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At-will employment doesn’t necessarily mean you can fire employees at will. Know how to protect your business from wrongful termination complaints.
Most employment relationships are at-will, meaning you can fire employees at any time for any legal reason or no reason at all. Often, employers hear “at-will” and “any reason” and skip over the “legal” part. In fact, there are many illegal reasons for firing an employee, and it’s important to understand them before you let someone go.

How easy is it for a snap decision to turn into a wrongful discharge complaint? Consider the well-known case of EEOC v. Walgreens, in which a diabetic employee with an 18-year record of excellent service ate a $1.39 bag of chips because she was hypoglycemic. She tried to pay for the chips when her sugar rebounded, but her supervisor, perhaps under the influence of a particularly strident presentation on shrink prevention, fired

Retaliating against employees who exercise their workplace rights is a common, preventable mistake. Find out how to ban retaliation from your company.
Every year, retaliation heads the list of complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). That’s because it’s often tacked onto other complaints, from sexual harassment to age discrimination.

Retaliation is also the toughest charge to shake. It’s not uncommon for companies to win a discrimination lawsuit only to lose on the accompanying retaliation claim.

Unfortunately, businesses often walk into retaliation complaints through innocent, avoidable mistakes. By knowing how to handle retaliation at work, you can avoid those costly mistakes.

What is workplace retaliation?
Retaliation occurs when an employer punishes an employee for exercising their workplace rights. Punishment can be any adverse action that might deter a reasonable employee from pursuing protected activities.

Examples of adverse actions include:

Termination
Constructive discharge, when punishment drives an employee to

EEO compliance is more than the law: it’s good business. This article breaks down equal employment opportunity laws and how to make them work for your small business.
The best reason to cultivate a diverse, inclusive workforce is that it helps your business succeed, as demonstrated by two recent studies by McKinsey & Company. An inclusive work environment broadens your talent pool, enhances the employee experience, improves customer service, and drives innovation.

If you’re like many business owners, you might think equal employment opportunity (EEO) is a given. Why wouldn’t you bring the best and the brightest on board? Yet it takes more than a commitment to the idea of equal opportunity to promote an inclusive workplace.

It takes careful planning, a solid framework, and active engagement. This article will help you translate good intentions into concrete actions to create an inclusive workplace.

Overview: The history and evolution of equal

Steven Mark Chaney had nine alibi witnesses. From morning to night, his movements on June 21, 1987, were well documented. Nonetheless, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murders of John and Sally Sweek, drug dealers Chaney had previously bought cocaine from and to whom he supposedly owed $500 — his alleged motive for brutally murdering them that day in their Dallas, Texas, apartment. There was nothing to tie him to the crime, save for a supposed bite mark found on John’s arm that several forensic dentists said matched Chaney’s dentition.

Bite-mark evidence rests on a deceptively simple foundation: that human dentition is as unique as DNA; that skin is a suitable substrate to record that alleged uniqueness; and that forensic

In managing your estate and keeping wealth in the family, it’s easy for things to go wrong. This is especially the case if the correct documentation is not in place or your desires are not clearly outlined in these documents. Luckily, this is avoidable so long as you give your estate plan proper attention.

By applying these estate planning tips to your unique situation you can remove worry, gain confidence, and keep your money with your loved ones long after your death.

Know the Difference Between a Will and a Trust
A fair amount of people cannot easily differentiate a will from a living trust. When managing their assets, they may not have the best solution for them in place. Knowing the difference between a will and a trust allows an individual to make the best decision for their estate so that their wealth is both accessible and easily distributed based on their exact wishes.

A will is a document that outlines what should happen with your assets after you pass. It also includes critical details such as your appointed executor, who will become the guardian of your children, how you’d like outstanding debts and taxes to be paid, and from what financial accounts both will be paid from.

With a will in place after your death, the executor can then pay any debts or taxes that remain in your name and distribute your assets to the listed beneficiaries.

A trust, although similar to a will, appoints a trustee to manage and distribute your property instead. Essentially, the trustee takes the place of the executor in interfacing with probate courts. This means that any property listed in a trust does not go through probate court, saving your loved one’s time and money.

A trust is a great option if you have a sizable estate or are concerned your beneficiaries won’t be wise with their inherited money. A living trust allows you to create certain stipulations, providing you with more control over your wealth. To prevent your property from entering probate court, and to clearly define conditions as to how you’d like your assets distributed, a living trust is a better option than that of a will.

Keep Your Designated Beneficiaries Up to Date
A beneficiary is someone you’ve named in your will or living trust and is the recipient of certain assets after your death. Assets a beneficiary may inherit vary; a specific financial amount,

property such as your home, car, or collectibles, or the funds stored in your retirement, checking, and/or savings accounts.