Legal Issues


Recent Legal Issues Articles

The Don't-Do Lists

Don't underestimate the importance of what not to do in certain situations. Here, we compiled a list of 14 scenarios and asked business leaders and experts f...  Read more

What the IRS Wants to Know

Is your independent contractor really an employee? Time to come clean.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Taking Time Off to Donate a Kidney?

A mother's attempt to save her son spotlights holes in the Family and Medical Leave Act: It doesn't apply to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone Over a $1.39-Bag of Chips?

A diabetic employee grabbed a bag of chips to stabilize her blood sugar and paid for them as soon as she could. Walgreens fired her.  Read more

9 Etiquette Rules That the Boss Shouldn't Break

From the office Christmas party to friending employees on social media, here are nine new and old etiquette rules you need to commit to memory.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Scaring Off Robbers?

A Walgreens pharmacist fires a gun, he says, in self-defense, and then is fired.  Read more

Judge Orders Re-Hiring of Workers Fired for Facebook Complaints

A National Labor Relations Board judge says workers fired for off-duty griping about their jobs on Facebook should be re-hired.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Planking?

A GameStop employee posts a photo of himself planking, and gets himself and the co-worker who took the picture, fired.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Refusing to Get a Flu Shot?

Some Michigan hospitals are making flu shots and other vaccines mandatory for employees.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Taking Garbage?

An Iowa convenience store employee took no-longer-saleable soup from the dumpster to feed to her dog--and was fired.  Read more

Is Your Dress Code Discriminatory?

A 61-year-old lifeguard is suing for age discrimination after he was fired for refusing to wear a Speedo.  Read more

Zynga Sued for Patent Infringement

The world's largest social gaming company is under fire for allegedly infringing on patents found in nearly every one of its games.  Read more

When Can You (Legally) Fire an Employee for a Twitter Rant?

The short answer: When you're prepared to accept it's a risk.  Read more

When Does Sex Count as a Work-Related Injury?

Apparently when it occurs on a business trip.  Read more

10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Picking a Partner

It's natural to want a partner to share your experience with, but make sure you run through all the possible implications of your generosity.  Read more

8 Questions to Ask Before Incorporating Your Business Partnership

So you've found a business partner to help make your idea a reality. Be sure to ask yourselves these eight questions before incorporating.  Read more

Edible Arrangements in Legal Hot Water

A franchisee organization claims Edible Arrangements imposed system-wide changes that violated its franchise agreement.  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Eating Leftovers?

What happens when an employee disregards--or doesn't hear--a manager's instructions to save the company's Fourth of July barbecue hot dogs for a Labor Day so...  Read more

Divvying Up the Business

Making sure you have a good ownership agreement  Read more

What's Behind Google's Tactics?

A new lawsuit could shed some light. Plus, bringing off-shore insurance tactics to the U.S., and the rest of the day's news for entrepreneurs.  Read more

Sitting Is Bad for You: What Can You Do About It at Work?

Recent studies suggest sitting for long periods of time is worse than you might think. Here are tips to help sedentary employees stay healthy.  Read more

Online Legal Help on a Budget

A look at websites that could help reduce your legal bills  Read more

Is Do Not Track Bad for Small Business?

Web tracking may be a growing problem online for consumers—it means companies know the sites they visit, what they buy, and their personal preferences. But...  Read more

How to Handle a Disability Claim

Injuries and illnesses happen all the time. Should an employee want to file for disability, here's how to adequately prepare yourself for the process of hand...  Read more

How I Did It: Raymond Damadian

He invented the MRI device—then came the hard part.  Read more

How to Pay Taxes on Internet Sales

State officials are cracking down on small businesses that don’t comply with tax law relating to online sales. Here’s how you can keep tax auditors from ...  Read more

Would You Fire Someone for Casting Spells?

A co-worker accuses a fellow employee—a practicing Wiccan—of casting a spell on her. Toil and trouble ensues.  Read more

Supreme Court Rules Labor Law Covers Oral Complaints

At the heart of the case: A 29-year-old entrepreneur who says he stood up for his beliefs.  Read more

Great Entrepreneurial Fallacies

Myths of starting your own business exposed. Plus, is the Supreme Court getting tough on business?  Read more

How to Properly Insure Your Business and Employees

The process of selecting insurance for your business may be tedious, but if calamity strikes you'll be happy that you're properly insured.  Read more

How to Protect Your Domain Name from Cybersquatting

Safeguarding your presence on the Internet requires ongoing vigilance to uncover the schemes of unscrupulous characters.  Read more

How to Avoid a Social Media Lawsuit

Businesses are utilizing social media to develop their brand and connect with customers. They often overlook the legal ramifications that could arise. Here's...  Read more

Are You a Marketing Criminal?

California’s Supreme Court has ruled that taking a customer’s Zip code is illegal, prompting an onslaught of civil lawsuits against major retailers.  Read more

Would You Fire an Employee for Trying to Secede From the Union?

A veteran Sarasota Police homicide detective tried to secede from the union. He didn't break any laws, though he may have violated his oath of office. Earlie...  Read more

How to Handle Employees Who Are Called to Active Military Duty

Knowing the appropriate steps to take when an employee is deployed is crucial to making the transition easy for them and your company. Here are four tips tha...  Read more