Category Archives: Articles
Employment Law Update – How up to date are you?
By Daniel Richardson Is your employee handbook up to date? An up to date employee handbook is important because it outlines for the employee the employer’s policies and procedures as well as establishing the expected standards. Using an employee handbook from the outset of the employment relationship to establish expected standards can be invaluable […]
Game of — Pawns?
The FBI tells the story of Glenn Shriver, a former college student from Michigan who learned Mandarin and lived in China in 2004. He made some friends who encouraged him to find a job with the US government. He received some $70,000 merely to apply for such a job, but by the time the FBI arrested him, he realized that his friends were actually intelligence agents wanting to place a mole inside US agencies.
National agencies are not the only targets. US companies are also subject to foreign espionage. Just last month, the Justice Department announced indictments of five members of China’s military for stealing US companies’ trade secrets.
Phishing Scam Alert
Our friends at Boyer & Conniff shared this warning about IRS scams: Important reminder The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers to request personal or financial information by email, texting, or any social media. The IRS has been alerted to a new email phishing scam. The emails appear to be from the IRS and include a […]
Copyright Trolls? Or an Innovative Business Model by Getty Images?
By Sharon Adams Certain large companies, including Getty Images, routinely send out demand letters claiming copyright infringement. However, the actual validity of alleged infringement is rarely, if ever, tested in court. Getty Images seems to have perfected the “price point” for extracting money based on weak claims of copyright infringement. Getty Images is a private […]
Scam Alert — Court “Notice of Appearance”
by Andrew Jacobson If you receive a “court notice” via email, don’t open it — it is a scam designed to add to your computer malware designed to get you to give over control of your computer to somebody else. We started receiving these a few weeks ago, but it may only just have started getting […]
Crowdfunding Your Business – An Intro to Title III of the JOBS Act
By Daniel Richardson On April 5, 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) became law. The JOBS Act seeks to “increase job creation and economic growth by improving access to the public capital markets for emerging growth companies.”[1] Title III of the JOBS Act or the “Capital Raising Online While Deterring Fraud and […]
Earned Income Tax Credit Notice
California employers, take note: you are required to give notice to all your employees about the earned income tax credit at about the time you give them their W-2 or 1099 forms. If you have individuals who are independent contractors, give them notice as well. Here is the recommended language, which you can print on […]
California Creates New Corporate Structures Enabling For-Profit Corporations To Consider the Public Benefit
Sharon Adams Introduction In January 2012, California created two new state corporate structures: (1) flexible purpose corporations, and (2) benefit corporations. Unlike traditional for-profit corporations, these new corporate structures are required to provide for benefit to the public. Unlike traditional non-profit corporations, these new corporate entities are not tax […]
Veterans
Bay Oak Law’s own Daniel Gwozdz was recognized by the Bar Association of San Francisco on Veteran’s Day for his service in the US Army between 2000 and 2005. Dan was a scout for the legendary 10th Mountain Division, and served during operations in Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
New I-9 Form
The USCIS has introduced a new I-9 form that will have to be used for new employees. While use is currently voluntary, it will be required from May onward. No need to panic, however — it does not have to be used for current employees, only those who are new, or return to the company after being […]
