Currently, there is no federal law that requires private sector employers, including law offices, to provide paid or unpaid sick leave, explains a new report from XpertHR, an online service for HR professionals from Reed Business Information. Without federal legislation in place, however, several states and local jurisdictions have taken matters into their own hands by … [Read more...] about Paid sick leave and what law office managers need to know
Managing the office
5 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office
A law office is filled with many different personalities and many different dynamics. With those differences come office politics. And with the politics the manager can become a casualty. Here are the solutions to five situations where politics and personalities come into play. They are outlined by Margaret Hintz, SPHR, manager of HR services for Insperity, an Atlanta human … [Read more...] about 5 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office
How to negotiate the best possible purchasing agreements
Smart purchasing decisions help a practice run more efficiently, improve the firm's bottom line, and make your job easier. But what should you include in purchasing contracts and lease agreements? As important, how do you negotiate the best possible deal for the firm? Determining requirements Before you solicit bids or attempt to negotiate a contract, it's essential that … [Read more...] about How to negotiate the best possible purchasing agreements
Avoid the lawsuit lurking in your employee handbook
An employee handbook can be more than a document outlining office procedures and standards. In some cases, the handbook can be seen as an implied contract between the employer and employee. And that implied contract could muddy the waters when it comes to firing an employee. An implied employment contract Most offices operate under employment at will—or think they do. … [Read more...] about Avoid the lawsuit lurking in your employee handbook
Are you the reason your employees quit?
Most companies strive to hire or promote someone with the right skills to do the job. But when hiring a manager, many fail to take the manager's personality, attitude, values, and emotional intelligence into consideration. What they end up with is a highly technically skilled manager with poor people skills, big ego, "my way or the highway" attitude, and blind spots the size … [Read more...] about Are you the reason your employees quit?
Model Policy: Workplace Bullying Policy
Why you need this model policy: Your firm is committed to the goal of ensuring that all of its employees are treated with dignity, civility, and respect in the workplace. Bullying behavior is not compatible with this commitment. How this model policy helps you: This model policy explains what bullying is and helps you communicate to all employees that bullying behavior will … [Read more...] about Model Policy: Workplace Bullying Policy
Good managers must always watch for bad behavior
By Steve M. Cohen bio I'm sure that many office managers sometimes feel like a Kindergarten teacher. Even with the best team, there's always one or two people who rub each other the wrong way or seem to have more than their share of complaints—either complaints about what they do or say, or what others do or say to them. Ultimately, no one can promise you much more than … [Read more...] about Good managers must always watch for bad behavior
Average starting salaries for legal jobs projected to rise 3.1 percent in 2016
Starting salaries for legal professionals in the United States are expected to increase 3.1 percent overall in 2016, according to the just-released Robert Half Legal 2016 Salary Guide. Law firm attorneys with four-plus years of professional experience should see greater-than-average salary gains. Among legal specialists, compliance directors are expected to see the largest … [Read more...] about Average starting salaries for legal jobs projected to rise 3.1 percent in 2016
Communication and productivity are on the rise. But the tools that connect us also distract us
Highfive, the video conferencing system, recently announced the results of its 2015 Workplace Culture and Communication Report, which details how the proliferation of communication tools affects the way people work and engage with their fellow employees. More than 1,200 professionals in traditional office settings across industries and regions completed the survey in August … [Read more...] about Communication and productivity are on the rise. But the tools that connect us also distract us
A manual that covers the entire administration
A Washington, D.C. administrator has set up an operations manual that covers every imaginable item of managing the firm. It holds the basics of everything so that when she is out, the firm “can be on autopilot and keep the trains running on time,” says Jill D. Hirsch, chief operating officer of Slevin & Hart. And, she says, “it’s for me as well as for someone stepping in … [Read more...] about A manual that covers the entire administration