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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: …
A Board Member’s Guide to Nonprofit Insurance
Many board members don’t think about the organization’s insurance until something adverse happens. As one Blue Avocado reader commented: “Insurance isn’t sexy, but it’s as essential as a roof over your head.” In these tight times, it’s tempting to make …
Can an Employee Come and Go Using Family or Medical Leave?
Dear Rita,One of our exempt employees — a children’s therapist — is keeping me up nights by taking unscheduled and intermittent leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). We've been able to plan schedules when other emplo …
Overtime Pay for Nonprofit Preschool Teacher?
Dear Rita: I’m a daycare worker for a nonprofit agency. My employer pays me a salary and refuses to pay overtime when I work more than 40 hours a week. The executive director says I’m not entitled to overtime pay because I am a ” …
In Search of Unicorns: Finding and Hiring Outside Grantwriters Part 2
In Part 1 of this article, Wes Mukoyama of Yu-Ai Kai asked the question: “As a small agency . . . how do I look for a grantwriter? I have talked to a few who either want to be paid by the hour or receive a percentage of the grant. Any suggestions …
In Search of Unicorns: Finding & Hiring Grantwriters, Part 1
Part 1 of 2 My small agency can’t afford to hire a full time fund developer. How do I look for a grant writer? I have talked to a few who either want to be paid by the hour or receive a percentage of the grant. I am perplexed. Any suggestions? – …
What Should We Do About an Employee’s Outrageous Blog?
Dear Rita, An employee googled our nonprofit’s name and came across a coworker’s blog. The blog contains some outrageous material, including some unflattering comments about working at our organization. What can our nonprofit do? — Blog- …
