Dental assistant Melissa Nelson was fired for being too attractive, so she sued her employer. But Iowa’s Supreme Court has upheld her firing as lawful. In general, looking good is a positive trait. Attractive people tend to get paid more and get promoted more frequently. But the opposite was true for dental assistant Melissa Nelson. Her employer viewed her as “irresistible” and a “threat” to his marriage, so he fired her....
Last week the IRS issued guidance regarding the expanded work opportunity tax credits (WOTC). In addition to types of new hires previously qualifying, these credits are now available for employers who hire certain unemployed veterans or “disconnected youth.” Businesses with qualifying employees already on their payrolls, and those looking to hire more should know how the credit works. Work opportunity tax credits reward employers for hiring certain disadvantaged individuals. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 added two groups of new-hires to this list: unemployed veterans and “disconnected youth” hired after 2008 but before 2011....
You put everything into your small business – time, energy, love, and money – so it’s important to keep it secure. Threats come in all forms and sizes and they can end up costing you everything you worked for if you are not careful. With businesses increasingly reliant on electronic tools, you cannot afford to be ignorant of or indifferent to issues like data breaches and hacker attacks. Here is some guidance from security experts who spoke to Entrepreneur about how small businesses in particular can protect their operations....
Your company might not be acquired by Facebook anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn some lessons from Instagram and their terms of service nightmare. If your company has an online presence, then you have (or certainly should have) a privacy policy. If you also do business on your website, you should have terms of service as well. Those are legal documents and need attention regardless of your business’ size....
So you have an idea and a business plan and you’re ready to roll, prepared to knock the socks off investors and rock the world with your innovation. Well, not quite.It’s worth taking the time to do a business plan right because it could mean the difference between your new enterprise surviving, thriving, or dying. A good business plan is detailed, considered, well-written, and realistic. It can serve as your roadmap, attracting investors and talent....
Being hacked is every business owner’s nightmare, but there are some important steps you should take if you believe you’ve been hacked. A Tennessee-based health company announced on Monday that hackers had compromised its system, making off with the personal information of approximately 4.5 million patients. USA Today reports that Community Health Systems was possibly the victim of a Chinese hacking group that used “highly sophisticated malware and technology” to pilfer the data....
Apple is taking on Motorola in court for allegedly infringing on Apple patents used for smart phones. According to a counter-suit filed by Apple, Motorola infringed upon Apple’s multi-touch patents as well as other patents. Many are surprised that Apple waited so long to begin suing over their multi-touch patents. The company is no stranger to patent litigation. When the first generation iPhone came out, the multi-touch technology was considered groundbreaking....
Cimex lectularius: two Latin words unfortunately becoming all too familiar because they are the scientific name for the common bed bug. As noted in several previous posts, bed bug infestations and the resulting damage to homes and people are increasingly making news. So are the bed bug lawsuits that inevitably result. Bed bugs have been making a comeback since the 1990’s, after being all but eradicated earlier in the century by the use of strong pesticides, including the now banned DDT....
We get a lot of recommendations by word of mouth, from friends, family, and Yelp. These can also be legitimate sources for warnings about stores, restaurants, even doctors to avoid. But what about handing out “Malpractice Alert” flyers to strangers in a doctor’s parking lot and sending the flyer to doctors, their families, and their neighbors? A little over the top? Not according to the Arizona Court of Appeals, who recently held that an injunction barring a disgruntled patient from complaining about his treatment was overbroad and unconstitutional....
The best answer is, it’s unlikely. True, litigants sue the government every day, over alleged civil rights violations, controversial laws, run-of-the-mill personal injury claims against government agencies and employees, and more. The real question is usually less about whether you can you sue the government, and more about the likelihood of success. Overall it’s fairly common to sue the government. Special needs students may challenge a school district’s educational offerings. People deprived of their rights by government policies may challenge those policies in court....
As the opioid crisis spins out of control, people are looking for ways to rein in the epidemic and for ways to hold accountable those responsible. Individuals are suing their doctors for contributing to an opiate addiction, and cities, counties, and states are suing drug manufacturers for creating a flood of opiates. But can a single person or class of individuals hold a drug company legally responsible for an opioid addiction?...
Starting or running a business frequently involves lines of credit. As business owners know, inventory must be acquired, rents must be paid, and wheels need to keep on turning. Many entrepreneurs just starting out frequently rely on their own personal credit to get their businesses off the ground. However, depending on the type of business structure you choose for your business, your personal credit score may have a negative impact on your business....
After an investigation into Capt. Owen Honors’ USS Enterprise racy videos, the New York Times reports that the Navy has decided to relieve Capt. Owen Honors of duty. Capt. Owen Honors will be relieved of his duty before the USS Enterprise leaves its home port in Norfolk, Va. for Afghanistan this month. The scandalous videos contained footage deemed “clearly inappropriate” by the Navy such as simulation masturbation, women appearing to shower together, gay slurs, and sailors dressed in drag....
Walmart has long been associated with low prices, but the megaretailer is also becoming synonymous with high crime rates. While Bloomberg recently noted that staff cuts may have contributed to over 200 violent crimes at Walmart locations in 2016 (including attempted kidnappings and multiple stabbings, shootings, and murders), watchdog groups who have been charting crime on company property for the past decade see the same old story. So are criminals responsible for their own dangerous behavior, or can Walmart be held liable for crime in its stores and parking lots?...
A deployed U.S. sailor serving on a submarine has been ordered to appear in court in a child custody battle over his daughter, but he’s not likely to make it. Matthew Hindes, a Navy submariner serving in the Pacific, has been ordered to appear in Michigan to fight his ex-wife’s bid for custody of their 6-year-old daughter Kaylee. ABC’s “Good Morning America” reports that Hindes was initially awarded permanent custody of his little girl in 2010, but now his legal status is in jeopardy....
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Now that the initial excitement and adrenaline has worn off, you probably have a lot of questions. Many mothers like to wait until after the first trimester to tell friends and family about a pregnancy. But, what about your employer? Do you have to notify your employer about your pregnancy, and when? Sharing the Good News As always, the answer to this question is complicated. Legally, you are under no obligation or deadline to tell your employer about your pregnancy....
When it comes to how courts make child custody decisions, you may have heard the phrase “the child’s best interests.” It’s a broad standard that can include factors from the location of school and family members to the age, sex, and wishes of the child. A court will often also consider any parental history of drug or alcohol abuse or violence in the home. Therefore, criminal convictions may come into play when determining a child’s best interests....
In some ways, the consumer quest for massive holiday deals and discounts has left business owners with no choice but to spiral into a deep discount abyss and engage in a Black Friday arms race. The constant question they face is akin to a ruckus game of limbo: how low can you go? Many big retailers have circumvented the issue by offering “fake discounts.” They work backward with their suppliers to set starting prices that, after all the markdowns, will yield the profit margins they want – but still give consumers the impression of a blowout sale, according to The Wall Street Journal....
A mother of three was struck and killed by a dump truck near a suburban middle school outside Washington, D.C., on Monday. The tragedy highlights a few factors that are common in truck accident cases. Jennifer Lawson, 39, of Arlington, Virginia, was placing her child into a car seat when a dump truck struck her and her van, The Washington Post reports. Fortunately, her child wasn’t hurt. As the investigation into the fatal dump truck accident continues, several factors will be key in determining potential civil liability....
We see people testify all the time on courtroom dramas, but not all testimony is given on the witness stand at trial. Before a trial ever takes place, lawyers from both sides are able to interview potential witnesses as part of the discovery process. If you are required to give a deposition as part of a personal injury claim, here are some tips for how to testify at a deposition....
