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Tattoos and Piercings . . . and a Model Dress Code
Dear Rita: Our younger employees are increasingly decorated with ink and metal. Most of them conceal their “body art” while at work but in summer it’s become more visible. We don’t care about tattoos and piercing but we don’t want to look at them …
A 7-Point Checklist for Responding to a Request for Family or Medical Leave
Here are the basics for how a nonprofit should handle an employee’s request to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. For more, be sure to see Wading through New Family and Medical Leave Act Regulations.The employer must send the employee an e …
Wading through the New Family and Medical Leave Act Regulations
New year, new forms to fill out! Though we love that employees can have some flexibility when serious medical and family issues arise, administering the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can be challenging. Mercifully, Ask Rita offers some guidance o …
Downsizing from Employees to Independent Contractors?
Q: Our nonprofit group home has to downsize and as part of our reorganization we are considering changing some of our employees into independent contractors as a cost-saving measure. If we did that, we wouldn’t have to pay for benefits and …
Nonprofit Layoffs and Furloughs: Do Them Right
Dear Rita: It looks like we're going to have to lay some people off in the next couple of months. But the management team is also considering furloughs, a week's shutdown, and other choices. The decision about what to do won't be made by us …
Laid Off From a Nonprofit: Me!
A First Person Nonprofit story:Nearly two months ago, I joined the ranks of laid-off Americans. It almost makes me feel Patriotic, somehow Special, to be counted among the group considered most newsworthy, 24/7. The news is filled with stories about us …
The Nonprofit Board’s Role in HR
I once served on the board of a group whose executive director adamantly insisted that managing staff was her responsibility, not the board's. We stayed hands off until we started to hear rumors of favoritism. After we prevailed in a battle with he …
Sample Layoff Letter
It’s a good idea to seek advice from a professional due to the varying nature of the layoff situations. If you are considering laying off an employee who is on a protected leave, be sure to consult a labor law professional. This is a sample letter whic …
Model Document Retention Policy for Nonprofits
Retention of documents related to lawsuits is one of only two provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley that are applicable to nonprofits. Nationally recognized nonprofit attorney Tom Silk wrote this Model Document Retention Policy on a pro bono basis …
A Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Policy for Nonprofits
While there is no one model drug and alcohol free workplace program that is right for all workplaces, there are standard elements of such a program that should be included at your agency. Effective programs typically contain the following elements: …
