2023Nov
0

ARE YOU AN OWNER OF A CORPORATION OR LLC? UNDERSTANDING THE CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT AND COMPLIANCE IS CRUCIAL

Starting January 1, 2024, a significant change in corporate reporting requirements comes into effect with the effective date of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This new legislation mandates that certain types of companies must disclose specific ownership information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Failure to comply with these reporting obligations can result in…

2023Aug
0

TALK IS CHEAP, BUT TEXTING MIGHT COST YOU MORE THAN YOUR PHONE BILL

A Canadian judge made headlines on June 8, 2023 when he ruled a thumbs-up emoji was a sufficient acceptance in a contract between a farmer and a grain processing cooperative. A cooperative employee texted the farmer a picture of a proposed contract and asked him to confirm the agreement. The farmer texted back with a…

2023May
0

2023 EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

In its ongoing commitment to employee protection, the State of New York consistently introduces new laws that have a significant impact on employers, potentially impeding their companies and exposing them to the risk of fines and penalties for non-compliance. New York Employers with “No Fault” Attendance Policies Subject to Penalties for Disciplining Employees Who Take…

2023May
0

DON’T BE A VICTIM OF FRAUD! PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS FROM INTERNAL THREATS

At a car dealership, a long-standing and trusted salesperson colluded with an accomplice to submit fraudulent loan applications, inflating vehicle prices and trade-in values. They pocketed a significant portion of the loan proceeds, eventually getting caught through an internal audit, leading to legal action and the dealership’s efforts to recover the funds and restore its…

2023Mar
0

CAN I REPLACE MY ATTORNEY WITH CHATGPT?

IT’S A BRAVE NEW WORLD… As you probably have already heard, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) system that provides a vast array of information including legal advice. The system, which was developed by a Silicon Valley startup, uses natural language processing and machine learning to answer basic legal questions. As a search engine, it…

2023Feb
0

NAVIGATING THE LEGALITIES OF TESTING EMPLOYEES FOR MARIJUANA USE

Employers for decades have performed drug tests on employees to determine if they are fit for employment on a day-to-day basis.  Often drug testing was only performed as a qualification for employment.  In other cases, employers would do routine drug testing to ensure that employees were not using illegal drugs once employed.  In other instances,…

2023Feb
0

BEYOND THE LOT (FEBRUARY 2023): TOP 10 EMPLOYEE RELATED ISSUES FACING CAR DEALERSHIPS

As car dealerships continue to evolve and grow during this time of flux related to technology advancements, supply chain issues and the effects of the COVID pandemic, Schwartz Ettenger has identified numerous employee-related issues that we recommend addressing now to ensure continued success of your dealership(s). The top ten employee-related issues facing car dealers today…

2023Jan
0

SUCCESSION PLANNING: Essential To Consider For Every Business

What Is Succession Planning?  To put it in a nutshell, the term ‘succession planning’ refers to a business strategy companies use to pass leadership roles down to the next generation. After years of hard work and personal sacrifice, succession planning ensures that businesses continue to run smoothly and without interruption, after important people move on…