Categories for Contract

LEGAL UPDATE: Washington State to Raise Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Threshold in 2024

by | November 14, 2023

Starting January 1, 2024, Washington State is set to introduce a series of wage adjustments that will impact businesses of all sizes. In 2020, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries updated the rules for exempt workers by creating an eight-year implementation schedule that incrementally raises the multiplier until it reaches 2.5 times in 2028. Though the pace of the increase is based on the size of the employer, small enterprises to large corporations alike will feel the effects of these changes.

New ruling impacts workplace policy

LEGAL UPDATE: New Ruling Impacts Workplace Policies for All Employers

by | October 15, 2023

On August 2, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued the Stericycle, Inc. decision, creating a new standard for scrutinizing employer “work rules”. Work rules can consist of company handbooks, policies, and procedures. This decision specifically addresses employer work rules that could reasonably be construed as restricting employees’ rights to engage in activities protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), like unionization or openly discussing wages or benefits. Employers should carefully review their handbooks, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with this decision and prepare for potential challenges.

Corporate Transparency Act: What every small business needs to know about the upcoming reporting requirements

LEGAL UPDATE: Corporate Transparency Act – What every small business needs to know about the upcoming reporting requirements  

by | September 18, 2023

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is a federal law enacted as part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 meant to reduce financial crime in small businesses across the United States. Specifically, the CTA requires that smaller, otherwise unregulated, companies file a report with the US Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network within their new Beneficial Ownership Secure System (BOSS), which the network may share with other government agencies and financial institutions who request it. The Act will come into effect on January 1st, 2024, for newly formed companies and on January 1st, 2025, for already existing companies.  

Weight Bias at Workon a National Scale

LEGAL UPDATE: Shifting Paradigms: Battling Weight Bias at Work on a National Scale

by | August 24, 2023

Over the last two decades, obesity levels in the United States have been on the rise along with a growing concern of discrimination based on weight in the workplace. As a result, states and local governments are starting to take action. In Washington, it is therefore illegal for employers to refuse to hire qualified potential employees because the employer perceives them to be obese.

Level Up The Body of Your Business

Level Up The Body of Your Business

by | August 24, 2023

Equinox Business Law believes leading successful entrepreneurship and small business is akin to nurturing a well-rounded self. Just as individuals require a harmonious balance of mind, body, and spirit, businesses also thrive on holistic attention. Following articles on spirit and mind, Equinox now delves into the tangible core of businesses: their body. Think of your business as a living entity with physical assets forming its muscles, bones, and organs. Facilities, inventory, intellectual property, and talented personnel all contribute to its strength. This synergy drives operations, protected by risk-mitigation strategies and contracts, acting as the business's immune system. Nurturing your business's health, much like caring for your own well-being, involves leveraging legal infrastructure tools: contracts, insurance and legal entities. Embrace this holistic perspective, and take advantage of Equinox's complimentary Business Health Assessment to chart a fortified path forward.

Does your sales and marketing playbook leverage the power of law?

Unlock the strategic advantage to a winning sales and marketing plan: the power of law

by | December 18, 2022

It’s hard to have a successful business without a healthy Sales and Marketing operation. As a business grows so does the complexity of protecting product production, sales, and marketing from liabilities and vulnerabilities.  Yet many business leaders go blindly at it alone “not knowing what they don’t know” leads to mistakes. “Learn from the mistakes... View Article

Do you have the tools to “do the right thing” and mitigate risks on the “people side” of the business? 

by | September 1, 2022

The people of your organization are one of the most important and one of the riskiest aspects of business. The laws are state specific, and they change frequently. Employers are held to a high legal standard and entrepreneurs often aren’t fully aware of the risks associated with employment compliance. It’s hard for business leaders to keep up, but it’s critical to do so. In this post, Equinox Business Law CEO and Founder, Michelle Bomberger looks at how the three key legal infrastructure tools can work to protect the business from employment risks.

business partners are like band members

3 must-have tools for mitigating risk for any business with multiple owners

by | August 10, 2022

While your competitors may have ownership issues bogging down their decision making, you will be able to grow together -- or to separate -- with confidence. Learn how to leverage the legal infrastructure tools – the Shareholder Agreement or Operating Agreement, key insurance policies, and a limited liability entity structure, to create strong relationships among owners and ensure the individual owners are protected from the activities of the company and from one another.