Federal laws that reach small businesses
Fourteen short guides to the federal laws a small business most often meets, from the FLSA and Title VII to payroll tax, ownership reports and marketing rules.
Prepared by Prem Tax and Accounting Corp. Last checked against official sources on October 29, 2026.
Federal law can reach a small business in every state, Illinois and Cook County included. These 14 guides cover pay and overtime, job discrimination, safety, payroll and income tax, ownership and account reports, marketing and privacy. Each guide names the regulator, the numbers with their year and a checklist.
- People and pay: OSHA, the FLSA, the ADEA, the ADA and Title VII.
- Tax and reports: FICA and the Internal Revenue Code, plus the Bank Secrecy Act with FBAR and the Corporate Transparency Act.
- Other conduct rules: the FTC Act, the Sherman and Clayton Acts, CAN-SPAM, the Clean Air and Water Acts, and the GLBA with HIPAA.
Many federal laws start at a headcount line, so see the employee count guide. Illinois and Cook County add rules of their own. DuPage, Kane, Will and Kendall counties generally follow state law, so there the layers are federal and Illinois law plus any rules of your own town.
The FLSA in plain English: wages, overtime and records
The FLSA for small business owners: who it covers, the $7.25 minimum wage, overtime, the $684 salary line, records, penalties and a short payroll checklist.
Read →Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: what small employers should know
Title VII explained for small employers: who it covers at 15 employees, protected traits, EEOC deadlines, damages caps, the poster rule and a short checklist.
Read →The ADA for small businesses: jobs, customers and tax breaks
ADA explained for small business owners: Title I job rules at 15 employees, Title III customer access rules, 2026 penalty figures, tax breaks and a checklist.
Read →The Age Discrimination in Employment Act: a quick guide for small employers
ADEA explained for small employers: coverage at 20 employees, protection at age 40, EEOC deadlines, severance release periods, records and a short checklist.
Read →OSHA workplace safety rules for small employers
OSHA requirements for small business: who is covered, the 8 and 24 hour injury reports, record rules and the 2026 penalty limits, in plain English.
Read →The tax code for small business owners, on one page
The Internal Revenue Code for small business owners: entity types, the 21% C corporation rate, the QBI deduction, 2026 Section 179 limit and IRS penalties.
Read →FICA payroll taxes: what small employers owe in 2026
FICA payroll taxes for small business owners: the 2026 and 2027 Social Security wage base, Medicare rates, deposit rules, Form 941 dates and penalties.
Read →Corporate Transparency Act: does your company file?
The Corporate Transparency Act in plain English: who still files a beneficial ownership report with FinCEN after the 2026 final rule, plus penalties.
Read →Bank Secrecy Act: FBAR and cash reporting
Bank Secrecy Act basics for owners and families: the FBAR for foreign accounts, Form 8300 for cash over $10,000, structuring, due dates and penalties.
Read →The FTC Act: honest ads, reviews and subscriptions
FTC Act guide for small business owners: the deception test, honest endorsements, fake reviews, online subscriptions and the $53,088 penalty limit in 2026.
Read →Antitrust for small businesses: the Sherman and Clayton Acts in brief
A short antitrust guide for small business owners: Sherman Act and Clayton Act rules on prices, bids, hiring and mergers, with 2026 thresholds and fines.
Read →CAN-SPAM: the short guide to business email rules
CAN-SPAM Act guide for business email: what counts as commercial email, the 10 business day opt-out rule, the postal address and the $53,088 penalty limit.
Read →Clean Air and Clean Water rules for small business owners
A guide to the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts for small businesses: stormwater, refrigerant, paint spraying, dry cleaning, penalties and Illinois permits.
Read →Protecting client data: the Safeguards Rule and HIPAA
GLBA Safeguards Rule and HIPAA guide for small firms: who is covered, the 30 day FTC breach notice, HIPAA penalty tiers for 2025 and a short checklist.
Read →Common questions
Do federal laws apply to a very small business?
Often yes. Title VII and the ADA's job rules begin at 15 employees and the ADEA at 20, but payroll tax under FICA has no headcount floor.
Who enforces these laws?
Different agencies: the Department of Labor for wages, the EEOC for job discrimination, OSHA for safety, the IRS for payroll tax, FinCEN for ownership and account reports, and the FTC for marketing.
Does a federal rule replace the Illinois one?
No, the levels stack. In 2026 the minimum wage under federal law is $7.25 an hour, and a worker covered by both laws gets the higher Illinois $15.00 rate when the employer has four or more employees.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Small business
- IRS: Employment taxes
- FinCEN: Beneficial ownership information
- U.S. Department of Labor: State minimum wage laws
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