The local newspaper had a story Friday morning about former executives starting a new business that will compete with their former employer. Good for them! This is good news unless of course you are the party that just purchased the business that until recently employed these managers.

I know nothing about the purchase of the business, the resignation of the individuals or the launch of the new business. The legal implications of matters such as this are very fact specific. Without commenting on the current situation, there are lessons here for any potential purchaser of a business.

If you are purchasing a business, there are at least five ways you can avoid the loss of key employees that go on to compete with you. But first, let’s consider two questions.

Effective the start of this year, a new gag rule prohibits Oregon employers of all sizes from requiring employees to attend meetings where you share your religious or political opinions (code phrase for anti-union opinions). As will be discussed in a future LegalBrief, this law can cause more problems than you may realize.

New Poster Required

This new law, S.B. 519, also requires all Oregon employers to post a new notice for employees. The State of Oregon, for whatever reason, has chosen not to publish this new poster. This however does not absolve you from the statute’s notice requirements. You must still display a notice.

We are looking out for you and created our own gag rule poster you can download and use at no charge.

Maybe you purchased an all-in-one poster. Is it up-to-date? Hint: If it was printed more than just a few weeks ago, the answer is probably not.

For 8 years in a row, we are helping employers comply with your employment poster requirements at no charge.

You will find all 25 possible state and federal employment posters (English & Spanish) assembled in one place. You will also find detailed instructions so you can determine which posters apply to your organization. Download and display our free posters and you are done. It is that easy.

Simply go to our 2010 Employment Posters report to comply with your employment poster requirements in five minutes or less.

As three clients have recently discovered, this question is not as easy as it seems.

We all have received them, emails wanting to be your “friend” on a social networking site. Someone you know, someone you barely know, someone you have never heard of … Rarely is a long lost friend renewing contact after many years.

What do you do when the friend request comes from an employee that works for you? What should you do?

Have you kept up with these changes? Look at the handbook changes we have made and decide for yourself.

A just released U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) report concludes that workers lose more than $56.4 million per week as a result of employment and labor law violations.

This has the attention of the current administration. Now that it has been published in a national publication for lawyers, it also has the attention of plaintiff’s employment attorneys. Soon, through the efforts of the mass media and plaintiff’s attorneys, it will have the attention of your employees as well.

With four pro-labor executive orders from the new White House, a dramatic increase in the DOL’s compliance and enforcement activities, a substantial increase in DOL wage and hour investigations and changes in the National Labor Relations Board, the rules you must comply with and the risk for mistakes are increasing dramatically.

As an employer, there are steps you must take to prevent employee accidents while driving for your business and to prevent liability claims.