Supplying Crews to Farms? How to Register as a Farm Labor Contractor Under MSPA
Farm crew suppliers need a DOL Certificate of Registration before recruiting workers — plus housing and transport authorizations most new FLCs miss.
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Hiring
Financial considerations when hiring employees or contractors
Paying Nonresident Aliens: The Withholding and Reporting Rules That Apply When You Hire Across Borders
Paying a foreign contractor for U.S.-performed work means 30% IRS withholding unless a treaty applies; fully remote work needs only a W-8BEN on file.
California's AB 692 Just Banned Most "Stay-or-Pay" Employment Contracts: What Small Employers Must Fix Now
California AB 692 voids stay-or-pay clauses signed on or after January 1, 2026 — audit your offer letters now or risk $5,000 per affected worker.
Your Federal W-4 Isn't Enough: The State Withholding Certificates Every Employer Must Collect
The federal W-4 doesn't cover state tax in most states — collect each hire's state certificate (CA DE 4, NY IT-2104) or withholding defaults to max.
Got an EEOC Charge? A Small Employer's Playbook From Notice to Mediation
An EEOC charge is an allegation, not a verdict: block retaliation, file a documented position statement in ~30 days, and weigh free mediation (70%+ settle).
WOTC Expired: What Employers Lose and the Hiring Credits Still Available in 2026
WOTC lapsed Dec 31, 2025 — keep filing IRS Form 8850 within 28 days, since past lapses were renewed retroactively and only timely filings qualify.
The Federal Bonding Program: Free $5,000–$25,000 Fidelity Bonds for Hiring At-Risk Workers
The US Federal Bonding Program issues free $5,000–$25,000 fidelity bonds covering an at-risk hire's first six months — no premium, no deductible.
Hiring Seasonal Workers for the Holidays: Minimum Wage, Overtime, Teen Rules, and the Paperwork You Can't Skip
Seasonal hires get full FLSA protection: overtime past 40 hours, the highest applicable federal, state, or city minimum wage, and Form I-9 within three days.
Your Customer List Is Worthless in Court Unless You Protected It: Trade Secrets 101 for Small Employers
Your client list is only a trade secret if you protected it first — inventory secrets, sign NDAs with the DTSA notice, and lock down access.
OFCCP's Section 503 Final Rule Takes Effect September 21, 2026: What Federal Contractors Must Strip From Their AAPs
OFCCP's Section 503 final rule takes effect September 21, 2026: Form CC-305, the 7% utilization goal and disability data collection end — the written AAP stays.
Illinois AI Hiring Compliance: Notice, Bias Testing, and Vendor Records Under HB 3773
Illinois HB 3773 took effect January 1, 2026 and covers employers with one employee — give AI notice, drop zip-code proxies, run four-fifths bias tests.
City Tax Withholding for Multistate Employers: Ohio RITA, Pennsylvania EIT, NYC and Yonkers
Local payroll tax is the employer's liability, not the software's. Ohio's 20-day rule, Pennsylvania PSD codes, NYC resident-only tax and Yonkers' 0.5% levy.