Aloha, I have a budding Blog Network that I'm looking to setup as a legit LLC or SCorp with employees etc. I know enough to have intelligent conversations about both business and employee law but not enough to setup a structure and plan. I was wondering if anyone new of a good forum or resource with friendly helpful lawyers that would be willing to discuss some issues. I figure we get all this help on here for setting up websites, SEO, monetization etc, that there must be a place where lawyers like to help others out who are willing to learn and do most of the work on their own. Thanks all that reply.
I find that ABOUT.com has some great resources esspecially some articles on Human Rersources written by Susan Heathfield. They also have email newsletters to help you keep up on emerging laws.
You might as well just post your concerns in here. Alot of people are knowledgable in different aspects of law or are more than willing to do a bit of research on an interesting topic. Granted, we're not lawyers, but I doubt any lawyers give out detailed free advice, so you can either hire a lawyer or try to get help where it's being offered
The easiest way is an LLC: the tax liability on any profits transfers to you as long as you don't retain any earnings in the company...at least for a Delaware LLC. For your employees, pay them as contractors, again you put the tax compliance on to them. Cover yourself with a contract if need be.
OK, here goes my explanation of what I need.... I have a blog network that I run and in that I hire bloggers on a month to month basis. I pay them per month a set fee or a % of the blogs profits that they write on whichever is greater. All of my blogs are setup on wordpress so my bloggers can use their own computers, be anywhere in the world, and write when they want to. I have them sign month to month contracts right now the require them to write at least one post per weekday on their blogs topic. They choose the when and the how, but I "suggest" the writing be about the topic that the blog is based on. As far as I know the area between employee and contractor is very grey and I'm not really sure how legitimate blog networks or publishing networks roll on the internet, such as B5media and Weblogs Inc. I know that I can call anyone a contractor but there are specific rules which the IRS looks at. I also could not report most of my internet earnings but I'd like to build a legitimate business around blog content publishing. I was wondering if someone has experience with the internet and "regular free-lance writers" as I would call my bloggers. At the end of the month, I can cut them loose (looks like a contractor to me) but I do have them writing on certain subjects and put some rules on their writings (employee). The reason I would rather have contract bloggers is because I'd rather not pay all the fees associated with having employees and the tax, unemployment, etc fees. As for an LLC or an SCorp, I guess that really depends with how I want to setup my corporate structure and is more a personal preference. Do I want to have corporate meetings (by-laws, etc) and setup my ownership through stock offerings, or just have an LLC that is flow through and I could do all the ownership through agreements. Thought maybe some people would have info on how the big boys do it. Thanks for all input so far and any future input.