Does the “Corporate Veil” Really Protect Your Personal Assets?

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law Leave a Comment

You may have done your homework and weighed your options. Perhaps you’ve even considered the tax and non-tax implications for common business entities.  We bet you’re also intrigued by the protections certain business entities afford their owners. The “corporate veil” that protects personal assets of the business owners can make a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) look very attractive. …

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5 Key Benefits of a Well-Written Job Description

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law, Employment Law Leave a Comment

Although the main purpose of a job description is to, well, describe a job – it actually serves a much bigger role.  In fact, a job description can improve a company’s ability to manage employees in many ways. A well-written job description will do the following: Clarify expectations. Employers need to spell out their expectations of what an employee should …

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8 Simple Cost Saving Measures for Small Business Owners

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law Leave a Comment

All successful businesses do their best to save money, improve efficiency, and increase profits whenever and wherever possible.  This is especially necessary for small businesses on a tight budget.  While there are numerous ways to save money, these eight cost-saving measures are among the easiest to implement: Bargain. Bargaining with vendors is one way to save money.  Examples are working …

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The Employee Handbook: The Holy Grail of Your Business

Rincker LawEmployment Law Leave a Comment

Employee handbooks address the who, what, where, why, and how of your business operations.  Your employee handbook will protect you and your business by setting appropriate expectations, and providing consistency for your employees when situations arise. What Information Should an Employee Handbook Include?  Ideally, employee handbooks address anything significant related to your company, employees, operating policies, and applicable laws – …

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I’m Starting a New Business – Should I Use an LLC (Taxed as a Partnership) or an S Corporation?

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law 1 Comment

Entrepreneurship has been called the new American dream. Hanging a shingle starts with an idea that develops into a business plan, but not without careful financial and legal considerations. Among the decisions that new business owners grapple with is whether to form a limited liability company taxed as a partnership (LLC) or a corporation making an S election (S corp).* …

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Ask Cari: What Does “At Will Employment” Mean?

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law, Employment Law Leave a Comment

The term “at will employment” may be interpreted many ways by a lay person, but it is actually a legal term meaning that either party (employer or employee) may terminate employment at any time without notice for any reason (with limited exceptions), unless there is a contract stating otherwise.  However, a contract may modify that by wording such as “I …

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New York Employment Law: Sick Days in New York City

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law, Employment Law Leave a Comment

In New York State, there is no requirement for employers to provide sick day benefits to employees (either paid or unpaid).  However, Section 195.5 of the New York Labor Law states: “Every employer shall notify his employees in writing or by publicly posting the employer’s policy on sick leave, vacation, personal leave, holidays and hours.” If an employer does not …

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I Need To Hire Someone for My Business; What Do I Need To Know?

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law, Employment Law Leave a Comment

The goal of most businesses is to grow – at least somewhat.  However, in order to grow or to be able to step away from the business for a personal life, vacation, or other ventures, you’ll need help with day-to-day operations.  If you’ve never hired someone before – or it’s been a long time – don’t worry – here’s the …

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Ask Cari: I Have a Problem with Employees Missing Shifts. Should I address this in my Employment Handbook?

Rincker LawAsk Cari, Business/Commercial Law, Employment Law Leave a Comment

I always tell my business clients that having an employee handbook is imperative.  It is, essentially, the laws of the employment relationship.  It can be as detailed as the employer would like and can cover anything that might arise affecting the employer/employee relationship.  While many state and federal laws govern certain aspects of the employer/employee relationship, a lot is left …

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4 Social Media Mistakes that May Put Your Company’s IP at Risk

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law, Copyrights, Intellectual Property, Trademarks Leave a Comment

Being active on social media is hardly a choice anymore for small to medium sized businesses—it’s a given.  After all, your customers are there.  Connecting with your target audience in the social web can boost your brand and level the playing field between you and big competitors with larger advertising budgets.  But before you rush out to tweet a deal …

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Follow This 8 Point Plan When Starting Your New Business

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law Leave a Comment

Starting a new business can seem overwhelming – especially when you’re doing it alone.  Creating a business plan will allow you to refine incomplete ideas, address areas you may have not yet considered, create a map so you know what to do next, and increase credibility for bank loans or investor funding. While you may think you’ve got your business …

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Business Law: General Release for Video-Tapped Testimonials

Rincker LawBusiness/Commercial Law Leave a Comment

My office just drafted a simple general release form for an agri-business client seeking permission to videotape client testimonials and use the recordings online.  I think it’s a great idea to have a simple consent form to use for these types of situations where video-taped, audio-recorded and/or written testimonials are used in marketing materials.  I suggest having language about the …

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