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Legal considerations for business finance and accounting compliance

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6 min read

California AB 406: Paid Sick Leave Now Covers Jury Duty and Crime-Victim Court Dates — and the Civil Rights Department Is Enforcing It

California's AB 406 lets employees use accrued paid sick leave for jury duty, subpoenaed witness testimony, and crime-victim judicial proceedings — expanded January 1, 2026 to cover plea hearings, sentencing, and release decisions — while enforcement moves from the Labor Commissioner to the Civil Rights Department. Here's what every California employer, regardless of size, must update.

Mike Thrift

californiacompliancepayroll
7 min read

California AB 660 Explained: The 'Sell By' Ban and New Food Date-Labeling Rules Effective July 1, 2026

California's AB 660 takes effect July 1, 2026, restricting packaged food to two standardized date labels — "BEST if Used by" for quality and "USE by" for safety — and banning consumer-readable "sell by" dates. Covers who must comply, exemptions, $1,000-per-violation penalties, the sell-through transition rule, and a five-step compliance checklist for manufacturers, co-packers, and retailers.

Mike Thrift

compliancecaliforniasmall-business
8 min read

Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island Privacy Laws Took Effect in 2026: What Small Businesses Need to Know

On January 1, 2026, Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island became the 18th, 19th, and 20th states with comprehensive consumer privacy laws. This guide compares their applicability thresholds (as low as 10,000 consumers in Rhode Island), cure periods, penalties up to $10,000 per violation, and gives small businesses a six-step compliance checklist.

Mike Thrift

privacycompliancesmall-business
9 min read

Iowa SF629: The New Expedited Business Filing Tiers, What They Cost, and When to Pay

Iowa Senate File 629, signed June 2, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, writes four expedited business filing tiers into Iowa Code section 9.15 — one-hour ($200), same-day ($125), two-day ($50), and five-day ($15) surcharges on top of standard fees — covering formations, amendments, mergers, foreign qualifications, and dissolutions for every entity type.

Mike Thrift

small-businessllcincorporation
9 min read

New York's FAIR Business Practices Act: What the 2026 'Unfair and Abusive' Standard Means for Small Businesses

New York's FAIR Business Practices Act, effective February 17, 2026, adds "unfair" and "abusive" conduct standards to GBL Section 349, extends protection to small businesses and non-profits, and carries penalties up to $5,000 per violation — or $15,000 for willful ones. Here is what changed, who enforces it, and a seven-step compliance checklist for any business selling to New York customers.

Mike Thrift

small-businesscompliancelegal
7 min read

UCC-1 Financing Statements: The 5-Year Lapse, the Continuation Window, and the Stale Liens That Block Loans

A UCC-1 financing statement lapses exactly five years after filing unless the lender files a UCC-3 continuation within the six months before the lapse date — and paid-off liens that never get terminated can quietly block your next SBA loan. Here's how to search your own UCC record and clear stale filings before a lender finds them.

Mike Thrift

loanssmall-businessfinancing
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