Home improvement contractors, maintenance professionals, and child care facilities face new environmental standards this month. The EP;s Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RPP) program has issued a regulation that affects contractors, property managers, and others who disturb painted surfaces in facilities built before 1978. The rule is aimed at protecting against the lead-based paint hazards associated with renovation, repair and painting activities for residential houses, apartments, and child-occupied facilities such as...

Each year, almost 650,000 people are released from federal and state prisons to be reintegrated into society. Statistics say that a form of secure and stable employment is vital to a successful transition; however, these individuals often face difficult barriers when it comes to rejoining the workforce. Fortunately, there are resources and opportunities available for former inmates to start their own businesses. Check out this quick guide for more information. Finding Employment Finding employment as a former inmate can be challenging -...

There is no federal law that directly prohibits employment discrimination based on a criminal record, but the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and some courts have ruled that discrimination based on a criminal record can be a form of race discrimination, and a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC states that nationally, some racial groups are convicted in numbers which are disproportionate to other groups, and barring people from employment based on their conviction records will have a...

Are you thinking about starting a resale consignment shop? Read on for a quick overview of the consignment business and steps to take to start your own shop. What Is a Consignment Business? Consignment is a resale business involving three parties - the owner of goods or items (consignor), the seller (consignee), and the buyer (customer). Typically, a consignee owns a resale shop that sells items for multiple consignors. When a buyer purchases an item in the shop, both the consignee and the consignor receive a portion of the profit. Consignment...