March 31st 2021 is the last day to apply for a first or second-round PPP loan. While the rules are a bit unclear as to whether a business seeing declines in one quarter but positive in subsequent quarters still qualifies for loan forgiveness eligibility, there are a number of areas to consider as to whether your business should apply for the second-round of PPP. (Related: Financial Assistance To Small Businesses In Response To COVID-19) Applying for a first-time PPP loan? If you didn’t get funds for the first PPP round you can apply for a first-time loan. Loans are capped... READ MORE

Article written by Brian H. Cole, Associate Attorney, Chase Law Group, P.C. Have you ever considered looking into buying a franchise? There are many attractive aspects of this particular business model. Generally speaking, a franchise has an infrastructure already established to help owners and managers run the day-to-day operations, plus a known franchise has built-in brand equity. These are huge benefits for a business owner. On the other hand, like any business, there is a considerable amount of work, employee management, customer service and marketing efforts that the owner or manager will still need to take on and often follow... READ MORE

Congress declined to extend the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) in the second stimulus package to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The FFCRA expired on December 31, 2020 which required employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave. Employers are no longer required to provide paid leave under the Act, but payroll tax credits are still available to employers that voluntarily provide leave under the FFCRA. If an employer provides leave for FFCRA-eligible reasons and pays employees per specified FFCRA rates, tax credits are available until March 31, 2021. The California... READ MORE

Your business plan is a roadmap to your business’ success. It is the basis—the foundation—for creating a business that will beat out those SBA statistics, that will survive beyond year one and beyond. For you, the business plan is your guideline. For potential investors or venture capital providers, your business is insight. People who are considering whether to invest are going to be looking for an exhaustive outline of where you plan to take the business and how. And although banks and investors may have specific requirements when it comes to what’s in your business plan, below you will find... READ MORE

Last month’s blog post and newsletter set forth new employment laws coming in 2021, including SB 1382 which provides that effective January 1, 2021, the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”) will be expanded to apply to smaller employers (with 5 to 49 employees) and not just employers with 50 or more employees.  The following sets forth basic information related to CFRA leave.  You should consult with an employment attorney to discuss any questions you have about implementing a CFRA policy at your organization and to ensure that you are in compliance with this complex law. What is CFRA and Who... READ MORE

Article written by Gabriela Lamond, Associate Attorney, Chase Law Group, P.C. SB 1159 became effective on September 17, 2020 and created three (3) different rebuttable presumptions with respect to an employee’s claim that he/she contracted COVID-19 at the workplace.  The third presumption, which only applies to employers with five (5) or more employees, also imposes additional employee tracking and reporting requirements. Additionally, SB 1159 requires that employees must exhaust any special COVID-19 related sick leave benefits before receiving any temporary disability benefits, however, employees are not required to exhaust any regular sick leave benefits. 1. March 19 – July 5, 2020... READ MORE

Article written by Gabriela Lamond, Associate Attorney, Chase Law Group, P.C.  On September 17, 2020, Governor Newsom approved of changes to the California Labor Code with respect to an employer’s tracking, reporting, and record-keeping requirements for COVID-19, as well as new rebuttable presumptions for employees submitting workers’ compensation and disability benefits claims related to COVID-19.  These changes were presented in California Assembly Bill 685 (AB 685) and California Senate Bill 1159 (SB 1159). Effective January 1, 2021, AB 685 imposes new COVID-19 notice, reporting and record-keeping requirements for California employers. Notice Requirements for Potential COVID-19 Exposure If an employer receives notice... READ MORE

By Scott Liner Employment Law Attorney This year was a very challenging year for employers to say the least.  With 2020 almost in the books, there are a number of new employment laws that employers should be aware of and can prepare for moving into next year. The following are key new laws that will impact California employers next year. Increase in Minimum Wage: Effective January 1, 2021, the state minimum wage increases to $14.00 per hour for employers with 26 employees or more and to $13.00 per hour for employers with 25 employees or less. Note that if an... READ MORE

You’ve worked out your business idea, but how do you move on to the next step and get your business off the ground? Access to capital is cited over and over by small business owners as one of their biggest challenges. Understanding your options for funding is the first step toward securing it and in this article we’ll cover several options. Before we dive in, though, it’s good to know that most small businesses piece together their funding from several different sources over time. So take stock of where you are and what you need for the near future knowing... READ MORE

Every entrepreneur knows that having enough money to start the business is mission critical—everything needed to turn ideas into a viable business requires money. The good news is there are many resources and options for business owners when it comes to business capital, and several don’t require setting foot in a bank. Personal Savings In business, “bootstrapping” means starting a business without external help or capital. Using personal savings as business capital is one form of bootstrapping that allows you to avoid relying on third parties, investors, or a financial institution for funding. While using your own savings may have... READ MORE