One of the biggest hurdles you’ll face in running your own business is staying on top of your numerous obligations to federal, state, and local tax agencies. Tax codes seem to be in a constant state of flux making the Internal Revenue Code barely understandable to most people.

The old legal saying that “ignorance of the law is no excuse” is perhaps most often applied in tax settings and it is safe to assume that a tax auditor presenting an assessment of additional taxes, penalties, and interest will not look kindly on an “I didn’t know I was required to do that” claim. On the flip side, it is surprising how many small businesses actually overpay their taxes, neglecting to take deductions they’re legally entitled to that can help them lower their tax bill.

Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are great ways for employees to socialize and even for you to promote your business.  While many employers monitor electronic communications and employee behavior on these technologies, policies should be clear and management should understand how these policies are implemented.

What you should have:
Have a policy that is clear and comprehensive in scope.  All policies should be clearly communicated to employees.  Make sure to train management on the importance of following company policies.  Current privacy laws allow businesses to monitor electronic communication but it is important to stay abreast of changes in privacy laws and relevant court decisions.  (We’ll keep you in the loop, too!)

Telecommuting is fast becoming a popular employee benefit used to attract and retain qualified employees.  However, as with any benefit, there are several legal issues employers should consider before implementing a telecommuting program. 

Work Schedules
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers are required to pay employees for hours worked, including any applicable overtime.  However, when employees telecommute, it is more challenging for an employer to physically observe when an employee is working.  As such, it is imperative for employers to ensure that employees engage in accurate timekeeping procedures and daily clock in and out procedures.  Employees should also sign an agreement acknowledging that they can only work overtime upon receiving prior written approval. 

Did you know that age discrimination claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) increased approximately one percent in 2011?  And, as baby boomers continue to stay in the workplace, the likelihood of age discrimination claims increasing in 2012 is very high. 

As an employer, there are several steps you can take to minimize the risk of one or more employees filing a complaint of age discrimination under the Age Discrimination Employment Act (ADEA).  The ADEA prohibits discrimination against individuals aged 40 and older.

Within the span of a few seconds of a person seeing you, they’ve formed an opinion about the type of person you are.  You didn’t need to speak and you didn’t need to do anything for the person to have formed an opinion.  Instead, the opinion was most likely formed by how you looked, including what you wore, how you wore it and your overall personal hygiene.