A pattern employers see often: someone hires a foreign personal assistant (very commonly in the Philippines), collects a W-8BEN, and believes they “handled the compliance.” Or maybe no W-8 is collected because hiring abroad feels like avoiding compliance obligations. Collecting the right W-8 form matters, but it only addresses one
You know that thick safety manual on the shelf that nobody has opened since the last audit? The one that says, “Safety is our number one concern?” Plaintiffs’ lawyers love that thing. In this edition, three topics are covered that keep employer clients awake at night, and how Treaty Oak
Dear Overworked HR Managers and Stressed-Out Business Owners, You’re sweating bullets over AI, aren’t you? Your employees are whispering about ChatGPT drafting their TPS reports, your competitors are bragging about “AI-driven efficiencies,” and you’re wondering if you’re one bad algorithm away from a lawsuit or, worse, irrelevance. Relax. Treaty Oak
See if this scenario sounds familiar (anonymized, but you’ve met this company before): A fully remote, 10-person U.S. team hit a messy personnel issue and asked, “Should we just hand this to a PEO?” They were hoping for two things: Compliance confidence A way to “professionalize HR” without adding headcount
Why That Filipino VA You Hired to Save Money Might Cost You Everything Dear Fellow Employers, Remember when you thought hiring that virtual assistant from the Philippines was the smartest business decision since sliced bread? You know, the one working “contractor hours” that happen to be exactly 9 AM to
Your employees are whispering about ChatGPT writing their reports. Your competitors are bragging about “AI-driven efficiencies.” And you’re wondering if you’re one bad algorithm away from a lawsuit or irrelevance. First off, relax. Take a deep breath and find your calm. Yes, AI feels like it’s big and scary and
If your business buys or sells anything across a border, you’ve felt the whiplash this year. Tariffs jump, headlines swirl, and your inbox fills with advice that sounds suspiciously like panic. Unfortunately, panic is not a plan. So, let’s fix that. It starts with understanding what’s happening right now and
In the fast-paced world of HR and employment litigation, it’s easy to get caught up in the three Ps – processes, policies, and paperwork. Sometimes, though, losing a case comes down to something much simpler: no one took ownership. That’s exactly what happened in a recent Sixth Circuit case involving
In the corporate world, Delaware has long reigned as the go-to jurisdiction for incorporation. But times are changing fast. A growing number of companies are rethinking their reliance on Delaware, and many are exploring quieter, (dare I say) smarter jurisdictions for the next chapter of their corporate governance. Welcome to
Just when you thought the Department of Labor had run out of surprises, on June 27, they handed employers a win. The DOL issued Field Assistance Bulletin 2025-3, which essentially says that unless the DOL sues you, they can’t demand liquidated damages anymore. Going forward, they’re limited to collecting just
