Small Business Brief for 10/28

Deputy Secretary Robert M. Kimmitt's Remarks at the Dubai International Financial Centre

Survey Finds that Raises Next Year Will Be the Lowest Since 9/11 As American companies revise their compensation budgets to control costs, employees are going to earn significantly smaller raises and bonuses next year. Workforce.com

Local Credit is Out There For Small Businesses F inding credit is hard these days, but small businesses can still get the credit they need through community banks, credit unions and the Small Business Administration. USA TODAY

Are Your Coworkers on Their Best Behavior? The closer you work with people, the more their personal foibles affect you, and the list of offenses is growing, running the gamut from excessive perfume use to gum-popping to any number of bodily noises and/or odors. What does it take to make the workplace bearable? Consultant Jill Haney has the answers. Cincinnati Enquirer

Entrepreneurs & Elections Offering a brief background for each issue area, this article touches on economics and highlights the policy measures that need to be implemented for the benefit of small businesses. SBE Council

Home-business Space Must be Reserved for Work If you run a h ome-based business, you are eligible for tax deductions that include a portion of the utilities, rent, depreciation, home insurance and repairs, providing they meet certain standards, one of which being that the part of the home used for business is exclusively used for business. The Advertiser

Supplemental 'No-Match' Rule Issued by DHS Pushes Enforcement
New regulations now require companies to clear up 'no-match' discrepancies within 93 days or fire the employees in question. Learn what it may mean for you. Workforce.com

Pinpoint the Need for a New Product using Market Research While the Web is a good place to start your market research, professional marketing and product-development agencies can help you determine the market for your new product. Los Angeles Times (free registration required)