Legal news you can use …
You’ve got your start-up “started up,” how do you hire the best of the best?
Startups all come down to people. Startup ideas are not hard to find, but when you get the right people, your company can be huge. In any business, particularly a new business, it’s all about execution; and the biggest predictor of execution is having the right people. Business owners must think about the culture and the team that is going to build a sustainable company. It is a step that cannot be missed. The wrong hire or set of hires can be costly and, in some instances, the death knell for a small business. The impact of recruiting the right people cannot be overstated.
What are some legal issues unique to hiring in startups?
There are obviously a variety of legal issues related to starting a business depending on what products you are selling or services you are offering. However, the most important legal protection any business can take is to ensure that their business is protected and separate from their personal assets. This means that you must look to your state laws to determine what the best legal business entity is for you. Corporations and LLCs, for example, offer entrepreneurs limited liability – which just a fancy term for “if I sued, they can’t take everything.” The debts of the company will be limited to the company.
Speaking of hiring, you wanted to point out something called “ban the box” … what is that?
Many new entrepreneurs simply are not aware that there are laws that apply to hiring. Some states, like Illinois for example, have enacted “ban the box” legislation that prohibits employers with 15 or more employees to ask applicants whether he or she has any criminal record. Background checks can still be done, but not until after an interview or a conditional job offer.
Some of the new and continuing trends in the workplace is flextime job, workplace flexibility arrangements … what should employers keep in mind here?
As a business owner and/or manager, always be “PC.” Politically correct, of course. The “PC” I refer to here, though, is Practice Consistency. It is crucial that employers have personnel policies in place for all of their employees and that they are applying those in the same way to any similarly situated group of people. For example, if you have a flexible work arrangement, make sure there is a written policy that makes it clear who it applies to and then apply it the same for all. Have it address all the details … how employees will record their time, what kind of equipment will they be provided, and other guidelines.
