Under a new Iowa immigration bill, employers that repeatedly employ illegal aliens would face civil penalties of up to $10,000 and up to a year in jail under legislation being proposed in the legislature. Employers would be exempt from penalties if they seek verification of a worker’s citizenship status through the Department of Homeland Security’s
Golden Rule of Employee Relations: Fairness
Employee lawsuits are continually on the rise. So how do you keep your employees happy and stay out of court?
While it is technically not a "legal requirement" I have long suggested that treating employees with respect is the best way to avoid employee lawsuits. Building on this thought I recently saw a couple of
Renew Rural Iowa Business Development Seminar
The Iowa Farm Bureau is sponsoring a business development seminar on February 7, 2008 at the Iowa Farm Bureau Auditorium in West Des Moines, Iowa. (I didn’t see a start time on the Web site but for further information you should contact 1-800-254-9670).
The Renew Rural Iowa is an Iowa Farm Bureau program that combines an
Pinch Hitting at Biz Luncheon
Today I’ll be pinch hitting for Brett Trout at the Des Moines Partnership’s Biz Networking Luncheon. I will cover how to stop doing things online that will land you into court. The best part of this presentation is I get Brett’s material. I hope to see you there today.
This event will be held
IowaBiz Breakfast Series Presentation
This Wednesday morning (Jan. 16th) I will speak at the IowaBiz breakfast series on the How To Avoid Legal Surprises for Your Company. The presentation begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Professional Solutions Insurance Services’ Building, 14001 University Avenue, Clive, Iowa.
Thanks to our hosts from Professional Solutions Insurance Services. So far, the series has been
Franchises: Four Things to Make You Go ‘Hmm
If you are looking at a franchise opportunity perhaps you should beware if your prospective 
franchisor says the following:
- You don’t need a lawyer to review the agreement.
- I would prefer you don’t talk with the other franchisees. You should only talk with me.
- We won’t negotiate any terms.
- Trust us, we can’t (and won’t) change
Buy-Sell Agreements Resource
Is your business in need of a buy-sell agreement? Don’t know how to get started?
An excellent resource worth considering is a book from Z. Christopher Mercer called Buy-Sell Agreements: Ticking Time Bombs or Reasonable Solutions? A blog post from Mercer worth reading also raises an excellent point regarding buy-sell agreements:
If you are in the process of
Iowa Caucus Issue: What about Small Business?
The Iowa Caucus is approaching quickly. If you attend campaign rallies for the candidates or listen to TV ads you will almost never hear anything about small business.
But in reality, America’s small businesses are the driver of our economy. Consider these facts from the Small Business Administration (SBA) as outlined in February 2006:
10.
Legal Checklist for Starting a Business in Iowa
With 2008 fast approaching perhaps you are considering the pursuit of the American Dream to own your own business. But where do you start? Here are some helpful legal tips to consider before you start your Iowa business:
1. Find out the availability of your proposed business name. You can do a quick search
Edwards Campaigns with Most Famous Client Before Iowa Caucus
Abe Lincoln, Freedom Fighter (1978)
Abe: I don’t know about this politician business.
Judge: What do you mean by that?
Abe: If I have to sacrifice my integrity for politics, I guess I’ll just have to stay a lawyer!
Up to this point I have avoided blogging on politics and the Iowa caucus. It’s