I am sure by now either you or your employees have received those annoying red light tickets or the school zone speeding tickets. Nassau County has collected over 1.4 million dollars since school started, and projects to receive as much as $25 million a year from those annoying and costly speed camera tickets. In 2013,…
Whether you are a large or small business, it is important to have a well-organized hiring package for new employees. A hiring package is essentially a packet of employment-related forms and documents for the new employee, which is provided at the start of employment to help streamline the on-boarding process. The hiring package provides an…
The New York State budget passed on April 1, 2014 includes dramatic changes to the state estate and gift tax laws. Bellow is a brief summary of the most important changes affecting New York trusts and estates. It would be prudent to contact your attorney to discuss how these changes affect your estate plan and…
There a few employments laws that every employer and employee should know. As a business owner, you need to know how various employment laws impact your employments policies and procedures. As an employee, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of certain employment laws and how they affect your legal rights. Both Federal and…
Naming who should get your life insurance money after you die sounds simple, but designating beneficiaries can get tricky. Mistakes are common, and when made, they can be heartbreaking and expensive. When mistakes are made you’re not creating problems for you, you’re creating problems for the people you leave behind. HERE ARE EIGHT LIFE INSURANCE…
On October 2, 2013, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a bill amending the New York City Human Rights Law (“NYCHRL”) to require most New York City employers to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees. The new law, which takes effect on January 30, 2014, prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth,…
Independent contractors (“I/C”) have become a growing resource for many companies. There are certain benefits to hiring an I/C instead of a new employee. As you may have experienced an I/C often provides a company with the opportunity to obtain services from a highly qualified individual at a much lower cost than an employee. With…
Firstly, it should be understood that a trademark or service mark is a designation of ownership of a “brand,” using a symbol, words, device, or all three. The difference between a trademark and service mark depends on what it is used for – trademarks are for physical goods, and service marks are for services. A…
On August 19th New York opened the re-registration period for the “STAR” property-tax rebate for upstate homeowners, but downstate homeowners will have to wait a few more weeks. The massive process of sending notifications to about 2.6 million homeowners is being carried out in stages. Notices about how to re-register will be sent to residents of Long Island,…
Sometimes it’s easy to know if you need to find an attorney. If you’ve been charged with a crime, been served with a lawsuit, or need a divorce – a lawyer is exactly what you need. Lawyers, however, aren’t just for criminals or those in litigation. Qualified attorneys can also provide advice and knowledge to…
Estate planning seems so simple. It can be deceptive, though. Here are ten mistakes people commonly make that can cause chaos for your family later. These are not in any particular order of importance. Mistake #1: Believing Your Estate Is Too Small. Estate planning does not depend on how much you have. It is about…
Are you a business owner? Do you have employees? Do you have an Employee Handbook? If you answered yes to the first two questions, but don’t have an Employee Handbook you should read my latest blog post on whether your business needs a Handbook. There is no law requiring employers to have an employee handbook,…
