Law Office Manager

Managing the office

Why the new Massachusetts law matters, regardless of where your firm is located

Massachusetts recently signed into law An Act to Establish Pay Equity, S.2119, which takes effect on July 1, 2018. The new law prevents wage discrimination based on gender. The law includes several noteworthy changes related to the employment process, but perhaps the most significant is that it prohibits employers from requiring applicants to provide their salary history … [Read more...] about Why the new Massachusetts law matters, regardless of where your firm is located

American workers struggling to make ends meet

Three-quarters of Americans (75 percent) are living paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet, according to a survey from CareerBuilder, a global leader in human capital solutions. Thirty-eight percent of employees say they sometimes live paycheck to paycheck, 15 percent say they usually do, and 23 percent say they always do. While making ends meet is a struggle for many … [Read more...] about American workers struggling to make ends meet

Survey: 1 in 4 U.S. employees negatively affected by political talk at work this election season

This year's extraordinary presidential campaign is taking a toll on American workers, some of whom report feeling stressed, argumentative and less productive because of political discussions on the job, according to a survey released today by the American Psychological Association. More than 1 in 4 younger employees reported feeling stressed out because of political … [Read more...] about Survey: 1 in 4 U.S. employees negatively affected by political talk at work this election season

Like a Boss: Rise of the Work Martyr

By Michelle Spencer  bio I learned a couple of disturbing new terms recently: "work martyr" and "vacation shaming." Like many of you, I have known for some time that many Americans no longer use all of their allotted days off from work, and I have certainly worked with work martyrs in my career. I could deal with that. However, the idea of vacation shaming is … [Read more...] about Like a Boss: Rise of the Work Martyr

The Paralegal from Heaven or Hell

By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR  bio Depending on who you talk to, she's the paralegal from either heaven or hell. According to her attorney, with whom she has a love/hate relationship, she's indispensable. While you personally like her, you often want to wring her neck. She's late for work more days than she arrives on time; she's late for meetings and rolls her eyes … [Read more...] about The Paralegal from Heaven or Hell

Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff

Every manager is aware of the wider doorways, lever handles, curb cuts and so on required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And every manager is aware of providing accommodations for employees. But not every manager is aware of the less obvious ADA requirements that apply to electronic job applications, says Beth Loy, PhD, principal consultant with the Job … [Read more...] about Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff

What to do when you suspect substance abuse in the firm

By Lynne Curry, Ph.D, SPHR  bio He's one of your best litigators, but is he worth the risks he takes that could backfire on the practice—or are there ways to mitigate those risks? Rumors abound fueled by his erratic behavior and the behavior changes that his regular trips to the bathroom create. You suspect substance abuse, but if you tackle these problems, will you … [Read more...] about What to do when you suspect substance abuse in the firm

Are a third of your employees looking for their next jobs?

Known as "Continuous Candidates," more than one-third (37%) of employees across the globe are always looking for their next job opportunity, finds a global study of job seekers conducted by ManpowerGroup Solutions, part of ManpowerGroup. With employee churn becoming increasingly costly for companies, it is more important than ever for employers to step up their efforts to … [Read more...] about Are a third of your employees looking for their next jobs?

Who’s the most prepared for the future? Survey results may surprise you

When it comes to preparing for the future, Millennial small-business owners are seemingly the most concerned generation in recent history. They are more likely than Gen X or Baby Boomers to have plans for natural disasters, retirement benefits, cyberattacks, and even business succession. Those Millennial generation facts stem from Nationwide's second annual Small Business … [Read more...] about Who’s the most prepared for the future? Survey results may surprise you