FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SITES
Americans with Disabilities Act
Information about the federal law that prohibits disability discrimination and harassment in the U.S.
http://www.ada.gov
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Department of Commerce.
Its purpose is to: Advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership.
http://www.bis.doc.gov/about/index.htm
Citizenship and Immigration Services – U.S.
Information about Visas, immigration laws, citizenship, and forms.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
Copyright Office – U.S.
Contains information about copyright laws, searches, registration, licensing and more.
http://www.copyright.gov/
Department of Commerce – U.S.
Information about domestic and international commerce. The agency’s mission is to help make American businesses more innovative at home and more competitive abroad.
http://www.commerce.gov/
Department of Labor – U.S.
Contains information about the Fair Labor Standards Act, federal labor laws, and statistics such as the unemployment rate.
Department of State – U.S.
U.S. foreign policy information.
http://www.state.gov/
Environmental Protection Agency – U.S.
Laws and regulations concerning environmental protection, pollution, and ecology.
http://www.epa.gov/
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – U.S.
The website for the agency that enforces federal anti-discrimination laws.
http://www.eeoc.gov/
Executive Branch – U.S. Government
Various departments and agencies of the U.S. government executive branch.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Contains economic data, the discount rate, and banking regulations.
http://www.frbsf.org/
Federal Trade Commission
Contains information about regulations and competition in various industries, including anti-trust laws.
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/business.shtm
Government Printing Office – U.S.
Provides access to numerous federal government publications and information via the federal digital system.
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
Government Printing Office – U.S.
Provides access to numerous federal government publications, including the federal code of regulations.
http://www.gpo.gov/
Internal Revenue Service – U.S.
Federal tax information and forms.
http://www.irs.gov/
International Trade Commission – U.S.
An independent federal agency determining import injury to U.S. industries in antidumping, countervailing duty, and global and China safeguard investigations; directing actions against unfair trade practices involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.
http://www.usitc.gov
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
This federal agency enforces health and safety regulations.
http://www.osha.gov/
Occupation Information in General
Occupation, career information and guide, and job descriptions.
http://online.onetcenter.org/
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
This agency enforces anti-discrimination laws affecting contractors who do business with the federal government. Its mission: The purpose of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is to enforce, for the benefit of job seekers and wage earners, the contractual promise of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity required of those who do business with the Federal government.
http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/
Patent and Trademark Office – U.S.
Information on patents, trademarks, searches for both, applications, forms, online filing, process descriptions, laws, and more.
http://www.uspto.gov/
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – U.S.
Its mission: to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. It contains regulations and information on stocks and securities and a searchable filing company database.
http://www.sec.gov/
Small Business Administration – U.S.
Provides guidance and financing information for starting a business.
http://www.sba.gov/?cm_sp=HomePageLinks-_-January2011-_-SBAHome
Social Security Administration
Provides information about social security retirement, supplemental, disability, survivor, and Medicare benefits and services for businesses.
http://www.ssa.gov/
Social Security Number Verification Service
provides an online method for employers to verify social security numbers.
http://www.ssa.gov/employer/ssnv.htm
USA.gov
Information about starting a business, doing business with the federal government, exporting, business licenses, taxes, international trade, and more.
CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT SITES
Department of Corporations (DOC) – CA
Contains information about franchises, licenses, securities, exemptions, policies, financial services and more.
http://www.corp.ca.gov/default.asp
Department of Fair Employment and Housing – CA
Provides online filing, forms, information about employment and housing discrimination laws and enforcement.
http://www.dfeh.ca.gov/
Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (California Labor Commissioner)
Where to file wage, hour, and retaliation claims, along with unsafe workplace conditions. Site includes Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders, laws, enforcement manual and other information and forms.
http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSE/dlse.html
Division Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH)
Where to report and find regulations concerning workplace health and safety issues.
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh1.html
Employment Development Department (EDD)
Information about unemployment insurance, state disability insurance, payroll taxes, labor market information and more.
http://www.edd.ca.gov
Forms for California Programs
Forms, samples and fees for various California programs, including UCC financing statements.
http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/bpd_forms.htm
Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
State income tax information, laws, publications, forms, and helpful information.
http://www.ftb.ca.gov/index.shtml
Law and Codes – California
This site contains all of the California codes. It provides for code searches within a California law database.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
Legislative Information – California
Proposed and existing laws for California and information about the legislature.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/index.html
Office of Economic Development- CA
Information about business permits.
http://www.calgold.ca.gov/
Secretary of State – California
Search for business entities and information contained on their documents, such as Statements of Information concerning corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability company on record with the CA Secretary of State. Website contains additional information on:
1) business entities
2) notary public
3) uniform commercial code
4) authentications
5) special filings
6) trademarks and service marks
7) victims of corporate fraud compensation fund
http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/
State Board of Equalization – CA
Information about sales and use taxes, sellers’ permits, property taxes, excise taxes, fuel taxes, environmental fees, forms, and publications.
http://www.boe.ca.gov/index.htm
Worker’s Compensation
Information about applications for and benefits through the Workers’ Compensation system.
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/dwc_home_page.htm
Private Sites
AllBusiness
Articles and information on a variety of business related topics in many different industries.
http://www.allbusiness.com
Better Business Bureau
Information about the satisfaction of a business’ customers.
http://www.bbb.org/
Bloomberg Business Week
Online magazine covering domestic and international business.
http://www.businessweek.com/
FinRM
Financial risk management and global risk management. Numerous articles about a large assortment of business topics.
http://www.brint.com/