As the owner of a small business in New York City I know all too well the pressures you face trying to maintain your business in one of the most competitive markets in the world.
When you open your factory or construction company or dry cleaning store, or grocery or software company, or when you hire a domestic or nanny, no one from the state writes you to warn that you must have workers’ compensation insurance. Often you are told that your payroll company or your insurance broker is taking care of all your insurance needs–only to find out when it is too late that you don’t have workers’ compensation insurance. The next thing you know, you’re hit with a large, and often overwhelming, penalty from the New York Workers’ Compensation Board for failure to have workers’ compensation insurance.
That’s why I make a practice of defending small business owners who are facing a workers’ compensation penalty. It’s also why I’m happy to report two more recent victories on behalf of my employer-clients.
Recently, a gentleman with an uninsured domestic faced a penalty of $11,500.00. I succeeded in having that penalty fully rescinded.
In addition, a small software development company was facing a $12,500.00 fine. We succeeded in having that fine fully rescinded.
Sometimes our clients are facing massive fines. I’m proud to report that in the recent past I have had penalties wiped out of more than one-hundred-thousand-dollars.
Small business owners and people employing domestics and nannies are often innocent of any intention to break the law. There is no reason why they should be forced to pay heavy penalties for innocent oversights or misunderstandings.