In most states, employment is “at will,” meaning you can be fired at any time and for any reason – unless you have an employment contract. In that case, the terms of the contract can determine under what conditions you can be terminated as well as what severance, if any, you will be entitled to should your employment terminate. If you have never been offered an employment contract before, it can be a bit intimidating. Your first question will likely be “Am I allowed to negotiate my employment contract?” The short answer is “yes.”
Read MoreWhether you are in the market to purchase or sell real estate the assistance of an experienced and knowledgeable real estate agent can be invaluable. Unfortunately, if you end up with the wrong agent it can make your buying or selling experience a colossal failure. Worse still, it could end up costing you money instead of saving you money in the long run. If you are currently working with a real estate agent and you realize he/she is not the right agent for you and your needs you may be wondering “Can I fire my real estate agent?”
Read MoreIn the normal course of your employment you should receive a paycheck at specific intervals, such as every week, every two weeks, or even once a month. What happens, however, to wages due to you if you terminate your employment with the employer? When are wages due if an employee is terminated, quits, or is laid off in Pennsylvania? If you suddenly find yourself in that position, you may need to know what the law says about receipt of your final paycheck.
Read MoreTo understand the short-sale process you first need to understand how a mortgage loan works and a little bit about the real estate market. Most people cannot afford to pay cash for the purchase of a home. To finance the purchase of a home most people take out a mortgage loan and then make monthly mortgage payments for 15-30 (typically) years until the loan is paid off. At any time during the life of the loan a borrower may sell the home and pay off the mortgage with the proceeds from the sale. Of course, that assumes that the proceeds from the sale will be sufficient to pay off the balance owed on the loan. If the real estate market takes a drastic turn for the worse, as often happens during a recession, that assumption could be wrong.
Read MoreAnytime a new building or structure, whether commercial or residential, is constructed, a number of different steps must be taken during the process. It takes a team of professionals to take a building from conception to construction. A civil engineer is usually among those professionals. Whether you are planning to build a multi-million dollar commercial office park, or just your dream home, you may need to employ the services of a civil engineer.
Read MoreAt some point in your career you may be asked, or required, to sign a non-compete agreement for a prospective or current employer. All too often an employee signs a non-compete agreement without really paying attention to the often complex and verbose language contained within the agreement. It isn’t until the employer-employee relationship ends that an employer notices how restrictive the provisions in the agreement actually are and how those provisions limit the employee’s immediate employment options.er.
Read MoreWhether you are planning to build your dream home or a multi-unit commercial complex, the entire project is based on a construction contract. For both the owner and the contractor, the cost of the project is important; however, it is not only the final cost that matters, but how that cost is arrived at as well that is important. In the construction industry, there are several different types of commonly-used pricing structures, including a “guaranteed maximum price” construction contract.
Read MoreIf you are considering venturing into the world of small business ownership you will have a seemingly endless list of decisions you must make regarding the business before it even gets off the ground. There are three broad categories of business entities from which you may choose – sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. Within the partnership and corporation categories there are also a number of sub-categories and hybrids. Taking the time to learn what general partnerships are will help you decide if a general partnership is right for your business.
Read MoreCompanies that provide a service to consumers and to businesses must be distinguishable from other organizations that provide a similar service. One of the ways that a company can distinguish itself is by having a unique brand identity. This could be a symbol, word, phrase, series of words, or other identifying marks and phrases that help to distinguish one service provider from the other.
Read MoreWhen real estate is purchased, there are different ownership structures by which the owners may take title. One option is to take title as tenants in common. Tenancy in common means that two or more people own a property concurrently and the co-owners have a simultaneous right to possession. Each of the co-owners has an individual, undivided interest in the property that is owned as tenants in common, so each can transfer his or her own ownership interest.
Read MoreBeing fired from a job is never an enjoyable experience. If you feel you were fired without cause it can make the experience even more traumatic. The first question that may come to your mind is “ Can I be fired for no reason in Pennsylvania ? ” Unfortunately, the answer to that question, as a general rule, is “yes”; however, there are some important exceptions to the general rule of which you should be aware.
Read MoreIn the construction industry there is virtually an endless number of things that can go wrong. There are also numerous opportunities for disagreements between the various parties involved in a construction project. Executing written contracts is one way to reduce the likelihood of problems or disagreements. Requiring different types of bonds is another. In fact it is very common to require a general contractor to take out a payment and performance bond before beginning a construction project.
Read MoreWhen it comes to developing or improving real property, zoning regulations are everything. Before you purchase a piece of property, and certainly before you start designing plans for the property, it is imperative that you know how the property is zoned and you understand the restrictions that apply to how the property is zoned. If the current zoning will not allow you to develop or improve the property in the manner in which you wish, a variance might be the answer.
Read MoreOver the last century, the American workforce has gone through some fairly dramatic changes. Along the way, numerous state and federal laws have been passed in an effort to protect workers and ensure that they are treated fairly in the workplace. One issue that has remained at the forefront of employment law debates is the distinction between employees and independent contractors. Recently, that very issue was before a California labor commissioner after an Uber driver filed a claim against the company. As more “sharing” industries sprout up around the nation, the distinction between employees and independent contractors will continue to blur.
Read MoreLocal zoning regulations determine how a piece of real estate may be used. Real estate is typically broadly categorized into several different types of zoning, including agricultural, industrial, commercial, and residential. Within those categories, all property is further sub-divided according to the allowable uses for the property. A property owner must conform to the zoning restrictions for the property.
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