A number of entrepreneurs are running their tech companies from the comfort of home. This could include something like selling items online or the creation of a piece of technology. Software companies have the luxury of being able to modify their current product without impacting the usage of the software. Legal issues are prevalent in all kinds of businesses as the world is full of companies that steal patented ideas or ripoff types of technology. As the founder of the company, it is your job to make sure that most legal risks are mitigated or eliminated. The following are legal issues that your tech company can face and how you prevent them.
Wrongful Termination Lawsuits
The last thing that any company wants to deal with is wrongful termination lawsuits. These can be long and expensive to fight so it is imperative to keep a law firm on retainer. You need to follow all the right processes when you are terminating an employee. Document this throughout every step via paperwork and emails. A case can easily be thrown out if there was just cause to terminate an employee due to sexual harassment or simply not showing up for work. All employees must be treated equally regardless of how much money they make the company. Discrimination lawsuits are frequently filed when a person is terminated for something that another employee just recieved a warning for.
Federal Charges Filed Against You and the Company
Federal charges being filed against your company and yourself can be fought. You do not want to use a common criminal defense attorney as you want a federal attorney. The experience an attorney has in these types of proceedings is very important. There is a chance that the accounting team made a mistake and you are being charged with tax evasion. Regardless of what you are charged with, you need to enlist the help of legal representation. Federal charges are more common when a business operates in multiple states as illegal activity crossing state lines is a federal case.
Data Leaks
Data leaks can cripple a company that is smaller as it can alienate their base of clients. Even large online retail stores like that of Target have had to pay customers that have had their data leak. Cybersecurity needs to be a focus especially when you have personal information like social security numbers and access to bank accounts. Data leaks can even lead to lawsuits from employees if their information is leaked. Identity theft can take years to fully recover from which is why passwords need to be changed regularly. Using a VPN can also help increase the security of your website. Keeping passwords on a need to know basis is imperative. You do not want a disgruntled ex-employee to delete important information or simply make everyone’s job more difficult.
Legal issues will occur but it is important to manage the ones that are within your control. A lawyer on retainer will also be able to answer any questions you might have about legal compliance.