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Corporate bylaws are a critical component in the foundation of any corporation, partnership or association. Generally speaking, the bylaws establish the rules for internal operations and governance.  While business owners have a large degree of control when it comes to the bylaws, they must be in compliance with state law. Some states have strict...

There are a number of reasons to dissolve a general partnership.  Whether business is not going well, you can’t get along with your business associates or you are ready to retire, it might be time to end your partnership.  Before making the final decision, you should consider whether dissolving the partnership is the...

If you are a business owner, you will likely consider hiring an independent contractor to assist with one, or multiple projects.  Independent contractors can be beneficial is a variety of situations and should not be overlooked as assets to your business.  It is important for management to understand how these workers are classified and...

Whether you are an owner considering whether or not you should sell your small business or an individual thinking about buying a business that is on the market, it is important to determine how much the business is worth.  This can be a daunting task.  Every business is different and for that reason no...

An employee handbook is an instrument that is widely used by employers to communicate their expectations and policies to employees.  There are many reasons to develop and distribute an employee handbook.  These written documents enable employers to clearly outline what is expected from employees and what employees can expect from the employer.  In the...

We are living in the digital age and consumers use the internet to make a variety of decisions, including what products to buy and what professionals to hire. During their research,  many savvy consumers go online to look at the reviews the business has received on local business directories like Yelp or Google+.  These...

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA), offers E-Verify to help employers instantly determine an employee's eligibility to work.  Initial confirmations and "Tentative Non Confirmations" are available in as little as three to five seconds. The voluntary Internet-based program works by comparing the information from an...

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires employers to verify the identity of their employees and their eligibility to work in the U.S.  To comply, employers must retain original I-9 Forms for current employees and, for former employees, keep them for at least three years.  These need not be submitted to the government but...

Almost every business collects uses and records customer information in some way, shape or form.  Your business may obtain names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit and debit card information, social security numbers or health care and insurance information in the ordinary course of business.  This data is often required in order for you to be...

A franchise agreement is a contract that governs a franchise relationship.  These agreements are entered into by the franchisor, the entity that owns the business model, and the franchisee, the individual or entity that will run a location of the business.  While the terms of each contract are unique to the particular deal, most...

There are different types of commercial leases, such as gross leases, modified gross leases and net leases.  One variation of the net lease is a “triple net” lease, in which the tenant is liable for a net amount of property taxes, insurance and common area maintenance relating to the property they are possessing.  Most...