Cash bonuses might make employees happy, but regular praise and communication make them loyal. If you’ve taken the plunge and hired employees, you’ve probably learned two hard lessons quickly: They don’t come cheap. Like pets, plants, children and other living beings, you need to communicate with them. You can’t just ignore them like a piece […]
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Q: I’ve found various sites that have templates for employee handbooks, including one at Business.gov. Am I putting myself at any risk by using this as the basis of my employee handbook? What sorts of legal issues should I take into consideration before using any employee handbook in my business? A: Templates are great as […]
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In my practice, I’m finding that the IRS and Department of Labor are getting more aggressive about enforcing the proper classification of workers. Essentially, they want to be sure that you’re not hiring a worker as an “independent contractor” (thus avoiding the payment of employment taxes), yet treating him/her as an employee by micromanaging every aspect […]
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Q: For how long are employee non-compete agreements normally valid? If a person signs such an agreement, leaves the company for a period of time and then comes back to the company, is he/she still bound by such an agreement even if he did not sign it again? Is such an agreement valid for customers […]
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“Faster than a rolling O. Stronger than silent E“—that’s the pace at which information (and misinformation) flies around in cyberspace. Even worse is when something written about you/your company comes back to slap you in the face like a coconut cream pie. In his post, “Should Personal Blogs Be Allowed and Permitted by Employers,” Kirk […]
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My colleague, Deborah Shapiro, Esq., reminded me of a recent change to New York State employment law. In short, beginning October 26, 2009, New York employers must inform newly hired employees in writing, at the time of hiring, of their pay rate, regular payday and, if eligible for overtime, regular hourly rate and overtime rate. […]
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If last week’s post about awkward work situations wasn’t enough, firing an employee probably has to top the discomfort charts. It may be justified (the employee was cooking the books) or necessary (sales are down 40 percent because of the economy, so you need to downsize) . . . but it’s rarely a task that […]
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Even small businesses need a hiring process. Making the leap from business owner to employer takes a combination of faith, a strong stomach and smart planning. After all, once you decide to become an employer, you agree to take on a bushel of issues above and beyond just paying a regular salary. There are taxes […]
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“Been there, lived it,” you say. Crazy co-workers, back-stabbing co-workers, co-workers who babble on all day and won’t SHUT UP enough to let you focus and do your job, co-workers who seem to wear every sensitivity on their sleeve (as well as those who trample over you like a bull in a china shop). You’ve […]
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Q: If a person is a 50 percent owner in an LLC corporation, is it illegal for that person who owns another company that does the same type of work to go and do work or operate under that business? Someone mentioned to me that it is a conflict under a law regarding corporate obligation. […]
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Taking on a business partner is not a decision to be made lightly. It’s much like getting married. With the tools provided to you in The Entrepreneur’s Prenup you will always have the partnership guidance you need, regardless of where you are in your partnership process.