Ask Cari: What do I need to Know About Family and Medical Leave as a Small Business Owner?

Rincker Law Employment and Labor Law Leave a Comment

Federal law has required certain businesses to offer family and medical leave for decades. An increasing number of states have also enacted or considered passing laws requiring businesses to offer family and medical leave. For small businesses, these laws have distinct pros and cons. This article discusses some of the most important factors small business owners should keep in mind …

Share this Article

Ask Cari: What Should I Know about “Ban-the-Box” Laws?

Rincker Law Business/Commercial Law, Employment and Labor Law Leave a Comment

Thirty-three states and 150 municipalities and counties have enacted “ban-the-box” laws precluding employers from including questions about criminal history on employment applications. In many of these states, ban-the-box statutes apply only to public employers, but 13 states (including some of the most highly populated, such as California and Illinois) and 18 municipalities and counties have applied them to most or …

Share this Article

Business Trademarks: What’s Really in a Name?

Rincker Law Business/Commercial Law, Intellectual Property, Trademarks Leave a Comment

 If you’re thinking of starting a business (or already have a business in the works), make sure that the name you use is not already taken.  Original names are essential for three reasons:  marketing power, clarity, and trademark infringement avoidance.  For example, if you’ve decided to open a coffee shop, it’s fairly easy to determine that the name “Starbucks” is …

Share this Article

Amazon Suspension Prevention

Rincker Law Business/Commercial Law, Food & Ag Law Leave a Comment

There is an Amazon coach in my BNI Chapter and through my conversations with him, it’s come to my attention that entrepreneurs selling on Amazon.com run a risk of robots flagging something in their account and suspending it.  In a sense, Amazon will suspend accounts and “ask questions later.”  I regularly order goods from Amazon (pretty sure my postman thinks …

Share this Article