Help & How-To

Legal Issues
How do I prevent legal conflicts when hiring employees from abroad?
I'm planning to open a design business, however I want to hire some designers abroad. What legal steps should I take in order to have no legal conflicts? Should I pay social security benefits to them here? Or should all the benefits be paid in the country they are working in?

Asked by gaudi77063
Posted: Monday, October 22, 2007  |  Found in Legal Issues


More answers by Nina Kaufman
Answer by Nina Kaufman
<P>The steps you need to take depend on whether you want to hire someone from overseas to work in the United States or want to contract with someone to perform services for you from their own location overseas.  If you are contracting with people overseas who will be performing the services there, it may not be necessary to pay social security benefits to them here (although it may be required by treaty that you pay into the foreign country's social benefits system on their behalf).  Your next steps should include consulting with an immigration attorney and the consulate/embassy of the country whose workers you want to hire.</P>
Nina Kaufman has a New York City-based boutique law practice and is president of Wise Counsel Press LLC, which produces legal information products for entrepreneurs. She writes the Making It Legal blog and the Business Law Advisor column for WomenEntrepreneur.com.

Note: This response is for your general information only. Be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your particular situation to get the advice you need.



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