Living on the Eastern coast of Florida, I have the ability to view many of the space launches from Cape Canaveral. They are easily viewed from my driveway and are especially beautiful at night when the fiery exhausts contrast with the dark sky (being near the ocean there is very little light pollution to reduce the darkness). We now have a new branch of the military—the Space Force. And Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Unity 22 flight into space on July 11, 2021, and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin New Shepard on July 20, 2021, shows commercial possibilities. It’s time for small businesses to look up and see opportunities in space. Read More

The CDC advised that those fully vaccinated do not have to wear masks. However, this guidance is superseded by any federal, state, or local law requiring masking. The CDC also says that businesses may set their own rules for operations and workplace guidance if they don’t violate government rules. But now, with the advent of COVID-19 variants, concerns about transmission remain prevalent. What’s a business owner to do about a masking policy for employees and customers, clients, and patients? Read More

It feels like the pandemic is over, with businesses opening at regular capacity in most states. But the future is uncertain. There could be another pandemic. Or there could be other unanticipated catastrophes that may befall your business. As part of your recovery strategies from COVID-19, it’s advisable to take the lessons you learned and put them in a contingency plan so your business can know what actions to take to protect itself. Read More

A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of tax liability. During COVID-19, much attention has been focused on employment tax credits for paid sick leave, paid family leave, employee retention, and COBRA payments. But income tax credits for small businesses may fit well into today’s economy and business planning, and provide significant tax savings. Read More

Your company information is vital. This information includes financial data, trade secrets, confidential employee and customer information, and more. Recent well publicized ransomware attacks show the vulnerability of just about everyone. Read More

The pandemic has created a great need in a number of communities and for a number of special causes and organizations. But charitable giving is a perennial practice with an unending number of people and causes in need. ... If you want to give, there are many ways to do it. And you may even get a tax benefit from your philanthropic activities. Read More

According to the NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index for June 2021, a labor shortage remains the big challenge for small businesses. The numbers tell it all: 46% of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, 63% reported hiring or trying to hire in June, and 89% of those hiring or trying to hire reported few or no “qualified” applicants for their positions. The report states: “Many firms can’t hire enough workers to efficiently run their businesses, restricting sales and output.” If you’re in this situation, what can you do? A good wage, as well as medical coverage and other traditional benefits, may not be sufficient. Here are some strategies to consider. Read More

This area of the law is changing rapidly and making it challenging for employers to fix their workplace polices. A year ago, our blog addressed many issued about revising your drug policy for marijuana. Since then, more states permit the use of marijuana for recreational and/or medical purposes. And courts are weighing in on some practical issues for employers when it comes to marijuana and the workplace. So, with rapidly changing laws and court decisions, what are employers to do? Here are some new developments to alert you to what’s happening now. Read More