Among the tangle of issues that seem to be plaguing our capital, immigration seems to be one that keeps floating to the top. Recently on our blog we posted about what H1-B visas are and how to get one and already there seems to be important changes to take note of. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), “effective May 26, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending eligibility for employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking employment-based lawful permanent resident (LPR) status.”

I see or talk to my CPA about once a week. That may seem a little extreme, but it’s because he’s brilliant, he gives great advice, and because he’s also my dad. Many times he’ll talk about my investments, the stock market, or the upcoming changes in political policies and while I am interested, his vast knowledge and verbiage can cause my eyes to glaze over and my stomach to wonder if it’s time for mom to serve dessert yet. (For those of you who have met with your CPAs for your tax appointments with the April 15th deadline approaching, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.)

There are a myriad of decisions to make on a daily basis for small business owners ranging from where he or she will get the biggest ROI with their time and funding management to how to best structure their business model. Another issue not to be taken lightly is the pros and cons of hiring independent contractors verses adding more employees to your payroll. What is the difference and which type of worker is right for your company?

There is a plaque on the Statue of Liberty that poignantly quotes Emma Lazarus’ infamous poem: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

2014 was the year of Mobile Technology. From mobile marketing trends to the rise of the Internet of Things (IoTs), mobile applications hit the year big. This trend will continue as consumers will spend more time on mobile apps than on the Web. As consumers becoming accustomed and expect real-time, location-driven, context-specific user experience and engagement, companies must look to 2015 will hold.

  We’ve polished our cowboy boots, brushed up on Keith Urban lyrics, and bulked up on our BBQ. Yep, we’re ready to launch in the yippee ki yay state of Texas and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve been testing out the markets in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston and we’ve quickly come to realize that our partnership with these outstanding attorneys is something quite special. 

In my mind the Internet reminds me a lot of The Hunger Games. There are a bunch of random people running around haphazardly in a cyber forest with access to tools they don’t know how to use, spying on people who don’t know that they are there, and at the end of the day, shots are fired spawning a whole new list of stories to be posted on Facebook the next day. There is character assassination, secret alliances, and online marketing Darwinism where the strongest campaigns survive. Now the FCC is stepping in to regulate parts of the relationship between Internet users and service providers. Is this stifling capitalism or protecting the consumer? 

“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!” The problem with that song (besides it being past Christmas) is that we DO have places to go, work being at the top of that list. The East Coast is being slammed by blizzards, high speed winds, and weather forecaster paranoia. Earlier this week the news reports predicted that up to a foot of snow would drop on Chicago, Cleveland, Massachusetts and the New York City area. One reporter even joked, “The only business that is open in this weather is Starbucks.” That got me thinking: Does an employee lose wages or can they be penalized for not showing up if the conditions are hazardous? Can a company force employees to go to show up at the office during inclement weather? 

  I’ve had a variety of great (and interesting) jobs over the past two decades since I’ve entered the workforce and I’ve learned a lot from both sides of the desk. I’ve also had the spectrum of amazing bosses from those who were Yoda to my Luke Skywalker to those who after one year I didn’t just walk out the door, I ran away as fast as I could and left a me-shaped hole in the wall. 

On those unfortunate occasions where you have to go to the doctor’s office (especially at this time of year with cold and flu germs swirling around like a Nor’easter), you have the confidence of knowing that your privacy is protected with the HIPAA Privacy Rule.