition of the Best Law Firms® rankings and our firm was awarded the 2024 Best Law Firm in the United States honor. Congratulations to our firm on being included in this elite and extremely impressive group! Our firm was metro ranked in 15 practice areas. Vogel Law Firm Metro Rankings BISMARCK, ND Tier 2 for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants FARGO, ND Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation Tier 1 for Corporate Law Tier 1 for Family Law Tier 1 for Labor Law – Management Tier 1 for Litigation – Mergers and Acqu ..read more

Congratulations Mark Friese, Criminal Defense Attorney, for receiving the 2023 North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Meritorious Service Coin Award for his contributions to North Dakota drug courts.  Drug Court Coordinator Kristen Keimele nominated Mark in recognition of his service on the East Central Judicial District Adult Drug Court Advisory Board for more than twenty years, his ongoing assistance to drug court members, and for assisting fellow award recipient, North Dakota State Representative Shannon Roers Jones, in researching and drafting legislation adopted by ..read more