Got a complaint from an employee? Investigate it. If that complaint turns into a legal claim, part of the allegation of wrongdoing may well be that the office "didn't take it seriously and failed to investigate," says employment law attorney Ingrid Culp of Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. The law doesn't require that an employer investigate a claim, she says. But it is … [Read more...] about How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
Risk management
Some FMLA questions on using vacation time and counting to 50
Here are three questions on the Family and Medical Leave Act. They are answered by Morganville, NJ, management consultant John McNamara. Briefly, the FMLA requires that employers with 50 or more employees allow up to 12 weeks' unpaid, jobprotected leave for medical and family reasons. FMLA time on top of vacation time A staffer returns from a two-week vacation and asks … [Read more...] about Some FMLA questions on using vacation time and counting to 50
9 ways your firm can avoid the downward spiral of debt
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio When it comes to debt, I believe that less is more. And it makes me shake my head when I hear about firms going into debt to finance their service business. Borrowing money to finance a law practice is opening the door to unending debt that will self-perpetuate as the borrowing and re-paying continues endlessly. There are always cash flow problems, … [Read more...] about 9 ways your firm can avoid the downward spiral of debt
How to detect a lie, especially when it comes from a job applicant
Lots of lying goes on in job interviews. Some management professionals estimate that as many as 70% of job applications carry some sort of misrepresentation. And business losses to fraud from dishonest applicants have been shown to be as high as $600 billion a year. Besides verifying the resume, the best way to separate fact from fiction is to know the signs of a lie, says … [Read more...] about How to detect a lie, especially when it comes from a job applicant
Nine traps to avoid when checking for conflicts
Before a law firm accepts any new file, it must first ensure that no conflict of interest exists. Yet, despite having stringent conflict-checking procedures, conflicts of interest are still a serious problem for many firms. How do your procedures stack up? Do they address these common mistakes? Any firm knows a conflict of interest can result in bad things. … [Read more...] about Nine traps to avoid when checking for conflicts
Not just another HR story
By Lynne Curry bio Which do you believe? ☑ You can't trust anyone in HR: they'll get you talking, look sympathetic, but then turn everything you say over to management; ☑ HR is a luxury we don't need when we need all our budget resources to pay the employees who produce; ☑ HR = a partnership for managers, employees & organizations; ☑ HR = lots of talk + … [Read more...] about Not just another HR story
The forgotten cause of malpractice claims is poor communication
One often ignored cause of malpractice claims is nothing more than poor client communication. People judge their attorneys by the quality of the relationship, explains Nora Bergman, a Tampa attorney and advisor with the Atticus law firm practice management company in Mt. Dora, FL. "That's true of all clients," she says, "whether bluecollar worker or sophisticated banker." They … [Read more...] about The forgotten cause of malpractice claims is poor communication
Secrecy in the age of social media: six ways to keep sensitive practice information offline
You can be sure that most of your employees are active on social media. For younger ones, in fact, using Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are as natural as breathing. According to James Pooley, author of "Secrets: Managing Information Assets in the Age of Cyberespionage," social media and the sharing culture it has sparked are very real threats to organizations. "The … [Read more...] about Secrecy in the age of social media: six ways to keep sensitive practice information offline
3 steps a manager must take to end harmful gossip in the workplace
By Lynne Curry bio The conversation stops when you walk into the break room. Two employees look at each other, mouth "later," and head back to their desks. An hour later, you see another employee dart into the restroom and come out five minutes later with reddened eyes. You ask her "what's up?" and when she looks like she might burst into tears, you usher her into your … [Read more...] about 3 steps a manager must take to end harmful gossip in the workplace
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