Law Office Manager

Hiring & firing

Take these 4 steps to make sure you hire the right temporary attorney

In an uncertain economy, temporary attorneys are a good business option. They give the firm an additional attorney without having to worry if there will be enough business to support that person in the future. They come in with the experience necessary for the job. If they don’t perform up to par, the agency will replace them. And if they do perform well, the firm ends up with … [Read more...] about Take these 4 steps to make sure you hire the right temporary attorney

How to protect your practice against costly FLSA and EEOC claims

Do an HR audit at the start of each year Today's protection against tomorrow's employment law claims is a human resources audit. An audit is essential to keep the firm's employment processes accurate and current – and also followed, says Joseph Godwin, human resources consultant for F&H Solutions Group in Ashville, NC. The audit needs to be done every year, because with … [Read more...] about How to protect your practice against costly FLSA and EEOC claims

Why it pays to enforce the “little” rules that your staff often ignore

It’s enforcing the little rules that spells the difference between a professional office and one that is not so professional. The seemingly minor rules are what create a culture that attracts and keeps top staff. What are they? They are the guidelines for behavior elements such as personal phone calls, dress, attitude and adhering to working hours. Violations won’t cause the … [Read more...] about Why it pays to enforce the “little” rules that your staff often ignore

Model Policy: Progressive discipline and employee termination

Why you need this policy: There's no point in having any policies, procedures, and standards unless you're prepared to discipline employees who disobey them. The problem is that discipline is not only unpleasant but likely to result in some form of legal grievance, especially if the employee belongs to a union. That means you'll end up having to defend your action before an … [Read more...] about Model Policy: Progressive discipline and employee termination

HR law and employee social networking

Can you discipline employees for social networking offenses? Answer: It depends. Explanation: Frittering away time, disclosing patient records, bad mouthing the practice and other offenses are grounds for discipline when they occur "off line." So why should it make a difference if employees do these things online while social networking? In theory, it shouldn't. The … [Read more...] about HR law and employee social networking

Two ADA surprises: odd disabilities and legal fees that can hit the sky

First, what the firm may not think is a disability could well be one. Second, the ADA applies to access to public places such as stores and restaurants – and law offices. And while it "has a noble purpose," along the way "it's been hijacked by a subset of plaintiffs who have made it their life's work to target as many public accommodations as possible for monetary gain," says … [Read more...] about Two ADA surprises: odd disabilities and legal fees that can hit the sky

To understand employees, understand their generations

To a great extent, managing staff (and also understanding the partners) depends on recognizing where each person stands in the generational scale. Here’s how the generations from the beginning of the 20th century differ as employees. • The Lost Generation (born 1883-1900). These are the people who fought in World War I. • The Greatest Generation (born 1901-1924). This is the … [Read more...] about To understand employees, understand their generations

Beware Lilly Ledbetter; it extends the time limit for unfair pay claims

A relatively new law that all but eliminates the statute of limitations on equal pay lawsuits for women brings yet more employment law concerns administrators need to be aware of. It’s the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Employers can expect an upswing in claims that their female employees are underpaid, says Denise Murphy, an employment law attorney with Rubin and Rudman in … [Read more...] about Beware Lilly Ledbetter; it extends the time limit for unfair pay claims