If a business receives an administrative charge of discrimination by an employee, or is sued by an employee for alleged violations of an employment statute, can the business sue the employee? Maybe the business can claim the employee defamed it by making false statements about the business. However, the employee will likely claim that the…
Continue reading ›It is important for employers to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and all of its various obligations. The ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on a disability. A disability is (a) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, and (b) a record of such impairment,…
Continue reading ›The litigation privilege protects parties and their attorneys from liability for statements and other acts taken in relation to litigation. “The litigation privilege in Florida provides all persons involved in judicial proceedings, including parties and counsel, an absolute privilege from civil liability for acts taken in relation to those proceedings.” Cherdak v. Cottone, 2023WL 2044608…
Continue reading ›Indemnity and hold harmless agreements are powerful tools that require the other party to the agreement to cover losses and expenses of the indemnitee. A hold harmless agreement is a type of indemnification agreement. “The term ‘hold harmless’ means to fully compensate the indemnitee for all loss or expense, and an agreement to hold harmless…
Continue reading ›A party seeking to enforce a restrictive covenant must plead and prove the existence of at least one legitimate business interest justifying enforcement of the restrictive covenant. Fla. Stat. § 542.335. That same party must also “plead and prove that the contractually specified restraint is reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate business interest or interests…
Continue reading ›Protecting trade secrets can be critical to a business. Trade secrets are defined as information that “(a) [d]erives independent economic value . . . from not being generally known to, and not readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and (b) [i]s the…
Continue reading ›Florida’s statute governing restrictive covenants requires the party trying to enforce the restrictive covenant to plead and prove the existence of at least one legitimate business interest justifying enforcement of that covenant. Fla. Stat. 542.355 (“The person seeking enforcement of a restrictive covenant shall plead and prove the existence of one or more legitimate business…
Continue reading ›Injunction are one possible remedy in business disputes. An injunction is an equitable remedy that requires a party to perform certain acts or prohibits a party from performing certain acts. “An injunction is for the most part preventive, and cannot ordinarily be employed to correct a wrong already done or restore to a party rights…
Continue reading ›A common type of damage in business litigation is lost profits. Lost profits can be used in breach of contract cases and other business torts like tortious interference. See, e.g., Marbella Park Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. My Lawn Service, Inc.,12 So. 3d 807 (Fla. 3d DC 2009) (stating the measure of damages for breach of…
Continue reading ›It is important for businesses to include merger clauses in their contracts. A merger clause, which is also called an integration clause, is “[a] contractual provision stating that the contract represents the parties’ complete and final agreement and supersedes all informal understandings and oral agreements relating to the subject matter of the contract.” Jenkins v.…
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