Recent Blog Posts
The Trademark Bully
The USPTO actually defines a trademark bully as, “a trademark owner that uses its trademark rights to harass and intimidate another business beyond what the law might be reasonably interpreted to allow.” A registered trademark or servicemark is a form of legally protected intellectual property that identifies the products or services of a . To… Finish Reading The Trademark Bully
Amazon Brand Registry Requires a USPTO Registered Trademark
If you weren’t paying attention, you might have missed it. Amazon has modified their Brand Registry program and instituted new rules and tools for merchants to protect their brands, logos and products from counterfeiters – Transparency and Project Zero. Not only can merchants register their brand but Amazon uses, and now makes available to… Finish Reading Amazon Brand Registry Requires a USPTO Registered Trademark
Technology in the Office
Technology has become an integral part of our daily life both personal and work. Technology can make operating your business easier and more efficient. However, the increased use of more invasive technology has given rise to employee and staff privacy concerns. According to Norton (an international virus software provider), around 65% of businesses have… Finish Reading Technology in the Office
Quick Tips: Trademarks
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” worked well for Shakespeare, but the concept may apply when it comes to your business name, branding, DBA names, mottos, slogans and taglines. You want your ‘rose’ to only be called ‘rose’ to avoid a confused consumers believing that the rose of another is… Finish Reading Quick Tips: Trademarks
Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws: Minimum Wage
Determining how much to pay your employees can be difficult. On one hand, you want them to be happy and able to support themselves; on the other hand, you want to keep as much of the profits as possible. Luckily, the law provides some sort of guidance. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) of… Finish Reading Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws: Minimum Wage
Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws: The Workweek
The first installment in this series is about the “workweek.” The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) describes the workweek as “a recurring period of seven consecutive 24 hour periods” that can begin on any day of the week. This “work week” is fixed, as well as independent of the actual hours worked by the… Finish Reading Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws: The Workweek
Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws: An Introduction
We are beginning a series where we delve into the different laws that are addressed in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, and hopefully help you avoid mistakes that can be detrimental to your business. This act details exactly how to calculate your employee’s compensation, and what you can and can’t do regarding overtime… Finish Reading Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws: An Introduction
Notable News: Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Business Privacy
The Supreme Court recently released a decision in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media [Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media, No. 18-481 (U.S. Jun. 24, 2019)] that may be beneficial to your business. The issue began when a South Dakota newspaper owned by Argus Leader Media submitted a FOIA request to a government… Finish Reading Notable News: Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Business Privacy
Do You Know Your Bank Signatories?
As a small business owner, you may have co-owners, partners, or employees that you have authorized to do basic functions such as signing checks on the company’s behalf, making deposits, or even doing basic online banking. However, whether you trust them to act in good faith may not be the only obstacle when deciding… Finish Reading Do You Know Your Bank Signatories?
The Risk of “Phantom Income” as a Small Business Owner
Phantom income occurs when there is revenue that is reported to the IRS by an entity for tax purposes, but the entity or the individual never actually receives any income. For “pass-through” entities, where income and subsequent losses are passed through to the owners of the company (as opposed to the entity itself), this… Finish Reading The Risk of “Phantom Income” as a Small Business Owner
