U.S. Government News

Contractors State License Board Issues Double Warning about Illegal Contracting In Mariposa County Wildfire Zone

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:15:47 PST

The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is warning illegal contractors to stay away from the wildfire zones in Mariposa County and other parts of California. Illegal operators face serious prison time if caught working or trying to get contracting work over $500 in a declared disaster or State of Emergency area. The CSLB is also cautioning fire victims to beware of unscrupulous or unlicensed operators who may try to take advantage of them.

Information Security for Small Businesses

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:57:06 PST

You’ve worked hard to get your business up and running. You’ve built a base of loyal clientele and have a solid business plan. But what would you do if your business computer got a virus and crashed?

Domain Registrations Scam: FTC Halts Cross Border Con Artists

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:45:28 PST

Thousands of Small Businesses and Nonprofits Billed for Domain Registrations They Didn't Get

FTC Secures Full Proceeds of Business Opportunity Scammer’s $100,000 Performance Bond

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:50:51 PST

The Federal Trade Commission today announced that it has successfully secured the proceeds of repeat offender Richard Neiswonger’s $100,000 performance bond. Last year, in a civil contempt case brought by the Commission, a U.S. district judge found Neiswonger in contempt for violating the terms of a 1997 permanent injunction by deceptively marketing business opportunities and failing to provide proof of his bond to the Commission, among other things. Until now, the company that issued the bond had refused to pay the Commission in full.

Online Training Program for Exporters

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:41:56 PST

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry (BIS) today unveiled additional training modules to complete its series on the basics of export control available at the BIS Online Training Room training room. More than twenty thousand visitors have viewed one or more of the initial group of modules since the training room was unveiled in March.

SEC Broadens Opportunities for Small Business Financing

Fri, 16 May 2008 03:18:41 PST

The Securities and Exchange Commission today broadened small business financing opportunities by adopting a rule amendment under the Investment Company Act to increase the availability of capital to certain smaller companies that may not have ready access to the public capital markets or other forms of conventional financing.

Work-At-Home Marketer Settles FTC Charges in Envelope-Stuffing Scheme

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:44:11 PST

Byron C. Peterson has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for his role in an operation that allegedly misled consumers with false earnings claims for an envelope-stuffing business opportunity.

Inland Empire Minority Businesses Prepare for Expo

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:39:11 PST

The biggest minority business expo in the Inland Empire gets under way May 16 with more than 100 exhibits of products and services and seminars on procuring government contracts and surviving and succeeding in slower economic times. Assembly Member Carter is a supporter of the event. With more than 95,000 minority businesses in the Inland Empire, “It is important to support the growth of minority businesses to become an even greater economic force in the region,” said Assembly Member Carter.

IRS Launches Campaign to Help New Small Businesses

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:15:07 PST

The Internal Revenue Service today launched a campaign to help educate new self-employed small business owners about federal tax responsibilities.

Free Small Business Workshop to Help Small Businesses Get Funds for Tech Research

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:36:02 PST

Small, high-tech firms interested in developing and commercializing cutting-edge energy and environmental technologies can attend a free workshop on April 22 to learn how to win funds to hone their concepts.

Partnership will help New York Area Small Businesses Grow Through Exporting

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:07:34 PST

A dynamic new trade center established at Medgar Evers College (MEC) of the City University of New York will help companies in the greater New York City metropolitan area get the financing they need to compete in global markets through a new partnership with the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank).

I.I.I. Publishes New Business Insurance Book

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:49:32 PST

The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) has just published the print version of Insuring Your Business: A Small Businessowners’ Guide to Insurance. Designed to help businessowners decide what kinds of insurance they need for their business, the 123-page book has sections devoted to property insurance, liability protection, life insurance for key employees and workers compensation, among other topics.

Managing Your Small Business During Economic Slowdown Workshop

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:44:29 PST

The U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Chapter (www.uspaacc-se.com) is committed to supporting and helping to grow Asian American businesses. The workshop will focus on certain measures small business owners can take to prepare for the worst and plan for the best in order not to participate or even capitalize in this economic slowdown.

BIS launches Online Export Control Training for Exporters

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:54:20 PST

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the creation of the BIS Online Training Room, an innovative new resource for companies interested in learning about U.S. dual-use export control regulations. The Training Room will act as an organized, online repository of training modules and webinars, amplifying and augmenting current BIS exporter outreach programs.

California Files Complaint Against New Orleans Based Janitorial Services Contractor

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:13:27 PST

California Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet today filed a complaint in San Diego County Superior Court charging that Tidy Building Services, Inc., based in New Orleans, illegally entered into contracts which failed to provide adequate funds to its San Diego County subcontractors, who then disregarded state tax and labor laws.

116 U.S. Cities Make Up Billion Dollar Markets

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:03:05 PST

Today the U.S. Commerce Department introduced a new data series that precisely measures export values for metropolitan areas. In 2006, 116 metropolitan areas recorded product sales of $1 billion or more. U.S. exporters reported a record $1.4 trillion in goods and services in 2006. Final 2007 numbers are forecast to exceed 2006 totals.

Brown Sues Contractor For Employee Rip-off

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:12:05 PST

LOS ANGELES--California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today sued Interwall Development Systems, one of Los Angeles’s largest drywall contractors, for employing a "sophisticated and heartless scheme" to cheat hundreds of its employees out of at least $5 million in wages and benefits.

Court Upholds Corrections Finding that Contractor Misused One Million in Taxpayer Dollars

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:47:15 PST

SACRAMENTO – A contractor for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) accused of misusing taxpayer dollars in violation of state protocols must return over $1 million in fees and equipment, according to a December 28, 2007 ruling by the Sacramento Superior Court. The court upheld earlier findings by an Administrative Review Committee (ARC) appointed by CDCR which found that the Amity Foundation must relinquish ownership of a half-million dollars in seized production equipment and pay more than a half-million dollars for unallowable purchases and operating costs.

Self-employment in 2016

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 10:51:32 PST

The 30 occupations with the largest projected job growth between 2006 and 2016 will account for over half of all new jobs. Those 30 occupations are projected to add 8.1 million jobs.

India Market: EX-IM Bank Is Prepared To Help U.S. Exporters Tap Fast-Growing India Market

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:22:24 PST

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is eager to partner with business, government and financial institutions in India as that fast-growing economy carries out plans to invest more than $500 billion in infrastructure development by 2012.