ok,
my husband and i own our own business. have for over 10 years. my brother in law lost his job because the business closed down. we hired him on, thinking it would be temporary until he got himself another job. well, he was with us for over 6 years. we really didn't get along. he wanted to do things his way or no way at all. we were constantly butting heads he would get loud and unruley in front of other employees. i gave him several warnings... nothing worked. it seemed everytime we got into it and i let him go my husband was bringing him back..
when i hire my employees they have to sign a manual and they also have to sign a non compete form which is good for five years after termination of employment.
well, long story short. im a member of a website which markets companies like mine to mortgage companies. they post your company name, your name, address, phone numbers and website address if you have one.
i go on one day and see i have a few competitors out there and decide that i want to check them out, you can find out where they are located and what type of services they offer... i see one in particular and find that it is owned by the brother in laws wife that is still employed by me (mind you the wife has no title sense at all)... so i show it to my husband and he asked me "how did you find out?"... he knew all along. i instantly fire my brother in law and lay the law down to my husband and let him know that i don't appreciate the betrayal both from my husband and a business partner. he tells me that i will just have to get over it.

my brother in law decided to start his own business but to do it under his wifes name, so therefore avoiding the non compete form he so genersously signed when employed. he then goes and files for unemployment which you can imagine caused complete additude from me. my husband thought it was ok that he do this also. i of course called unemployment and let them know exactly what my brother in law was up to. they denied him... but then he hired an attorney and filed for motion. we were sepeoned to court... the company was anyway. i refused to go only because my husband wanted me to lie in court about the reason my brother in law was canned. he ended up collecting on my unemployment insurance for 6 months ($8000) worth. i also find out later that he was using my contractors to do his work while he was in my office. therefore im sure i paid thousands of dollars in fees so that he could run a semi successful office on the side. all the while he was getting a paycheck and helping my husband be decietful...

you should never hire family.. if they cant get hired by anyone else theres probably a reason and you don't want that monkey on your back.

lisamarie