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By Max Abelson From Bloomberg Inside the enigmatic system of corporate justice, where proceedings are secretive and the odds of workers winning are long. Millions of American workers sign away legal rights without knowing what they’re in for. A lot of employers are forcing employees into arbitration hell. Here's what that looks like, and why it's a complicated mess (especially if you're the employee).

From BizJournals : An Atlanta firm filed the first class action suit brought against Equifax on behalf of 28 million American small businesses. The suit, filed on Sept. 19 by the Atlanta division of The Doss Firm LLC, claims that small business owners were disproportionally affected by the breach, as the availability of small business credit is often directly linked to its owners’ creditworthiness. The suit notes that “about 60 percent of small businesses use loans to finance their operations… from maintaining cash flow to purchasing equipment,” making the loss of credit of particular concern to these individuals and their businesses. From the lawsuit : Many of the 143 million individuals whose PII [personally identifiable information] was hacked are also owners of small businesses that heavily rely on personal and business credit to operate and provide for families across this country. Any business with fewer than 500 employees is generally defined as a small business – a defi

From BND You hoped it would never happen, but in the back of your mind, you knew it could: Your small business is being sued. Whether it has been filed by an employee, client, vendor or even another business, a lawsuit against your company will likely cost you a lot of money, whether you win or lose. It's normal to feel overwhelmed, upset and indignant, but if you want to keep your business and its reputation intact during this time, it's important to handle every step of the process carefully. Business News Daily spoke with legal, human resources and insurance experts to compile a step-by-step guide to help you through your lawsuit, along with critical mistakes to avoid along the way. Please note that this article does not replace professional legal counsel, and if your business is being sued, we urge you to consult an attorney before taking any action.

It was only a week ago that I saw a request for information on how Uber drivers were defined. This appears in today's New York Times:   TECHNOLOGY California Says Uber Driver Is Employee, Not a Contractor By  MIKE ISAAC  and  NATASHA SINGER JUNE 17, 2015 ... ... The classification of freelancers is in dispute across a number of industries, including at other  transportation  companies. And the debate is set to escalate as the number of online companies and apps like Uber and others rises. Venture capitalists have poured more than $9.4 billion into such start-ups — known as on-demand companies — since 2010, according to data from CB Insights, a venture capital analysis firm, spawning things like on-demand laundry services and hair stylists... ... “Today’s ruling from the California labor regulators demonstrates why federal policy makers need to re-examine the 20th-century definitions and employment classification we’re attempting to apply to a 2

Kevin Jones just did what he felt was right, but you might think of him as a hero once you hear his story. When Jones was hassled by debt collectors to pay a bill he didn’t owe, he did more than tell them to get lost. He sued — and got $1,000 and a whole lot of satisfaction. Here’s how. Jones, 53, provided to Credit.com an amazingly detailed record of events related to his lawsuit, which was filed in a Cook County, Illinois federal court. The first troublesome phone call came in 2007, but the formula he used to exact sweet revenge on the debt collection firm would work equally well today. The call came on a Thursday night in November, said Jones, who lives in Evanston, Ill. It was an automated call; he didn’t answer, but he did call back. More from Credit.com .

From SBA.gov : Getting sued by current or former employees happens more often than you might think. In fact, the number of lawsuits filed regarding wage-and-hour laws alone in 2011 went up 32 percent from just three years prior. Don’t be too busy to check in and ensure you aren’t breaking laws or otherwise opening yourself up to a potential lawsuit — no small business owner has the time, or money, for that. There’s a plethora of advice out there on the subject of protecting your business from lawsuits. Before you read on, remember, you should always consult your legal counsel to ensure you are complying with federal and state laws. Laws regarding certain practices, such as non-compete agreements, vary widely from state to state. SBA has compiled a list of some of the most helpful tips from around the Web.