Here are a few tasks that should be addressed this month. Do a first quarter evaluation with employees who have a billing quota. Assess where they are in terms of reaching the annual goal and discuss any changes that need to be made, adjustments in procedures for capturing time or time management skills. Review the firm's profit and loss statement as it compares to the … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your April office checklist
Compliance
Avoid disbarment with a conflict-checking procedure
As you know, a conflict of interest occurs when a lawyer or a firm takes on multiple clients who have conflicting goals or interests. And if your law firm does not have a system in place to check for potential conflicts, you could be courting serious trouble with your bar association, clients, or other attorneys, according to Robyn A. Bonivich, founding partner in Robyn's Law … [Read more...] about Avoid disbarment with a conflict-checking procedure
How to create a good mental health work environment for employees
Most people are aware that employees with a physical illness or disability are entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). But it's not as commonly known that those with mental disabilities are also covered by the ADA and FMLA, according to a new XpertHR report on mental health … [Read more...] about How to create a good mental health work environment for employees
How to handle same-sex office romances
Question: Two women who work at our office have recently become romantically involved—with each other. My problem isn't with the fact that they are both women, but that they are coworkers. How should I handle the situation? Answer: Workplace romance is a difficult topic for a manager to broach because it seems as if it's an intrusion on employees' personal lives. On the other … [Read more...] about How to handle same-sex office romances
How to manage maternity or leaves of absence
Employee leaves of absence for maternity or medical reasons can be tricky to navigate and can place heavy staffing and workload burdens on small and mid-sized practices, says Chris Lessard, an HR advisor with CEDR HR Solutions. Lessard, a California-based attorney, says practices can face potential discrimination claims for violating leave-of-absence laws, along with … [Read more...] about How to manage maternity or leaves of absence
To-Dos: Your February office checklist
February might be a short month, but there's a lot packed into it. Here are 7 areas you can tackle this month to help improve profits, protect the firm, and boost morale. 1. Review each department's revenues. By now the profit and loss statement for 2022 is in. Review the gross revenues of the firm and the revenues for each department if the firm practices in more than one … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your February office checklist
4 ethics rules your staff might be violating
It's not just attorneys in your office who have to follow the rules of ethics. Your staff members have to follow them, too. It doesn't matter where the violation comes from, says law management consultant Jan Henderson of RJH Consulting in Jackson Hole, WY. What governs is the rule of respondeat superior, or "let the master answer." The employer is held accountable for the … [Read more...] about 4 ethics rules your staff might be violating
The top 10 regulatory issues for employers in 2019
To help employers plan for the year ahead, Paychex, Inc. (a provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services) recently released a list of the top 10 regulatory issues that employers should be aware of in 2019. The list outlines the current, most impactful laws and regulations, and the anticipated changes … [Read more...] about The top 10 regulatory issues for employers in 2019
Employment Law Update: The New Year’s Resolutions Edition
By Mike O'Brien bio A lawyer and doctor were talking together at a New Year's party when the doctor complained about how people always asked her for free medical advice. She said to the lawyer, "People probably always ask you for free legal advice…as a fellow professional, how do you deal with it?" The lawyer thought about it, and then said, "I always answer their … [Read more...] about Employment Law Update: The New Year’s Resolutions Edition
The 10 assumptions NOT to make when doing your OSHA 300s
December is here and it's time for the logs. No, not the yule logs—the OSHA 300 logs! It's time to get the year's injury and illness records in order and start getting the OSHA 300A ready for the Feb. 1 filing deadline. As you set about your task, here are 10 OSHA 300 assumptions you want to avoid at all costs. Bad assumption #1: We should record everything just to be … [Read more...] about The 10 assumptions NOT to make when doing your OSHA 300s