In the State of Florida, and elsewhere throughout the nation, businesses are forbidden to engage in certain forms of discriminatory behavior. There are numerous pieces of law which enforce this ban against certain types of discrimination. For instance, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides certain protections, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides others; more protections are provided by additional Read More

On September 22, the Department of Labor released a proposal to amend the methodology for classifying a worker as an independent contractor. Whether a worker is classified as either an independent contractor or an employee is a highly significant matter. If a worker is classified as the latter, then that worker is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and is eligible for various benefits, including minimum Read More

Startup founders, as you are probably well aware, have to wear many hats. The amount of work you have to do before hiring just one employee is essentially a crash course in human resources. After your workers get their first paychecks, though, the obligations never seem to end. As a result, many small business owners let payroll tax responsibilities—like the ones we outline below—slip through the cracks.1. Forgetting Read More

It can certainly get overwhelming for employers to stay in compliance with all applicable labor laws. Some apply to nearly every company, while others only apply to larger ones. One that your company will almost certainly apply to your company is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The notable provisions of this federal law set the federal minimum wage and overtime rate. Below, we lay out four important things for Read More

One issue which businesspeople tend to think about when they develop contracts is modifying an existing agreement. Suppose a business owner develops a contract with a customer or vendor. Both parties come to an agreement, they both sign the agreement, and everything appears to be working fine. But, then suppose that the business owner wishes to modify the agreement in some material way. What would be the outcome if Read More

The more our readers understand the finer points of contract formation, the better they will be able to navigate the commercial world successfully. Having knowledge of contract formation will allow you to negotiate better, and ultimately create superior agreements. In the past, we’ve discussed the requirement of “consideration” in contract formation with the goal of adding nuance to this concept. As we have Read More

For both residential and commercial renters, it can often feel like the scales of justice are perpetually tipped in the landlord’s favor. Not owning the property you use for your business can come with some disadvantages, but the vast majority of commercial landlord-tenant relationships are beneficial for both parties. If you are a commercial renter in one of those exceptions, you might be wondering if you are Read More

It’s the most fundamental concept of doing business—you provide another person or entity with something of value, and you get something back. The most successful businesses have strong underlying contracts under which they operate. Even the most well-negotiated contracts don’t guarantee that you will never deal with a party that doesn’t perform as agreed. Depending on the nature of the contract breach (material vs. Read More