By Lynne Curry, Ph.D., SPHR bio During the Justice Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, more than fifty percent of Americans admitted they had taken part in political discussions in the workplace. Many of these discussions ended in conflict, frayed relationships, and tears. With the current high-stakes mid-term election, employers can expect more heated political … [Read more...] about Managing political discussions in the workplace
Compliance
What you need to know about complying with the FLSA
To be or not to be exempt from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)? That is the big question, according to Sandra Hoyle-Smith, a Texas-based human resources expert and employment law mediator. Hoyle-Smith notes that many employers do not calculate overtime correctly and in some cases have wrongly classified employees as being exempt from overtime pay when … [Read more...] about What you need to know about complying with the FLSA
3 questions to help you handle patient credits
By Ranadene K. Tapio, MBA, CMRS, CMC, Guest Contributor bio How does your office deal with patient credits? More importantly, does your office deal with patient credits at all? Believe it not, not all offices do. There are several reasons why an office wouldn't address patient credits—from just not knowing they should to not knowing how to being short staffed. If … [Read more...] about 3 questions to help you handle patient credits
Simple but workable ways to improve collections
What's the cause of poor collections? Don't blame it on the office, says one collections expert. Sadly, the underlying reason for poor collections is today's all-too-common attitude that bills don't deserve respect. In the past, people were proud to pay their bills. No more. A bill that can be avoided gets avoided. And along with that, "the world has changed," says … [Read more...] about Simple but workable ways to improve collections
Bill to end secrecy around doctor sexual assault and other patient harm passes CA Assembly
California would be the first state in the nation to mandate doctors tell their patients when they are disciplined for sexual assault or other patient harm under legislation that passed the Assembly August 31, 2018. SB 1448, the Patient Right to Know Act authored by Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), would require a doctor on probation for causing patient harm in one of four … [Read more...] about Bill to end secrecy around doctor sexual assault and other patient harm passes CA Assembly
Model Employee Social Networking Policy
Why you need this model policy: This model policy will help you protect your practice from the potential threat posed by employee blogging, tweeting, Instagramming, and other social networking. How this model policy helps you: The key to protecting your practice is by implementing clear and specific policies to establish your right to discipline employees for social … [Read more...] about Model Employee Social Networking Policy
7 steps to safely terminating an employee
Properly terminating an employee to minimize the chances of repercussions starts with gathering all the facts and considering all the factors, says HR attorney Chris Lessard, J.D. Solution Center Advisor to CEDR HR Solutions. Here are his recommendations on how to do that, in seven steps. Step 1: Separate the relevant from the irrelevant Your first step involves reviewing … [Read more...] about 7 steps to safely terminating an employee
Compliance perspective: How to keep an employee from damaging your practice on social media
In the cyber age, protecting your practice from the potential threat posed by employee blogging, tweeting, Instagramming, and other social networking is a business imperative. But how? To find out, keep reading. . . It is your business The starting point is recognizing that social networking by employees is not purely a private matter. Over the past decades, courts and … [Read more...] about Compliance perspective: How to keep an employee from damaging your practice on social media
Can your employee handbook help you safely terminate an employee?
If you ever need to terminate an employee, one of the best tools you can have is an employee handbook that sets out clear policies and is kept up-to-date with changes in employment laws, says Chris Lessard, a California attorney who specializes in HR issues. Lessard, who is J.D. Solution Center Advisor to CEDR HR Solutions, says employee handbooks can protect medical practice … [Read more...] about Can your employee handbook help you safely terminate an employee?
Build your hiring muscles through advanced hiring techniques
Hiring is a critical task for every medical office manager, yet sometimes it may seem hard or nearly impossible to find, screen and hire great employees. That needn't be the case, according to Paul Edwards, CEO and co-founder of CEDR HR Solutions of Tucson, AZ. He says the average cost of employee turnover runs between 50 percent and 200 percent of an employee's annual … [Read more...] about Build your hiring muscles through advanced hiring techniques