IT’S TIME TO DREAM NEW DREAMS
In a recent blog titled “Welcome to the Sharing Economy – Also known as the Collapse of the American Dream” Steven Straus comments on a blog written by Thomas Friedman for the NY Times “extolling the virtues of the sharing economy.” (See “Welcome to the Sharing Economy”) Based on his view of the sharing economy, it is easy to understand why Mr. Strauss sees it as the end of the American dream. However, that can be viewed as a step forward,... Read The Rest →
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR GUIDELINES
The classification of your workers as “employees” or “independent contractors” remains a “hot topic” with the IRS, even though some guidelines have been have been released intending to simplify this area. A) Form 1099 should be mailed by January 31st each year to all independent contractors (individuals, partnerships, LLPs and LLCs; but not corporations) whom you paid at least $600 cumulative during the previous year. Form 1096 (summary) should be filed with the IRS with copy A of the Forms 1099 by February 28th each year. Please note that the... Read The Rest →
EMPLOYEE E-MAIL PRIVACY ISSUES
E-mail has become the preferred method of communication for millions of individuals. Because of the relative ease in accessing personal e-mail accounts at work, many employees routinely check their personal e-mails and respond to them from the workplace. Many employees assume that the e-mails they send and receive are protected from review by their employer and, in certain limited circumstances they may be right. Employees may also assume that when they hit the “delete” key on their keyboard, that an e-mail is removed from their computer. However, many systems... Read The Rest →
CALIFORNIA EMPLOYER UPDATE (2012)
In early October, California Governor Jerry Brown signd a variety of important employment and labor-related statutes. Although Gov. Brown vetoed several additional anti-employer measures, this year marks a turning point for employers with workforces in California. It is anticipated that the 2012 legislative session will yield additional proposals that will impose new and probably onerous obligations on employers. The following are the most significant of the measures signed by Governor Brown in 2011. “Wage Theft Prevention Act of 2011” Creates New Wage Disclosure Requirements and New Penalties for Underpayment... Read The Rest →
CALIFORNIA CREATES TWO NEW BUSINESS ENTITIES
On October 9, 2011, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill No. 201 and Assembly Bill No. 361, creating two new classes of corporations in California that give for-profit corporations the opportunity to embrace social, community and environmental ethos traditionally reserved for non-profit organizations: the flexible purpose corporation and the benefit corporation. SB 201: The Flexible Purpose Corporation A flexible purpose corporation is a corporation that designates in its articles of incorporation a special purpose, which may include charitable and public purpose activities sometimes carried out... Read The Rest →