Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to breaching the law. But keeping up with law changes and how they affect your business can be onerous.
To keep abreast of recent legislation and to make sure you stay on track, it’s a good idea to plan an annual legal check-up with your solicitor.
Review Your Business Operations
Regular check-ups give you the opportunity to review all aspects of your business operations. Numerous laws influence your business and the implications of recent court cases and changes in the law may require you to make adjustments in some areas.
Don’t get caught out through your own lack of awareness. Legislation is always evolving – employment law, for example, has seen big changes in New Zealand recently – and the world of commerce is dynamic, especially as telecommunications technology and the global village we now live in effect faster and better ways of doing things.
Internet businesses, for instance, and those offering trading on-line must keep track of laws relating to e-commerce. Copyright laws also become extremely important here.
All business owners need to be fully conversant with commerce laws, including restrictive trade practices, fair trading and consumer protection.
Staff and the Workplace
If you employ staff, changes to employment law will directly affect you, including amendments to the Holidays Act and the introduction of the KiwiSaver scheme under the KiwiSaver Act 2006. Health and Safety legislation, which was amended in 2002, is hugely important for all employers.
Businesses involved in parallel importing need to be up-to-date on copyright laws, specifically the amendments to the Copyright Act in 1998 and 2003 relating to the parallel importing of copyright goods.
Environmental and resource management law will be extremely important to other businesses.
These are just some of the laws which could affect your business. Most companies will be influenced by many more. Stay on track with legal issues by keeping in regular touch with your solicitor.
No comments:
Post a Comment