Yes, New York State provides a sample policy for sexual harassment prevention. Make no mistake this policy is a great start for employers, but to use this policy without more is a big mistake. Here are 3 reasons why the NYS sample policy is just not enough:

1. It does not address every other protected class under which an employer can be sued for discrimination (e.g., race, religion, color, national origin, sex [including pregnancy], military status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, genetic information, disability or any other personal characteristics considered to be a protected class under applicable federal, state or local laws)

Most importantly, a Lis Pendens does not necessarily mean that there is a foreclosure on the property. Instead, a Lis Pendens simply means that a lawsuit has been filed against the property. This lawsuit could be a foreclosure, but it could also be a lawsuit for partition, adverse possession, prescriptive easement, constructive trust, specific performance, as well as many other topics.

So, first and foremost don't assume that there is a foreclosure on the property, but instead make inquiry as to the Lis Pendens.

• Step 1 - Ask the homeowner the nature of the lawsuit on the property.
• Step 2 - Inquire if you can talk to the homeowner's attorney to learn whether the lawsuit will be an impediment to selling the property (e.g., a specific performance lawsuit by a prior purchaser can make it impossible to sell the house whereas a foreclosure lawsuit with a house with equity remains a viable sale and a foreclosure lawsuit with a house without equity can be sold as a short sale).
• Step 3 - Assuming the lawsuit is a foreclosure, determine when the lawsuit was filed with the county clerk because if it was years ago its going to be very hard to sell the house before the auction (i.e., you can sell up until the auction as long as the seller can payoff the loan or if the lender takes a short payoff) and the homeowner likely defaulted on the lawsuit (i.e., they lost for inaction).
• Step 4 - If it is a foreclosure, help the homeowner to order payoff letters from their lenders in order to ascertain the precise amount owed (i.e., its not just the loan, but also the penalties, interest and attorneys' fees that are owed when the property is in foreclosure).  
• Step 5 - Workup a brokers' price opinion for the house as a distressed sale.
• Step 6 - Calculate closing costs for your seller.
• Step 7 - Determine if the seller has enough equity to close without dipping into their own pocketbook (i.e., compare the BPO with the payoffs and the closing costs). 
• Step 8 - If there is enough equity, list the house fast; if not, advise the seller that you can only list the property as a short sale (i.e., subject to bank approval with a short payoff).

This radio segment features attorney Steven Siliato, Esq. discussing Long Island Real Estate and the intricacies of hamptons transactions.

The 10 minute segment can be found here (click here)

There are a ton of steps that you need to go through before your grand opening. You need to buy or rent space, make permit / zoning applications, renovate the space, enter into a ton of contracts, establishing an entity, creating banking relationships, enlist a credit card processor, hire staff, train that staff, establish vendor relationships, hire a chef, create a menu, establish an online presence, market, market and then do some more marketing.
Did you know that BYOB is illegal in the State of New York?

State requires businesses to give annual training sessions to safeguard their workplace.

ALERT: New section 201-g of the New York State Labor Law provides that “sexual harassment prevention training shall be provided to all employees on an annual basis.”