Writing on Wisconsin Legal Rights
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Disabled by Opioid Use Disorder? You May Be Eligible for Short- and Long-Term Disability Benefits
Beginning in the 1990s, the use of prescription opioids to treat chronic pain sky-rocketed despite concerns about the drug’s addictive properties and long-term risks. Fast-forward 30 years and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that roughly three...
Guardians ad Litem: Family Law Cases
Frequently Asked Questions About Guardians ad Litem A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a key player in family court proceedings. Wisconsin Statute 767.407 provides that the court shall typically appoint a guardian ad litem for a minor child in any action affecting the...
The Professional’s Dilemma: Special Considerations for Professionals in Need of Long-Term Disability Benefits
Most professionals have dedicated immense resources just for the opportunity to work in their chosen career path. Whether that includes obtaining advanced degrees or moving across country for the right job opportunity, the personal sacrifices that often come as a...
Long-Term Disability Attorneys Jessa Victor & Brook Tylka Present at NAMI Wisconsin
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn how disability attorneys deal with long term disability claims for mental health issue.
Balancing Breastfeeding and Work – Nursing Moms Now Have a Powerful Tool at their Disposal
New PUMP Act Remedies Effective April 28, 2023 The PUMP (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections) Act was passed by Congress on December 31st, 2022, but the most important aspect of the law – the additional remedies available in the event of a violation of the PUMP Act...
Disability Asset Limits: Understanding the Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act
Understanding Individual Asset Limit for Individuals Receiving SSDI or SSI Disability Benefits As discussed in previous blog posts, there is a strict asset limitation for individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). That limit is $2,000 for an...
Why Is My Disability Claim Taking So Long?
Why Your Disability Claim is Taking So Long and What You Can Do While You Wait If you’ve stopped working because of a disability, you’ve probably considered applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Perhaps you’ve already filed your...
New NLRB Decision Restricts Common Severance Agreement Terms
On February 21, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or the “Board”) returned to established precedent and found that a severance agreement which included broad non-disparagement and confidentiality clauses violated the employees’ section 7 rights under...
I Think My Employer Is Committing Healthcare Fraud. What Can I Do?
What is Healthcare Fraud? Government-funded healthcare programs don’t just provide essential healthcare services to people who need them—they’re also big business. In 2021, the federal government spent $901 billion on Medicare and $734 billion on Medicaid. Even though...
Your Disability Benefits Claim May Be Impacted by the End of the COVID-19 National Emergency
The Biden Administration recently announced that it intends to end the COVID-19 National Emergency on May 11, 2023. If your short-term or long-term disability benefits were denied or terminated during the COVID-19 National Emergency, your ability to continue pursuing...
A Potential Ban on Non-Competes: Here’s the Scoop
The Federal Trade Commission’s (the “FTC”) goal is to protect the American public from unfair business practices and from unfair methods of competition in business and trade. Competition in business can include competition for good workers, especially when the job...
Injured at work? Promptly Reporting your Injury and Seeking Treatment is Very Important.
Hurt at Work? Say Something! I talk every day with people who have hurt themselves at work. Too often, the people I talk to tell me that they didn’t report the injury. Sometimes they haven’t even been to the doctor. I get it: you’re tough and you’re used to gritting...
Attorney Marisol González Castillo nominated for State Bar President-Elect
Marisol González Castillo, an Associate Attorney at Hawks Quindel, has been nominated for Wisconsin State Bar President-Elect. She currently works with the Personal Injury, Workers Compensation, and Consumer Law teams. Attorneys and Staff describe her as tenacious,...
SSDI vs. SSI Benefits – Understanding the Difference
A Guide to Understanding SSDI vs SSI Benefits Hawks Quindel disability attorneys know the Social Security Disability process is confusing and frustrating. We know this because time after time, our clients express exasperation regarding the difficulty of navigating the...
Fired for Getting Hurt? How to Handle Employer Retaliation
Fighting Retaliation After a Work Injury When you suffer an injury in the workplace, you want to focus on getting the treatment you need to heal and return to work. Unfortunately, additional issues can arise if your employer fails to accommodate your work restrictions...
How to Prepare for LTDI Field Interview Questions
Preparing for Your Long-Term Disability Interview: Questions to Anticipate, Mistakes to Avoid, and Tips to Remember! It’s not unusual for your long-term disability (LTD) insurance carrier to request an interview with you to learn more about your claim. These...
When and How to Report a Wisconsin Work Injury
What to Do When You Are Injured at Work If you get hurt at work in Wisconsin, you might be wondering how to explain your injury to your doctor. You might wonder how much information you need to give them, or whether you really need to explain facts that could end up...
Is Your Non-compete Agreement Legal? Check These 5 Legal Tests
Non-Compete Agreements: Just Because It’s in a Contract Doesn’t Mean It’s Legal Employers are increasingly requiring their employees to sign contracts that include provisions restricting the employees’ rights after leaving the job. The most common such agreements are...
Federal Judge Rules “Correlated Conduct” Not Protected Under Federal Employment Law
Update: Texas Federal Judge Rejects EEOC Guidance on Transgender Use of Bathrooms In my blog post, Top Ten Tips for Transgender Employees, I cite guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) instructing employers to allow employees to use...
Hawks Quindel, S.C. Wins Social Security Disability Claim for Rare Vestibular Disorder
Hawks Quindel, S.C. recently prevailed in getting Social Security disability benefits approved for a young claimant who has been unable to work since 2018 due primarily to Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (“PPPD”). PPPD is a vestibular disorder that causes...
Do Wisconsin Families Get Money for Injury or Death of Loved Ones?
Family Members Can Recover for Injuries to their Loved Ones One of the privileges I have as a lawyer is working with people and their families to make amends after an unfortunate event. Sometimes my clients have been in a minor fender-bender. Car crashes can be...
FMLA Protects Employees’ Rights to Meaningful Work
Federal Court of Appeals Affirms Workers’ Right to Meaningful Work Under FMLA In August 2022, the attorneys at Hawks Quindel, S.C. celebrated a big win for one of our clients, Sarah. Although Sarah had won her case under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in...
Law Shifts Against WI Job Applicants with Domestic Violence Record
Court Decision May Result in Fewer Available Jobs for WI Domestic Violence Offenders Prohibition on Arrest and Conviction Record Discrimination in Employment Generally speaking, Wisconsin employers are prohibited from discriminating against job applicants and...
Wisconsin Teacher Wins Appeal on Interference with Medical Leave
Our Employment Attorneys Can Fight for Your FMLA Rights Please view this Bloomberg Article regarding this recent victory. Attorneys Halstead, Bibb and Behm, who represent Ms. Simon, stated, “Before filing this lawsuit, Sarah Simon implored the school district...
Hawks Quindel Attorneys Named “Best Lawyers” – 2023
Hawks Quindel is proud to announce that 4 of our attorneys have been named to the "Best Lawyers in America" list by Best Lawyers publication. Each year, Best Lawyers awards "Best Lawyers in America" to individual attorneys with the highest peer reviews within...