Small Business Saturday 2026 Playbook: How Independent Retailers and Restaurants Win on November 28
Small Business Saturday 2026 falls November 28. Stock gifts early, staff up, and push gift cards to turn one day into 15% of annual revenue.
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Financial considerations when hiring employees or contractors
Can You Run a Credit Check on Job Applicants? State Bans and FCRA Rules for Small Employers
Eleven US states now bar most employer credit checks. Where they stay legal, the FCRA requires written disclosure, consent and adverse action notices.
Oregon's $1,000-Per-Job Hiring Credit: How Small Employers Apply for the QJCTC Before October 31
Oregon's QJCTC pays $1,000 per net new job, up to $10,000, in seven industries — but 2026 applications close October 31 and certification comes first.
Trade Secrets, NDAs, and the Employee Exit Checklist for Small Businesses
Trade secret protection isn't automatic: courts ask what you did to keep it secret. Signed NDAs with the DTSA notice and a 7-step exit checklist prove it.
Connecticut's October 1, 2026 Employer To-Do List: 7 Workplace Law Changes in Effect Now
Since Oct. 1, 2026, Connecticut employers of every size must post pay ranges, drop stay-or-pay clauses and name monitoring locations — a 7-item checklist.
Paying a Signing Bonus? The 22% Withholding Rule, the Clawback Agreement, and the Month-Three Quit
Signing bonuses are IRS supplemental wages: withhold 22%, apply FICA in full, and sign the clawback before you pay — same-year repayments unwind cleanly.
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.
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.