Managing Employee Leaves
Integrating the FMLA, ADA, Workers’ Compensation and Company Leave PoliciesDoes your organization understand the Family and Medical Leave Act and the NJ Family Leave Act? Do you have employees who have applied for Workers' Compensation benefits? Do you know how to deal with employees reporting disabilities? This workshop will address the relationship between FMLA, NJFLA, Workers’ Compensation, the ADA and company policies.

Employee Discipline Issues for Nonprofits
When employees are not performing at an expected level, you need to implement sound strategies for encouraging them to demonstrate immediate and sustained improvement in their conduct or performance, so that they remain a valuable asset for your organization. This workshop will describe the benefits of progressive employee discipline, provide practical suggestions, and address what to do when progressive discipline fails.

Wage and Hours Issues for Nonprofit Employers
Does your organization need guidance in determining how employees should be classified?  Do you sometime struggle with issues of how and when your organization is required to pay overtime?  This workshop will discuss the factors to be considered in determining how to properly classify employees as exempt or non-exempt, and the consequences of these classifications.  The workshop also will discuss overtime issues and allowable wage deductions.

Religion in the Workplace
Requests for religious accommodation at the workplace are rising.  Claims of discrimination based on religion are also rising.  Managers and supervisors need to understand how to balance the various rights and obligations of employers regarding religious practices, observances and beliefs.  This workshop provides a clear overview of the legal framework; basic understanding of way that the diverse religions we see in the United States may manifest at the workplace; and guidance on how and when to reasonably accommodate those expressions.

Risk Management in Hiring:  Overview of Employment Law and a Best Practices' Guide to Safe Hiring
Never hired an employee before?  The task can be daunting at first.  This program will give you an overview of the basic things you need to do, and the things you shouldn’t do, with special attention to discrimination and privacy issues.  Topics covered include: recruiting and interviewing candidates; selecting the right person; doing background checks (arrest and criminal records, reference and credit checks); drug testing; responding to reference checks from other employers; using applications, offer letters, and job descriptions; ensuring new hires complete required forms (e.g., W-4, I-9, insurance enrollment); distributing notices you need to give new hires (e.g., COBRA, CEPA, FMLA, anti-harassment policy, and workplace posters); dealing with the new Department of Homeland Security regulations regarding “no match” letters and the “e-Verify” program; properly classifying a worker as an employee, volunteer, or independent contractor; properly classifying an employee as exempt or non-exempt; setting up the personnel file (including segregating confidential information, such as medical records)

Nonprofit Mergers and Collaborations
Is your organization considering merging, consolidating or collaborating with another organization? What's the difference between a merger, an affiliation, and a joint venture? What are the pros and cons of various forms of collaboration? What are the legal issues involved, and what steps must be accomplished to formally collaborate? How might the merged organizations operate in the future? This workshop will address these, and other legal issues, that must be considered when an organization is considering a merger or consolidation.

HIPAA and other Medical and Employment Issues in the Nonprofit Workplace
This seminar provides an overview of several important laws that effect nonprofit organizations: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA):  Discussion of the basics of HIPAA,  and an explanation of how to comply with key HIPAA principles; The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA):  Federal and state requirements of the FMLA, and how to negotiate this sometimes complex set of regulations, including which organizations and employees are affected, how much leave must be given to covered employees, and what other benefits, if any, must be offered; and The Americans with Disabilities Act  (ADA) - This complements the FMLA discussion and explains the federal and state ADA requirements, including principles about what constitutes a "qualified individual" under the ADA, when must an employer offer a "reasonable accommodation," and what is considered "reasonable."

Legal Issues in Managing Volunteers
What is a volunteer? Are your staff members volunteers or employees? What laws apply and don’t apply to volunteers? Should you screen potential volunteers and how?  When and how can a nonprofit organization be held liable for the negligent acts of its volunteers? Can your volunteers be sued? What procedures can reduce the risk of liability to your volunteers? This workshop addresses these, and other legal issues, related to volunteer program management.

The Volunteer Protection Act and Other Protections for Volunteers
This workshop will discuss the federal Volunteer Protection Act, which affords protections to nonprofit agency volunteers, including volunteer board members, and other state-specific protections that reduce or guard against volunteer liability.

Screening and Background Checks
Can or should your organization conduct background checks on employees and volunteers? Can your organization be held liable if you fail to run a background check? Does your organization have volunteers or paid staff working with children, the elderly or persons with disabilities? Learn about state and Federal laws governing background checks, including the Federal Credit Reporting Act and the Volunteers for Children Act.

The Internet World: Legal Issues for Nonprofits
Does your organization have a website? Do you provide advice over the internet?  What if your website information is outdated, or inaccurate? Do you fundraise on your website, or elsewhere on the internet? Does your organization have an internet use policy for employees? What are the legal implications of having links from your website to other websites? This workshop will discuss these and other evolving technology issues relating to the use of the internet and the maintenance of a nonprofit website.

Real Estate Seminars

Real Estate Basics for Nonprofits
Does your organization own or lease real estate?  Do you lease property to others?   This workshop addresses the real estate and facility issues of nonprofit landlords or leaseholders and provides an overview of legal issues involved in space-sharing and development projects, selling and purchasing property, as well as renovating an existing facility.

Special Topics

Privacy and Confidentiality Issues for Youth Serving Organizations
Do you have concerns about disclosure of confidential client information? Responding to subpoenas? Do parents or others request case files and other confidential agency documents?  This workshop will cover these and other issues such as Children’s vs. Parents’ Rights, medical treatment of youth in an agency's care and HIPAA obligations. 

Liability, Risk Management and Compliance Issues For Youth Serving Organizations
Do you have concerns about liability risks for your agency and staff in providing services to youth?  This workshop, featuring a panel of experienced managers of youth-serving nonprofits and lawyers, will cover a wide range of legal issues including: strategies for avoiding claims of negligent hiring and Department of Labor audits; compliance with government contracts and regulations governing fundraising;  a primer on lobbying and advocacy activities;  and strategies to prepare your agency for increased scrutiny by regulators as a result of anticipated reforms in the charitable sector.

Employment Law Issues, Insurance Issues, and Corporate Governance Issues for Women Serving Organizations
What employment law issues does your organization face – classification of employees as exempt or nonexempt?  Screening and background checks for employees and volunteers?  Proper hiring and supervision?  Sound termination procedures? Proper record retention policies?  Also, does your organization have the right insurance for your organization’s activities and risks?  This workshop will cover these and other issues such as sound corporate governance policies and liability issues for board members.

Confidentiality Issues, Consent Issues, and Landlord-Tenant Issues for Women Serving Organizations
Confidentiality-related issues are of critical concern to many groups working to empower women and/or prevent domestic violence.  What confidentiality laws apply to your organization? How should your staff respond to subpoenas and requests for records?  What is the difference between testifying as an "expert" or as a fact witness? This workshop will cover these and other confidentiality-related issues, as well as other issues, including how to deal with clients as tenants, and how to obtain proper authorizations, consents and waivers for program activities.