By Paul Edwards “No, we didn’t do a background check on her before we hired her. She seemed like such a nice person.” “Well, I just ‘Googled’ him, and it looks like he has some sort of criminal record, but I can’t see what it is.” These are things we occasionally hear from our CEDR members on the topic of background checks. Although nobody wants to think the worst of … [Read more...] about 3 things to know about background checks
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What you should know about new COVID-19 guidance
CDC is streamlining its COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus. COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, however, with so many tools available to us for reducing COVID-19 severity, there is … [Read more...] about What you should know about new COVID-19 guidance
Workplaces slow to get well from COVID-19 damage
By Lynne Curry You’ve heard that “long-haulers,” individuals with long COVID, suffer persistent COVID-19 symptoms that erode their quality of life. Anyone scanning the workplace soon realizes that some employers suffer from “long COVID”. A few refuse employers treatment, expecting to get well on their own. Three symptoms signal an employer suffers “long COVID”. Difficult … [Read more...] about Workplaces slow to get well from COVID-19 damage
Staff continuing education: Must you or should you pay for it?
By Paul Edwards QUESTION: I’m looking to hire a new employee and they asked me about my policy on paying for employee CE. I normally don’t pay for employee CE but it sounds important to this potential new employee. What is the best way to handle this? ANSWER: Many individuals have annual continuing education (CE) requirements they need to meet in order to maintain … [Read more...] about Staff continuing education: Must you or should you pay for it?
Recession fears: Here’s how to avoid being laid off & what to do if you are
By Lynne Curry After months of talent wars triggered by the great resignation, the job market has again shifted, with business growth slowing and recession fears looming. Despite low unemployment rates, 3.5% nationally,1 over 60 percent of the 750 CEOs surveyed by the business research firm Conference Board expect a recession in the next 12 to 18 months1. Another 15 percent … [Read more...] about Recession fears: Here’s how to avoid being laid off & what to do if you are
Is it a recession or not? The answer may surprise you
By Lynne Curry My in-box filled with questions after I posted a Recession Fears Loom blog. Readers asked how I made sense of the different views voiced by economists and politicians. As a law office manager with responsibilities around staffing and profitability, you are probably watching to see which way the economy goes. Here’s the background, and my answer to “are we … [Read more...] about Is it a recession or not? The answer may surprise you
How do we tell our employees we are laying off some of them?
By Lynne Curry As the economy takes a new twist, the talk in many work sectors is turning from staffing shortages to coming layoffs. If this is the case for your law office, here are some things to think about: Consider alternatives Have you considered all the alternatives your company has to layoffs? Could you reduce hours or salaries for a larger number of employees? If … [Read more...] about How do we tell our employees we are laying off some of them?
12 MORE marketing secrets of superstar lawyers
By Trey Ryder #13: They provide client service beyond compare. They return phone calls quickly. They work day and night to finish projects. They have backup plans for their backup plans. They err on the side of caution. They hire a bright, responsive support staff. And they always go the extra mile. Whatever it takes, they get the job done. And the superstar’s staff is equally … [Read more...] about 12 MORE marketing secrets of superstar lawyers
Jobs in law top pre-Great Recession numbers
The U.S. legal services sector now has more total jobs than it had when the count hit its previous high point in 2007 shortly before the Great Recession, according to U.S. Labor Department data as reported by Reuters. The legal sector added 3,000 jobs in June, reaching a total of 1,185,600, the preliminary seasonally adjusted Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed. This … [Read more...] about Jobs in law top pre-Great Recession numbers
5 ways to help your staff cope with inflation
By Paul Edwards CEO, CEDR Solutions Inflation is on everyone’s minds right now, and understandably so. Most Americans are aware that the purchasing power of a dollar is always decreasing to some degree, but rarely does the rise in the cost of living have such a powerful impact on our daily lives or feature so prominently in the public discourse. As you may already know, … [Read more...] about 5 ways to help your staff cope with inflation