Addressing the concerns of crafters and artisans:  Consumer Reports:  The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has extended a one-year delay in implementing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).  This Act was intended to increase product safety in products geared towards children with respect to such hazards as lead paint.  However, it would have severely hurt small toy, clothing and craft businesses by implementing expensive testing and standardization (even for, say, those who didn’t use paint in their goods).  The provisions regarding lead paint prohibitions for certain children’s products remain in full effect.  So, don’t go shutting down your Etsy store, crafters!  

 Fair Pay, Okay!  In one of his first Presidential acts, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act into law.   As discussed earlier in this blog, this act will allow suits to be brought to bring pay equality in the face of gender disparity (reducing a Supreme Court decision which made it harder to do so). 

Don’t Get Overtaxed!  It’s that time of year - after you digest your Superbowl wings, and heed the call of the groundhog, you business owners may want to be considering your tax filings.  Here’s some year-end tax tips you may find useful!