Last week the Seattle Times reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil fraud suit against local developer Lobsang Dargey, alleging that he stole nearly $18 million for his own use from immigrant investors under the EB-5 program. The program allows wealthy foreigners to invest money ($500,000 at a minimum) in a... View Article
The headlines associated with audits of independent contractor vs employee relationships have died down, but the revenue agencies are still aggressively pursuing these areas. It’s essential that you have clear documentation that each contractor relationship you’ve entered into meets the legal requirements so that you can present these in the event of an audit and... View Article
If you ask business owners to describe their biggest challenges, one of the top three is almost always related to managing and leading employees. It’s usually not specifically described as “legal compliance,” but the challenges of ensuring employee happiness and productivity. To achieve these goals, we look to build compensation, wellness, flexibility, and autonomy policies... View Article
Blog written by Michelle Bomberger, Equinox Business Law Group I’ve found so many quotes that tout the value of change in business: “By changing nothing, nothing changes” (Tony Robbins), “When in doubt, choose change” (Lily Leung), and “The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is... View Article
Blog written by Lauren Burgon, Equinox Business Law Group As a business owner, sometimes it takes all your resources and attention to keep up with your business’ daily demands. Having the time or energy to step back and review your policies and procedures sometimes feels impossible. However, business owners, especially those with employees, can face severe consequences... View Article
Blog written by Andrea Heuston What would contribute most to your being both happier and more productive at work? How about feeling truly taken care of, appreciated, and trusted by your employer? More than 100 studies have affirmed the connection between employee engagement and performance, the connection between how we feel at work and... View Article
This week’s blog from Equinox Associate Lauren Burgon President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law in March, 2010, but most of us know that many of the law’s provisions don’t go into effect until 2014. While many employers are concerned with how the law will affect their businesses and the... View Article
Compensation is a tricky subject that can be highly emotional for both employer and employee. Employees are looking for to what their peers are making in both salary and “perks.” Employers are looking at how to keep great talent and the costs of doing so. Employers look at a combination of salary, cash bonuses, and... View Article
Michelle Bomberger’s article “What’s the Password?” was published in Seattle Business Magazine. It addressed key considerations for employers accessing employees’ social media accounts. The full article is below: Scoping out an employee’s or a potential employee’s social media life online has become common practice for employers who believe sound reasons exist for requesting this type... View Article