Oakland County Law Blog

Three years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples could marry and the government recognize the union. The ruling was groundbreaking and brought about a sweeping change in the marital laws and the recognition of LGBT marriage.

One thing that LGBT couples began to think about was having children. Before the 2015 ruling, same-sex couples cohabitated with children; however, they did not both have equal rights to the children should they separate. In those situations, one person was the legal mother or father. That person, through birth or adoption records, got sole custody when the couples broke up.

The saying goes, "The family that prays together, stays together." But what about families that work together? Some have been able to build successful enterprises that last for generations, whereas others fall apart from problem after problem.

You can cut out a lot of drama and increase your chances of cooperation and success by avoiding common mistakes that many family-owned and -operated businesses make. Follow these tips to keep your family and company together.

When you legally establish your own small business, the type of business structure you ultimately choose will affect everything from how you govern your company to how you file your taxes. In other words, it is an important, impactful decision, and the more you understand about the process and the different business formation types that exist, the better your chances at selecting the best option for your unique needs.

Regardless of the type of company you are looking to establish, you will find that there are certain areas that potentially expose you to liability. For example, if you operate, say, a taxi company, you face obvious liabilities relating to transportation; while if you operate, say, a cookie company, you run the risk of someone suing you if they get seriously sick after consuming your product. In other words, all businesses have their own risks, but there are two types of business structures that can help protect you in the event that someone sues or files a judgment against you.

Wage disputes are sadly quite common. One report from the Economic Policy Institute found that employers around the United States steal billions from their employees' paychecks each year. 

When employees end up in the middle of a wage dispute, they have many options that they can pursue. While they can certainly retain the services of an employment law attorney, it may work out to bring up the issue with the boss first. Payroll errors happen all the time, and if you lost overtime pay or another form of compensation, then you should first bring it to the attention of your employer.