The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in a September 10, 2009 ruling, held that an employer can be held liable for discriminatory hiring decisions made by its independent contractors. The case involved an independent contractor acting on behalf of the employer, telling the plaintiff that “they were looking for someone younger”.…

A new company should determine which of its workers are employees and which are independent contractors. The workers’ status will determine what benefits s/he is owed during employment and at its conclusion. A new company is building its reputation not just for its product, but for its staff and for fairness as an employer as…

Can a part-time employee hold another job while working for you? Can he or she work for a direct competitor a year after he involuntarily leaves his employment? Does this change if he owns part of your business? What if the competitor is anywhere in the world instead of in the samecounty? Different states have…