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April 30, 2026

Ruder Ware is pleased to announce that Attorney Amy Ebeling has been elected to the board of directors of Meritas, a global alliance of independent law firms that serves the legal needs of companies across major jurisdictions and global markets. Ebeling was elected to the position from the more than 9,200 attorneys in the Meritas member network and will serve a three-year term with six other lawyers from around the world.
“Amy is a proven…
Continue Reading Attorney Amy Ebeling Elected to Board of Directors of Meritas

There’s a quiet moment in many people’s cancer journeys when you realize that pushing through at work isn’t sustainable. You may still get out of bed, still attend appointments, but your energy, focus, and endurance are no longer what they used to be. Fatigue sets in earlier than expected, mental fog lingers after treatment, and even small tasks feel overwhelming. And then the practical question arises: Can I continue working under these conditions?

For many, that question quickly leads…
Continue Reading Navigating Long-Term Disability While Living with Cancer

On December 28, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), as well as his NLRB general counsel pick, restoring a quorum with a 2-to-1 Republican-to-Democrat balance on the 5-member NLRB, with the remaining 2 board spots vacant. Now that the NLRB can get to work for the first time since January 2025, and with a Republican majority for the first time since 2021, is it just a matter of…
Continue Reading Will the New NLRB Sever from Severance Agreement Precedents on Gag Clauses?

If an employee takes sick leave but hasn’t completed and returned an FMLA form, can the employer lawfully terminate employment?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies to all local, state, federal, and private sector employers who employ 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in the current or proceeding calendar year. An employee is eligible for FMLA leave if they are employed by a covered employer, have completed at least 1,250 hours of work in the…
Continue Reading Employer Options When FMLA Documentation Is Missing

Across the country, lawmakers are increasingly scrutinizing a health insurance practice that frustrates patients and doctors alike: prior authorization. A recent report by NPR highlights how states are stepping in with new laws designed to curb delays, reduce denials, and hold insurers accountable. For patients, this shift could be the difference between getting timely care and facing dangerous delays. But even with these reforms, wrongful denials still happen—especially as insurers increasingly rely on automated systems and artificial intelligence.

This…
Continue Reading What to Do When Your Prior Authorization Is Denied—And When to Call a Lawyer

Emily Kelchen looking thoughtfulEmily Kelchen took a moment to ponder the long-term impact of her own legal work during the 100th anniversary of the Scopes “Monkey” Trial in Dayton, Tennessee.
Photos: Emily Kelchen.

I’m a sucker for historic courthouses. So, when I realized I lived within easy driving distance of Dayton, Tennessee, ​
​location of the Scopes “Monkey” Trial – and that 2025 was the 100th anniversary of the trial – I couldn’t wait to plan a visit.

The local community had

…
Continue Reading Not Monkey Business: The Scopes Trial Still Has Lessons to Teach

Aside from initial treatment, does workers’ compensation cover nonexempt employees’ time off to attend follow-up appointments related to their injury?
Short answer: Missed work time may qualify for temporary disability or partial wage‑replacement benefits when the appointment is injury‑related and cannot reasonably be scheduled outside working hours.         
By way of brief background, workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance benefit that provides two core benefits for employees injured on the job: (1) medical care reasonably necessary to treat the injury;…
Continue Reading Workers’ Comp Pay for Follow-Up Appointments: Employer Guide

Date and Time: April 16, 2026 7:30 am
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Green Bay1015 Lombardi AvenueGreen Bay, WI 54304

Presenters:
Sara J. Ackermann, Samuel J. S. Moheban, Mary Ellen Schill, Nicole L. Stangl, Morgan H. Sweeney
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Our Employment & Benefits Team is excited to invite you to one of our most popular, long-standing conferences. Designed for HR professionals, this event offers practical, actionable insights to help HR teams make informed…
Continue Reading Green Bay Annual Employment & Benefits Conference 2026

Date and Time: April 7, 2026 8:00 am
Location: The Florian Gardens2340 Lorch AvenueEau Claire, WI 54701 United States

Event will be held in the Silverleaf Ballroom – located on the right side of the building if you enter through the front doors.

Presenters:
Sara J. Ackermann, Samuel J. S. Moheban, Mary Ellen Schill, Nicole L. Stangl, Morgan H. Sweeney
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Ruder Ware and the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce are partnering…
Continue Reading Eau Claire Annual Employment & Benefits Conference 2026

Court orders can have direct and enforceable consequences within the workplace. While these matters arise from an employee’s personal life, employers are often legally obligated to comply with these orders and must do so without engaging in or exacerbating the underlying dispute. Failure to understand these obligations can result in statutory penalties, civil liability, or claims of unlawful employment practices.
Income Withholding and Wage Garnishments
Child support and spousal support orders are typically enforced via income withholding. Upon receiving…
Continue Reading Court Orders and Employers: Legal Obligations and Risk Considerations

Ruder Ware is pleased to announce that Attorney Shanna Fink, has been elected a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). Membership is limited to just one percent of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction. Members are nominated by their peers and selected by the ABF Board.
The ABF Fellows is a global honorary society that recognizes attorneys, judges, law faculty and legal scholars whose public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the highest principles…
Continue Reading Attorney Shanna Fink Elected to the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Navigating a divorce, custody dispute, or restraining‑order case can feel overwhelming – especially when you’re worried about who might see your personal information.

In Wisconsin, most family‑law matters are public records, but “public” doesn’t mean every detail is freely available online.

Attorney Kyle Kaufman breaks down exactly what’s accessible, what stays private, and how you can proactively protect your privacy while moving forward with confidence in this article.

Check out attorney Kaufman’s YouTube video via…
Continue Reading UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC RECORDS IN WISCONSING FAMILY LAW

March 4, 2026 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 53-member
Board of Governors (Board) discussed the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) and set the
Keller dues reduction amount at its Feb. 27 virtual meeting. The budget arrived at the Board after Finance Committee approval and unanimous approval of the Executive Committee. Interim Director for Administration and Finance, Jackie Jacobson, presented the proposed budget, outlining the process that built it. The first round

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Continue Reading State Bar Board Discusses Budget, Approves Keller Reduction