You are browsing: Siobhan Kelley
Ask Rita: Can I Just Hire Independent Contractors?
Dear Rita in HR: I am executive director of a very small nonprofit. Recently, I had to fire an employee for the first time. In retrospect, I probably made a bad hiring decision, but it was a real nightmare to go through. I would like to just hire indep …
Gifts from the Board Chair
Dear Rita in HR: I am the executive director of a smallish non-profit (250K annual budget). My salary is low compared to other executive directors, but I believe in the organization’s mission and I have great working conditions. However, the board chai …
Transgender Employees: A Respectful and Legal Workplace Approach
Dear Rita: I manage a small team of employees in a close-knit office. Recently one of my employees told me in private that “he” is becoming a “she.” I’m not sure how to deal with this. Do I call the employee “him” or “her”? I think when the other emplo …
How to Deal with an Office Bully
Dear Rita: I have a really awful co-worker — Gossip Greta — who is making me miserable. She goes out of her way to be rude to me and badmouths me behind my back. Once I made a minor mistake and she started yelling at me, calling me “stupid” and “inco …
What Are My Nonprofit’s Obligations Under the Affordable Healthcare Act?
Dear Rita: I am the executive director of a nonprofit with 15 employees. We have never been able to afford to provide health insurance benefits for our staff. I’m confused about our obligations under the Affordable Healthcare Act. I heard that em …
Hiring Job Candidates with Criminal Convictions: Unlock the Possibilities
Like many employers, you may follow a default position of not hiring job seekers who have a past criminal conviction, but such a one-size-fits-all policy can not only get you in trouble with the law, it could also eliminate some excellent candida …