Compliance guides and resources

Maintaining a registered agent in every state where you’re registered with the Secretary of State is a key compliance requirement—and to avoid fines or other penalties against your business, each agent needs to be able to reliably receive and forward correspondence. If one of your registered agents can’t perform these functions (or if your business needs change), your business can change registered agents by filing a statement with the relevant Secretary of State.

What state is home to over two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, half of US publicly traded companies, and the beachside amusement park Funland? The answer, of course, is Delaware. While Delaware’s corporate law is famously friendly to large public corporations, banks, and credit card companies, incorporating in Delaware can also be a good choice for small or early-stage businesses—particularly those that plan to seek investor funding.

For most people, government and legal correspondence isn’t the world’s most exciting type of mail. It’s less fun than, say, an invitation to a swanky party or your most recent fruitcake-of-the-month club delivery. For business owners, however, effectively receiving and handling these communications is a critical part of running a business. If you miss a notification, you might lose your ability to do business in a state or be unable to defend yourself against a legal action.

The limited liability company (LLC) entity type provides many advantages—like reducing the owners’ personal liability, and providing flexibility in tax classification and management structure. Once you’ve established LLC status, you’ll need to comply with ongoing LLC compliance requirements to maintain LLC protections and avoid any penalties against your business. In most states, this includes filing an LLC annual report. What is an LLC annual report? An LLC annual report is a brief overview of key facts about a limited liability company (LLC). It typically includes business contact information, contact information for owners (called “members” of the LLC), and a record of any major activities (such as change in ownership, business purpose, or location) during a given reporting period.

The benefits of paid leave are clear. Research shows that offering paid leave increases participation in the workforce, improves financial security, supports child development and improves maternal health, and can increase employee productivity and retention. Despite this, the US is one of only six countries in the world that doesn’t guarantee any type of paid leave to full-time workers. Without access to paid leave, employees who face a serious medical condition or who need to care for a family member or child can experience financial insecurity and may drop out of the workforce entirely.

Remote work is becoming increasingly popular with businesses and employees: According to estimates, flexible work arrangements have become three to ten times more common since 2019. Offering remote work options can give employers access to a national talent pool, reduce overhead costs, and help businesses attract and retain the best people for their teams. This shift also means that an increasing number of companies face multi-state payroll obligations. If you employ out-of-state remote workers, have business locations in multiple states, or have employees who travel for work, you may be required to withhold taxes in multiple states.

Salary transparency laws are a relatively new phenomenon in the US—until Colorado enacted the 2021 Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, no US jurisdictions required businesses to disclose pay information to employees or the public. Since 2021, eight additional states and multiple jurisdictions have passed similar laws. An increasing number of legislators and policy groups have also called for additional action, identifying wage secrecy as a contributor to both the gender pay gap and wage gaps affecting people of color—and citing a growing body of research showing that salary transparency can increase pay equity.

Labor law posters are federal and state documents that contain information about employee rights and responsibilities. Businesses are required to display labor law posters in their place of business and distribute notices electronically to remote workers. Do I need labor law posters? Whether or not you are required to post state and federal labor law posters depends on whether or not you have employees.

Running a business can sometimes be exhilarating work, but it can also come with its fair share of tedium—thanks to the long list of tasks associated with compliance. Filing an annual report in your state of incorporation—and any additional states where you’re registered to do business—is one of those tasks. And like many business compliance tasks, the specific requirements to file vary from state to state.

HR compliance has two main parts. First, you need to identify the laws and regulations that apply to your business, and then, you need to comply with them. Both can be tricky. Businesses need to comply with federal, state, and local laws in every jurisdiction where they employ workers. Laws also change all the time, and government agencies won’t notify you of changes—it’s your job to stay up to date.