Business Telephone Seminars - Training Resources

Skip Tracing: Three Types of Skips BenefitsIt's true that anyone can do skip-tracing - but to do it properly, you need to know more than the raw mechanics. At this teleconference you'll learn the practical techniques you can use to finally find who you're looking for. You'll get insider secrets from a renowned skip-tracing expert. Discover the no-nonsense tools you need to perform database searches, get valuable information and  more...

Strategies for Reducing Unemployment Claims Costs BenefitsMany employers, after terminating an employee, focus on defending against a possible discrimination charge or a lawsuit. Unfortunately, they may pay little or no attention to defending against the ex-employee's unemployment compensation claim. Those employers, albeit mistakenly, believe the ex-employee will be awarded unemployment compensation benefits no matter what they do - so why  more...

IRS Form 1099 Reporting Update ...iscussed within this teleconference you and your client's business entities will be provided with the knowledge that will avoid costly penalties assessed by the Internal Revenue Service had you previously chosen to ignore the proper filings and deadlines of these information returns. Join us to discuss the challenges our clients will present to us to keep them both compliant and offer insight  more...

Advancing and Defending Oregon Construction Liens BenefitsAttend this teleconference and learn strategies for tackling construction lien issues. Experienced attorney, Douglas R. Hookland, will provide an examination of the construction lien laws of the state of Oregon. Find out how to efficiently collect payment for your labor, materials, supplies and/or equipment - or protect your property from unwarranted lien claims. Learn how you can succeed  more...

Affirmative Action in Employment - What Does It Really Mean? BenefitsThe Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is the government agency charged with enforcement of affirmative action regulations. It is armed with a new leader and an increased budget. During fiscal year 2008, the OFCCP recovered a record $67,510,982 in back pay for salary and benefits on behalf of 24,508 individuals who, in OFCCP's view, were subjected to unlawful employment  more...

Dealing With Employees Who Have Been Charged With a Crime BenefitsOne of the most perplexing problems that can confront an employer arises after the employer discovers that one of its employees has been arrested and charged with a crime. Under our legal system, the familiar mantra is that an arrested person is 'innocent until proven guilty'. So, what can an employer do to address situations where an employee has been arrested or has been charge or  more...

Economic Nexus Standards in State Taxation ...enefitsA state's ability to impose taxes on a multi-state business is limited by 'nexus' standards rooted in the U.S. Constitution. In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed its longstanding rule and held in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota that nexus requires some form of physical presence in the taxing state. In today's economy, however, states are continuing to push nexus limits farther than  more...

HR Time Lines: The Complex Integration of FMLA, WC, Disability and COBRA BenefitsHow do worker's compensation, FMLA, disability and COBRA laws work - together, independently or concurrently? What can run together? What cannot? When can we cancel the health plan, for what reason and is it a COBRA qualifying event? We will pull all of these together to explain the employer's liability. When can coverage be canceled? What laws protect employee benefits? Many times all  more...

Employee Expense Reimbursement Best Practices BenefitsMany employers spend significant sums on employee expense reimbursement and need to prepare and enforce robust policies to adequately support and monitor reimbursable expenses. In today's economy, establishment of best practices and ensuring compliance is crucial to minimize the cost and legal risk of inappropriate practices. This teleconference will explore the legal landscape governing  more...

Limited Medical Programs: How Employers Are Using Them to Control Health Care Costs BenefitsAfter years of increasing medical premiums, employers are hitting road blocks in cost saving measures. We are at a point of office visit co-pays approaching $50, prescription drug co-pays of $50 to $100, deductibles exceeding $2,000 for in-network benefits, and more and more premium cost shifting from employer to employee. Employee's are finding it hard to afford the per pay premiums and  more...

Noncompetition Agreements for the HR Professional: Protecting the Company's Business Resources? BenefitsNow more than ever, employers are seeing former employees trying to jump start their career moves - voluntarily or involuntarily - by cashing in on the employer's investment in relationships and information. Quite simply, the most effective way to protect your company's resources against the actions of departing employees is the noncompete agreement. But effectively using noncompetes  more...

Understanding Your Summary Plan Descriptions BenefitsEmployers who sponsor ERISA covered health and welfare plans are required to communicate the terms of the plan to participants in a summary plan description. The SPD is an important disclosure document that describes, in understandable terms, the rights, benefits and responsibilities of participants and beneficiaries in ERISA covered health and welfare benefit plans. The SPD must include  more...

Family Limited Partnerships in Estate Planning BenefitsMany estate planners who are asked about family limited partnerships or family limited liability companies do not understand the reasons for forming these entities in the planning process. They also are not clear on what is the current status of statutory and case law concerning the continued use of these entities. This teleconference will help you learn to identify when the use of this  more...

IRS Form 5471: Information Return for U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations ... Form 5471 is the place the IRS starts when auditing U.S. businesses that own foreign corporations. As a result, the proper preparation of the Form 5471 will offer the opportunity to document your planning as well as make that planning audit proof. In this teleconference, you will learn the law behind and the mechanics of how to prepare a Form 5471. New enforcement policies of the IRS with  more...

Employee Wages: Administration of Caps, Freezes, Reductions and Furloughs ...egal risk. This teleconference will address the legal and business cases for compensation adjustments and provide a road map for implementing wage cuts, caps and freezes so that employers can realize their goal of cost savings without buying expensive legal claims as part of the package. This teleconference will also outline the best way to adjust working hours and to create a successful  more...

Understanding UCC Article 9 Foreclosures BenefitsCurrent market conditions pose an alarming rate of defaults on commercial loans not seen in years. With defaults commonplace and secured creditors facing challenges in protecting their interests, foreclosing on assets under UCC Article 9 may be the right option. If appropriate, a public auction, private sale or friendly foreclosure under Article 9 may provide a quick and relatively  more...

Current Issues in Cloud Computing: Is There Sun Behind Those Clouds? ...uss the key commercial and legal issues involved in doing business 'in the cloud', including contracting, security and regulatory issues, and more. This teleconference will also provide a solid introduction to different contract models for doing business with cloud computing companies and take a quick look at the government's role in adoption of cloud computing, e-discovery issues raised by  more...

Implications of the Stimulus Package on HIPAA ...some of which are already in effect. New requirements for business associates of HIPAA covered entities and requirements to notify individuals in the event of a breach are only two of the many areas affected in the new law, including new requirements for restricting and accounting of disclosures and increased enforcement activity. This teleconference will help you understand what you have to do  more...

Telephone Collections: Do's and Don'ts - Surviving the Jungle ...ess and creating the proper collection culture within all business settings will be reviewed. A cursory overview of the most pertinent regulations will afford you the opportunity to check your approaches and policies for risk management purposes. This teleconference will additionally allow you to pose questions about your most pressing collection concerns. Credit and collections managers,  more...

Hot Wage and Hour Issues: Assuring Proper Exempt and Nonexempt Classification of Your Employees BenefitsEmployees and their counsel continue to pursue individual and class action overtime claims based on the alleged misclassification of exempt workers at a fever pitch. Thousands of lawsuits asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act or parallel state laws are filed each year and the costs of defending these matters and the damages claimed and paid, whether through trial or  more...

S Corporations: How to Avoid Common and Often Overlooked Pitfalls (Simple to Complex) BenefitsAs many practitioners will attest to, there are many pitfalls when S corporations are involved. This teleconference will identify the most common pitfalls, such as not properly maintaining earning accounts, ineligible shareholders, the one class of stock principle, invalid or missing S Corporation elections and built-in gain. You'll not only learn how to identify these pitfalls, but you'll  more...

Rewards Transformation: A Unique Approach to Total Rewards Strategy and Design in the Current Economy ...n critical workforce segments who can contribute the most business value in return. Key components of the rewards transformation approach are 1) critical workforce segments, 2) rewards dialogue - an ongoing interactive process by which employers gather employees' views, opinions and preferences about rewards and communicate back with employees and 3) measuring rewards ROI. This teleconference  more...

Stark Act Update: Recent Changes and Operational Challenges BenefitsThe Stark Act is a very technical law that prohibits several common financial arrangements between physicians and entities to which they refer, including hospitals. If a physician has a financial arrangement with an entity that bills for or performs 'designated health services,' the financial arrangement will need to meet all components of an applicable exception. If the Stark Act is  more...

Updated Best Practices for Legal Holds In Civil, Criminal & Business Contexts BenefitsThis teleconference will teach you how to avoid the devastating problems that your clients may face if they do not plan for effective legal holds in anticipation of legal proceedings. Specifically, you will learn how courts and government investigators are interpreting the basic requirement to preserve information in 'reasonable anticipation' of litigation or other formal proceedings. You  more...

Everything You Wanted to Know About Drug and Alcohol Testing but Were Afraid to Ask BenefitsMost companies that care about safety in the workplace have implemented a drug and alcohol testing program. An added benefit to companies is a reduction in their workers' compensation insurance premiums. What makes an effective program? What kind of safeguards should there be to ensure accuracy? What does a drug test really measure? What is the best sample: urine, hair or oral fluid? Are  more...

Complying With OSHA Recordkeeping Requirements BenefitsThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration plans to get tough on workplace safety enforcement. OSHA has received more than $50 million in additional funding, plans to hire between 130 and 160 new inspectors, has suspended certain voluntary compliance programs in order to free up resources for enforcement efforts, and has introduced a new program, the Severe Violators Inspection  more...

Getting Advice from the IRS: Letter Rulings, Pre-Filing Agreements, TAMS and GLAMs BenefitsMany times clients must have certainty as to the federal tax consequences of a proposed transaction - and while tax opinions are helpful, they do not provide the certainty of qualified advice from the IRS. This teleconference is designed to discuss how, when and why to seek qualified written advice from the IRS, normally in the form of a private letter ruling request, a review of the  more...

Recognizing and Addressing COBRA BenefitsCOBRA - It has CHANGED AGAIN! But it wasn't actually the COBRA law that changed - you must track other laws to be sure you are in compliance. You have heard about the stimulus package but what has it done to our COBRA? The stimulus package now states that employees involuntarily losing their job between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009, will have special COBRA privileges including  more...

Increasing Sales with LinkedIn ...dle A. Savage Sr., a senior partner and vice president of business development for Integrated Alliances,LLC. It covers specific strategies for the most common selling scenarios - hunting for business, named and targeted accounts, farming, territories, vertical markets, business partners and sales channels. With LinkedIn you get a jump start in your on-line networking that gets you up to speed  more...

Document Retention and Destruction: What Human Resource Professionals Must Know BenefitsCorrectly handling the documentation of employees is one of the most difficult and tedious tasks that human resources professionals need to perform for their organizations. Knowing the proper procedures to follow to document employees in the workplace is a key skill needed by most human resources professionals. This teleconference will provide you with information on the key concepts and  more...

Microsoft Outlook 2007 Tips and Tricks BenefitsOutlook is a powerful, feature-filled personal information manager but many users are overwhelmed by the features and options available and never take full advantage of the potential it offers for managing email, calendar and contacts. They don't discover the time-saving shortcuts Outlook provides or utilize the many options included in Outlook. This teleconference offers a quick course in  more...

Private Foundation Requirements and Restrictions BenefitsMany families and corporations establish private foundations to carry on their personal philanthropy. While private foundations offer significant opportunities for family and corporate philanthropists, there are special federal tax rules that apply. Failure to fully understand these rules can subject the foundations and those involved with them to substantial excise taxes. This  more...

Federal Tax Classification of Series LLCs ...o can be used in asset backed securitizations in place of business trusts in those states that treat single member LLCs as disregarded entities but do not treat business trusts as disregarded. It can also be useful for estate planners to avoid multiple LLCs when the senior generation wants different treatment and ownership for their assets. This teleconference will review the history of the  more...

Case Study: What Makes Dixon Schwabl One of the "Best Small Companies to Work for in America" ...quarters in Rochester, New York, and grew her advertising business in one of the most challenging and rapidly changing industries in today's economy. She believes that creating a great place to work elevates not only employees and clients, but also the entire community with a positive ripple effect. With double-digit growth and national recognition for her firm, Ms. Dixon will discuss how she  more...

Use of Terms and Conditions in Purchasing Contracts ...itsAs companies seek to reduce transaction costs by doing business with standardized business forms, the old 10-point, double-column terms and conditions provisions have taken on new importance for purchasing professionals. This teleconference is going to expose that what is hidden in that microscopic text are not only acronyms that can be legally determinative if a controversy develops, but  more...

Utilizing Spendthrift Trusts in Estate Plans BenefitsA spendthrift trust is an invaluable tool in protecting assets for the beneficiary. This teleconference will introduce you to the use and purpose of spendthrift trusts. Additionally, this program will provide specific guidance of drafting an effective spendthrift trust and highlight drafting pitfalls. Attorneys, estate planners, accountants, presidents, vice presidents, CFOs, controllers,  more...

Legal Overview of Financial Records: Obtaining and Understanding the Information ...er, in those cases where a client's spouse owns their own business eliciting the true available funds for child support and maintenance can be more complicated. This teleconference is designed to help you understand various options in securing information, interpreting that information and making use of it to determine the actual funds available for support. A lack of understanding of how to  more...

Internal Controls ...implement effective internal controls is critical to your business. In addition to helping you comply with the law, a good system of internal control can dramatically improve your bottom line. In this 90-minute teleconference, you'll learn about basic internal control concepts that will help you design and implement a system of internal controls that's right for your business. Controllers,  more...

Low Quality Asphalt: How to Avoid Problems Down the Road BenefitsLow quality asphalt is a facility owner's or manager's nightmare. How to turn it into a high quality asset can be a difficult question. That's what this teleconference is about. Reconstruction of asphalt pavements, whether a roadway, commercial parking lot or large distribution center, can be time consuming and very expensive. Costs associated with loss of use can easily exceed costs of  more...

15- Minute Expert Adult Patient Assessments: Practical Strategies, Tips, and Updates for Health Care Professionals ...u can learn about a patient in 15 short minutes. Lorman Business Center, Inc. dba Lorman Education Services is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Program Committee, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This program qualifies for 1.5 contact hours.  more...

Avoiding Costly Mistakes In Harassment Policies and Investigations BenefitsSexual and other forms of harassment remain a significant problem for employers. Courts and legislatures continue to create new obligations for employers and continue to increase the potential for liability for employers. Many employers continue to have policies and procedures for harassment that are outdated or that actually create potential liability. This teleconference will help you  more...

LEED Tax Incentives and Credits for Green Buildings ...uildings and energy efficiency by appropriately utilizing business incentives and tax credits. This teleconference is based on publicly available information concerning the LEED rating and certification system, and is not specifically endorsed or approved by the U.S. Green Building Council. Learning Objectives: - You will be able to list federal, state and utility incentives and rebates. -  more...

The Fundamentals of Estate Planning for Pets BenefitsPets are an important part of the lives of many individuals. People own pets for a variety of reasons - they love animals, they enjoy the companionship and they enjoy receiving unconditional love. On many occasions, pets have supplanted children in people's lives. Planning for these companions requires a comprehensive look at the various opportunities and techniques which are available to  more...

Today's Legal Medical Record - A Hybrid Record BenefitsThe goal of this teleconference is to give you some information and a suggested format for developing your definition and policy of the legal health record for your institution. We'll remind ourselves what the real purpose of the medical record is and investigate how we meet those purposes with a hybrid record. We'll look at what the components of the legal medical record include versus  more...

Electronic Invoicing and Payments: Paperless A/P Best Practices BenefitsIt may seem impossible to escape the paper heavy processes in your AP department and achieve the coveted paperless status but pulling off this caper is not a feat reserved for only paper mavericks. Instead, we can show you there is a way to achieve a paper-free environment and realize your ROI. In this teleconference, e-invoicing architect Henry Ijams will discuss your options for a  more...

Employee Safety and Health Systems: Cutting Injuries Using the Team Approach BenefitsTraditional safety committees involve a small number of employees and are often managed by the individual responsible for the facility safety and health system. The problem is that the success of the committee, and thus the system success, is predicated by the authority given to the committee and its leadership which in most cases is low to nonexistent. The bottom line is that employee  more...

The UCC Article 9 Update BenefitsThe revisions to Article 9, which generally became effective in 2001, substantially changed the law. Now, with a few years of experience, the case law is beginning to emerge and develop, and practitioners are beginning to identify issues not contemplated by the drafting committee. The changes to the Article 9 filing system were significant and the prevalence of filing cases suggests that  more...

8 Issues When Doing Business or Contracting With Native American Tribes ...overeign immunity. Individuals and entities seeking to do business with and/or contract with one or more tribes must become familiar with the laws and regulations of each tribe when preparing to engage in business with the tribe. However, there are also basic tenets of American Indian law that can be applied to all aspects of doing business and/or contracting with individual American Indian  more...

Construction Recordkeeping and Documentation Requirements for Government Contracts ...ecords retention policy is a hallmark of every successful business, it is also a mandatory condition of contracting with the federal government. Federal laws and regulations require federal contractors, including construction contractors, to maintain certain records related to the contract for a specific number of years. Consequently, federal contractors are well advised to establish good  more...

Jeopardizing Exempt Status: Top 10 Mistakes Employers Make and How to Avoid Them BenefitsOnce exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees do not necessarily remain exempt for the duration of their employment. Actions taken (or not taken) by employers can and do jeopardize the exemptions claimed, leading unknowing employers down the path to potentially ruinous liability for unpaid minimum wages and overtime. This teleconference is designed to help you identify issues  more...

Setting the Stage for Rehiring: Logistic and Liability Issues ...dentify and rehire the key talent necessary to meet their business needs moving forward. This teleconference will discuss some of the key planning steps you should take from before the rehire process begins through actual rehiring and on-boarding. Topics to be covered include setting the stage for a successful rehire process, identifying which employees to rehire, dealing with employees who  more...

Doing Business with Distressed Vendors and Customers: Strategies to Employ in Workouts, Litigation and Bankruptcy BenefitsThe strains of the current economic crisis are being felt in every industry and at every point in the supply chain. More and more often, vendors are encountering distressed buyers and buyers are dealing with distressed suppliers. Attend this teleconference and you will learn to recognize the early warning signs of financial distress, and be armed with strategies that can be employed in  more...

Medicare Secondary Payer Act - Protecting Medicare's Interest in Insurance Settlements BenefitsPursuant to 42 USC Section 1395y(b)(2), commonly known as the Medicare Secondary Payer Act, Medicare may not make payment for medical benefits where 'payment has been made or can reasonably be expected to be made under a workmen's compensation law or plan of the United States or a state or under an automobile or liability insurance policy or plan (including a self-insured plan) or under no  more...

Covenants Not to Compete and Trade Secrets ... law and legal theories related to protecting competitive business interests and confidential business information - one of the fastest growing areas of intellectual property law outside of traditional patent, copyright and trademark concerns. You'll learn about covenants not to compete, nonsolicitation agreements, confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, trade secret protection and  more...

Changes to Cafeteria Plans: What You Need to Know to Prepare BenefitsThe IRS recently issued new rules which replaced parts of the old regulations. These new rules are exciting but require you to review and act on your old documents. The information provided will assist you in decisions for the upcoming plan year and how to prepare for the changes. Human resources and benefits managers, attorneys, controllers, CFOs finance directors, payroll managers,  more...

Understanding the Basics of Lean Accounting BenefitsAs mid level manufacturing firms migrate to advanced manufacturing processes, they have become uncertain about the ability of traditional cost accounting tools to provide meaningful and accurate measurements. This teleconference outlines a hands-on view of the process needed to evaluate, establish and maintain lean accounting in a mid-level manufacturing environment. While lean accounting  more...

Advanced Microsoft Excel Formulas and Functions: Master Your Usage of Excel's More Powerful Formulas and Functions BenefitsEven if you are fairly comfortable with building formulas and functions in Excel , you might still be missing out by having overlooked some powerful functions or just not be aware of special capabilities, like array formulas. There's no question that Excel's 300+ functions give you tremendous capabilities to tackle a myriad of statistical, mathematical and financial challenges, not to  more...

Managing Employee Absenteeism and Tardiness BenefitsManaging absenteeism and tardiness can be a sticky issue - it is rarely a black and white issue. There are mandatory leave laws that have to be incorporated into your leave policies and some of those can create restrictions on how to administer your leave policies. There are also some restrictions on disciplining employees when they appear to abuse policies. This teleconference will help  more...

Using Investment Policy Statements as an Investment Tool: It's an Art, Not a Science BenefitsThis teleconference will bring together a panel with differing perspectives on the use and creation of investment policy statements, including outside legal counsel to address perceived problems arising from nonconforming activities; inside legal counsel to discuss techniques for ensuring that the instrument clearly and fully reflects the investor's expectations and the firm's  more...

Language to Avoid During Sales Conversations - Are Your Words Costing You a Sale? ...tion is a captured or a missed opportunity. When you lose business you should have captured, you lose twice. First, you don't get the sale or the cash flow. Second, your competitor gets both. Imagine what you will gain for a relatively small investment in high-level, sales presentation skills training from this Lorman teleconference with Patricia Fripp. POWERPOINT is a registered trademark of  more...

Billing and Collecting for the Health Care Industry BenefitsDon't miss this billing and collecting teleconference presented by Neltner Billing Consulting Services, Inc. During the teleconference, we will present an overview of coding, billing and auditing for evaluation and management services. We will discuss common billing errors and practical methods for ensuring compliance. We will also share specific techniques for claims processing, payment  more...

Mental Illness and the ADA BenefitsManaging employees with claimed mental conditions creates unique challenges for employers attempting to comply with the ADA. What mental impairments does the ADA protect? How does the employer know of these often invisible disabilities and of the employee's need to accommodate the condition? How does an employer accommodate conditions that cause employees to violate work rules or request  more...

Developing a Community Nonemergency Response System ...ide municipal leaders the information required to build a business case to deploy a non-emergency call center. During this discussion, we will explore conducting a cost-benefit analysis and calculating return on investment which is even more critical in these lean times. In addition, we will focus on how to develop a change management program to help ensure that changes enabled by a new call  more...

Developing a Pay-for-Performance Plan BenefitsPay-for-performance plans are like motherhood and apple pie - everyone agrees with the concept, but not everyone can achieve the desired results. This teleconference will present the concept of pay-for-performance and its relationship to the compensation strategy. You will learn about the various performance-based plans that can be developed within base salary and variable pay components,  more...

Pricing and Cost Analysis in Purchasing ...BenefitsOne of the most important and complex decisions a business or organization has to make is how much to pay for its items or services. The buying professional should be able to easily detect prices that are too high. Thus pricing decisions must be given careful consideration when buying industrial products and services. The price of a product or service should be expected to cover cost of  more...

Drafting Clear and Enforceable Contracts ...y course on drafting clear and enforceable contracts in a business environment - using language that everyone can understand. It will cover the critical details that need to be in every contract and the language that can be used to simply express these details to achieve the legal result desired by both parties. It also will provide you with an appreciation of how what is included (and what is  more...

Preparing an Accurate Form 1041 BenefitsWith more individuals using trusts in estate planning, knowing how to prepare an accurate Form 1041 is becoming more important than ever. Properly computing taxable income and correctly allocating taxable income between the entity and its beneficiaries can avoid not only challenges by the IRS but also disgruntled beneficiaries. This teleconference will help you understand the main rules on  more...

Online Collection Techniques: Do's and Don'ts ...business. Debt collectors have the added challenge of trying to contact debtors who may only correspond via email or online portals. Some debtors no longer have a land line phone and only use cell phones, texting, email and instant messages to communicate. How can debt collectors face this challenge while following debt collection laws that are outdated and don't cover new technology or ways of  more...

Wellness Programs: Legal Developments, Requirements and Risks BenefitsAs Congress looks at making significant changes to health insurance, wellness programs are playing a central role in the debate. Congress wants to encourage wellness programs and healthy lifestyles to help control the cost of health insurance and much of their interest is based on success stories from the private sector. But privacy advocates and some federal regulators take the position  more...

Influenza: Seasonal to Pandemic ...g and consistently challenging health care issue. Lorman Business Center, Inc. dba Lorman Education Services is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Program Committee, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This program qualifies for 1.5 contact hours.  more...

Employer's HIPAA Privacy and Security Responsibilities Benefits strong New Mandates Under HIPAA and State Laws Create Obligations for Employers /strong Personal and company confidential data, exceedingly valuable assets, are under siege. Organizations across the country and locally have experienced significant data breaches resulting in unauthorized access to a vast amount of personal and company confidential information. At the same time,  more...

Meeting Your Fiduciary Responsibilities Under ERISA BenefitsMaintaining an employee benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 requires that people managing the plan or investing plan assets become fiduciaries. You need to know when they might become an ERISA plan fiduciary. You must understand your legal obligations to plan participants and beneficiaries. This teleconference will provide you with an overview of the  more...

Prevailing Wage Law--An Understanding of The Davis-Bacon Act ...es, including debarment and the loss of a major source of business, in addition to the exposure to substantial damages and attorneys' fees. This teleconference is critical to ensure you are satisfying the Davis-Bacon Act when competing for and performing federal public works contracts. Learning Objectives - You will be able to define and apply the key aspects of the Davis-Bacon Act. - You will  more...

Legal Issues Surrounding the Utilization and Maintenance of Computerized Medical Records BenefitsWith the federal government's prioritization of health information technology and evidence that electronic health record systems can reduce medical errors and lead to more efficient delivery of care, many hospitals and providers are beginning to implement EHRs in their facilities and practices. Despite federal regulations that permit certain donations of EHR technology, the implementation  more...

GSA Price Reduction Clauses (PRC) in Contracts ... their products to the federal government. However, doing business under GSA FSS contracts presents a number of compliance issues, with one of the most important being the price reduction clause. This clause is included in all of the GSA Multiple Award Schedule schedules and essentially it guarantees that GSA receives a contractor's most favored customer pricing upon award and protects it from  more...

Properly Handling Employee Complaints of Discrimination BenefitsThe existence of effectively enforced rules, the fair and thorough investigation of complaints and misconduct, and an understanding of the legal process relating to claims are critical to enabling a company to limit potential charges and lawsuits asserting discrimination. This teleconference will afford practical guidance in analyzing and responding to charges effectively and lawfully.  more...

Immigration Compliance for the HR Professional: Employment Authorization Issues and Beyond BenefitsAll United States employers must comply with employment authorization and verification laws, regardless of the size or composition of their workforce. This teleconference will supply you with the information you need to ensure your company is in compliance with employment authorization rules and regulations. Detailed guidance on employment verification procedures, Social Security number  more...

Health Care Reform: Implications for Employers, Insurers, and Individuals BenefitsHealth care reform could have a more significant impact on the United States economy and on our personal lives than any federal legislation in the past 100 years. Beyond the partisan politics and media hype are the practical concerns of employers, HR professionals, attorneys, third-party administrators, and other consultants and professionals who work with group health plans and related  more...

Collection Issues for Condominium and Homeowners' Association: Legal Tips, Concepts and Current Trends in Assessment Collection BenefitsThis teleconference will address relevant legal issues and practical considerations related to the collection of assessments for condominium and homeowner associations. Given current economic trends, the suppressed housing market and rising rates of foreclosures and bankruptcies, homeowners' associations are now inundated with delinquencies and legal issues in degrees not previously  more...

Final Regulations on Shareholder and S Corporation Debt BenefitsThis teleconference will discuss the impact of the recently-finalized treasury regulations on open-account debt extended to S corporations by their shareholders. The extension of debt by shareholders to S corporations can be an effective way of producing tax basis that supports the ability of shareholders to deduct losses. The regulations now limit that ability with respect to open-account  more...

A Privacy Law Primer: What Every Attorney, Compliance and Security Officer Should Know BenefitsPrivacy and information security legislation, standards and case law are having an ever-larger impact on your relationships with your customers, clients and employees, as well as on your company's management of personal information. Issue-spotting in this area requires some familiarity with the complex state, federal and international regulatory patchwork and nongovernmental standards that  more...

Practical Transportation Design and Solutions: Concepts and Implementation BenefitsDue to the increasing age of our nation's transportation infrastructure, in conjunction with the increasing demand for travel, the need for ongoing road preservation, safety and mobility projects has continually increased. However, the long term availability of funds for such improvements continues to diminish. Typical planning and design approaches may prioritize projects at the planning  more...

Medical Identity Theft: Why You Must Prevent and How to Minimize Its Occurrence BenefitsMore and more patient information is being captured electronically, both within the provider setting and remotely from the patients themselves. Additionally, an increasing number of myriad touches of this data occur on a daily basis by various known and unknown entities, not all of whom are authorized or have a specific need to know. In this environment, ample opportunity exists for  more...

Collective Bargaining and Construction Labor Contracts ... jurisdiction. As a result, the contractors exposed their businesses to increased labor costs as well as potential liability to the union benefit funds for unpaid benefit contributions. With proper planning and a better understanding of the law, these problems can be avoided. This teleconference will help contractors gain a better understanding of the types of labor agreements they are being  more...

Workers' Compensation Handbook Best Practices BenefitsMinimizing workers' compensation abuse and controlling the costs of legitimate claims is a daunting task. In this difficult economy, it is essential that all employers take every step they can to reduce their workers' compensation exposure and costs. This 90-minute teleconference is geared to provide you with the best handbook practices - policies, procedures and techniques - for staying  more...

Curbing FMLA Abuse: How to Manage Manipulative Employees BenefitsEmployers are often the victims of FMLA abuse. The regulations are employee friendly and many employees have figured out how to play the FMLA game to avoid working and being held accountable for their absences. These issues can wreak havoc on productivity in the workplace. This teleconference will help you understand what you can do to use the FMLA regulations to curb FMLA abuse. This  more...

How to Legally Handle Travel Pay BenefitsMany companies do not understand how to compensate an employee properly for time spent traveling to destinations other than a regular work site. Many companies send employees to conferences and other work sites using commercial travel and personal vehicles. This teleconference will enable you to understand how and when to compensate an employee for travel time away from a work site. You'll  more...

Current Issues in Cell Tower Leases ...ho work exclusively on such leases. We will focus on key business issues in wireless site leases, including lease rates and who gets the revenues from additional antennas or carriers being co-located at a site. An emphasis on the industry-specific elements and terms of modern cell site leases, and renewals and modifications of expiring leases, which are important for the property owner, its  more...

Form 5500 Reporting Update BenefitsEmployers who offer an employee benefit plan must file an annual report regarding the plan's financial condition, investments and operations, unless specifically exempt by law. Filing the Form 5500 will satisfy this. This teleconference will help you understand when you need to file a Form 5500 and what you need to file, and will focus on some recent changes that may impact your filings.  more...

Completing and Submitting the EEO-1 Report By September 30 BenefitsIn this interactive teleconference, you will learn the EEO-1 reporting requirements as well as practical, easy to use approaches to completing and submitting the EEO-1 report by the filing deadline. This engaging teleconference will also explain the EEOC's and OFCCP's systemic discrimination enforcement initiatives. From understanding the EEOC's and OFCCP's new focus on these issues to  more...

Financial Planning After Retirement: Coordinating the Retirement Plan with the Estate Plan BenefitsA wrong determination of whether a trust qualifies as a designated beneficiary of retirement benefits can cost the owner decades of tax deferral as well as 50 percent excise tax penalties. Learn how to provide the best asset protection and estate planning benefits for large retirement plans so that the valuable 'stretch out' does not become a 'blow out.' Most trusts are inadequately  more...

Independent Contractor Reporting BenefitsIndependent contractor status has distinct advantages for companies and workers, and continues to grow in popularity. However, as independent contractor relationships have become more common, the risks have become more apparent as well. This teleconference will help you understand how independent contractor status is determined for tax, EEO state law and other purposes, including in PEO  more...

The Interrelationship Between Social Security Disability, Medicare and Workers' Compensation Settlements BenefitsThis teleconference covers the two most important federal aspects of workers' compensation practice: Social Security disability offsets and the Medicare secondary payer statute. Anyone who represents claimants, employers or insurers in workers' compensation claims must understand the interrelationship between Social Security disability, Medicare and workers' compensation settlements. You  more...

Developing, Managing and Analyzing a Budget: Understand and Implement an Effective Budget for Better Management and Financial De ...r budget is an invitation to fail. This concept holds for businesses - no matter how large or small - nonprofits and governments. Budgeting is a dynamic process, not a static one. By knowing the types of budgets and processes that have worked for others, one can create an environment and procedure that is a tool for attainment of organizational goals. A suitable budget will, indeed, help  more...

Clean Air Act Update ...businesses are facing unprecedented uncertainty as to future requirements under the Clean Air Act and an array of new programs addressing stationary and mobile emission sources. The Obama Administration and Congress are poised to usher in a new era of greenhouse gas and energy regulation. At the same time, the Obama EPA is confronting a bewildering array of court-ordered regulatory revisions  more...

Effective Sales Management: Short and Long-term Planning, Forecasting, and Expense Budgeting ... is often viewed as a luxury, rather than as an essential business practice. In every kind of economy, however, the need to anticipate financial boundaries is essential to ongoing business success. Understanding and monitoring the inflows and outflows of cash must be a top priority for every business owner, operations manager and sales team member. Planning ahead for seasonal fluctuations and  more...

Gift Acceptance Policies for Public Charities and Tax-Exempt Organizations BenefitsFundraising is hard enough without running into the legal, accounting and practical pitfalls inherent in some types of gifts! A comprehensive gift acceptance policy can help an organization avoid these pitfalls, enhance its donor relationships and run a more successful development program. This teleconference will address the issues that should be covered in a basic gift acceptance policy  more...

Employee Engagement in Troubled Times BenefitsEngaging and retaining valued employees is particularly critical amid periods of economic uncertainty if organizations are to maintain product and service quality, and lay a foundation for future growth. Yet while challenging economic environments make employee motivation more critical, they also make employee engagement more difficult to achieve. Belt tightening often results in  more...

Tax Treatment of Charitable Fundraising ...raising for charitable organizations has become a complex business. Charities no longer hold out a tin cup and ask for donations. They engage in sophisticated activities to generate revenue for their mission and the activities have tax consequences. This teleconference will review the federal tax consequences of fundraising activities and provide specific guidance on how to avoid tax and other  more...

Taxation Issues Related to Debt Restructuring, Modifications and Bankruptcies BenefitsThe current market climate has created opportunities for investors or debtors themselves to acquire outstanding debt at remarkable discounts. Unfortunately, it also has left many companies struggling and in need to modify their outstanding debt. Many large, well know companies have dissolved or declared bankruptcy. Debt modifications, repurchases and bankruptcy can have a profound tax  more...

Fundamentals of Form W-2 Processing BenefitsThe main priority for the payroll department is getting the pay checks to associates acutely and timely to employees. But a critical function for the payroll department is to pull all the payroll information together and produce a Form W-2 for all employees. This produces a great challenge to payroll departments to ensure that all elements of the W-2 are complete and accurate along with  more...

FASB Codification: Are You Ready? Benefits strong The official launch of the FASB Codification begins on July 1, 2009, on that date the codification becomes the official single source of authoritative nongovernmental U.S. GAAP. The codification will be effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. /strong The codification will supersede existing FASB, AICPA, EITF and related literature, which means  more...

Workers' Compensation Metrics: Assessing and Reporting on the Success of Your Program BenefitsIn today's economy, it is especially critical to be able to assess the success of your workers' compensation program and provide meaningful reports to the C-Suite. In this teleconference, you will learn about the key metrics that can be used, where the data for these metrics may be found, sources of benchmarking information and how to most effectively present your success story to  more...

Obtaining a Portion of the Stimulus Grant Funding BenefitsThis past year the federal government has provided a significant economic stimulus program that has been primarily implemented through grant funding. The Recovery Act (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed by President Obama on February 16, 2009) is the economic stimulus package of $787 billion. Because of the national scope of the economic situation, stimulus money has  more...

Lighting Design and Control for Commercial Buildings: Increase Sales, Increase Productivity and Save Energy ...business is, the proper illumination can provide paybacks that far exceed the energy saved. Studies have confirmed findings. This topic will be presented in a fast paced teleconference with many real life examples. System efficiencies, impact on other architectural systems and integrated controls will all be discussed. We will discuss daylighting, a 100 year old feature that is more relevant  more...

Satisfying OFCCP's Internet Applicant Rules BenefitsThe OFCCP has further clarified the long awaited definition of an Internet applicant and the revised guidance gives employers additional direction and assistance into this new and growing area of employment issues. Moreover, the OFCCP has initiated a systematic process for monitoring adherence to the Internet Applicant Rule. This teleconference will review the new and expanded OFCCP  more...

Medical Records 101: Responding to Requests for Patient Information BenefitsRegister for this teleconference and get an overview of medical management issues faced by health care providers in responding to requests for patient information for litigation purposes. The conference speaker, who has extensive experience in civil litigation, including the representation of large medical institutions, will provide guidance in avoiding mistakes in disseminating patient  more...

Sale-Leaseback Transactions Today: Monetizing Real Estate Assets ...re a re-thinking of how capital and debt are used in your business. Monetizing real estate assets by sale-leaseback transactions may free up needed capital to invest in your business, particularly if the real estate is undervalued. This teleconference will help you understand when and where sale-leaseback transactions on real estate assets may be better than debt financing or ownership.  more...

Cracking Nuts: Locating Hidden and Transferred Assets BenefitsDebtors who utilize corporate shells are the bane of commercial collectors, attorneys and creditors. Too often debts and collateral are not recovered from cunning debtors. Most of us are familiar with the shell game in which someone puts a ball under one of several shells and then mixes up the shells leaving another person to guess which shell the ball is under. Debtors like to play 'hide  more...

Providing Investment Advice to Retirement Plan Participants Without Triggering Liability BenefitsThe current recession and volatile financial markets highlight the importance of financial literacy. Until recently, retirement plan sponsors have been constrained in the types of investment advice that can be provided to plan participants. Plan sponsors have long wanted to provide the investment advice their participants desire, but without incurring liability for advice given in good  more...

Form 709: Gift Tax Fundamentals BenefitsTransfer taxes are imposed on the gratuitous transfer of property. When property is transferred during lifetime, a gift tax may be imposed. While the most ignored tax, failure to properly comply with the gift tax laws during life may cause estate tax problems at death. During this teleconference, you will learn when a gift tax return should be filed, what type of gifts need to be reported,  more...

Lawful Hiring BenefitsEmployers must navigate a minefield of complicated and, in some cases, conflicting laws that affect the hiring process Discrimination claims often arise out of the hiring process. The new U.S. Supreme Court decision in Ricci v. DeStefano, 557 U.S. ___ (2009) shows how an employer (the New Haven Fire Department in that case) can violate discrimination laws when taking steps to attempt to  more...

Dress Code Liabilities BenefitsIn this teleconference, you will learn how to deal with complicated and sensitive issues involving how employees dress, the number and type of jewelry worn by employees, and the number and type of tattoos visible on employees while at work. This teleconference will explore the pros and cons of different options in written policies and discuss different approaches in dealing with these  more...

Private Foundation Grant Agreements: Basics and Beyond BenefitsGrant making is the raison d'etre of most foundations. It is what you do! Therefore, a solid foundation grant agreement ought to be the legal backbone for much of a foundation's operations. Surprisingly however, for many private foundations the grant agreement is merely a form document that has been given little thought - if it exists at all. This teleconference will cover some of the  more...

Cash Is King: Effective Cash Flow Management ...ements are important tools to measure the success of your business but do little to tell you where the cash actually went. Understanding and managing the cash flow in your business is critical to your success. Learn more about how cash truly moves through your business, how to prepare a cash flow budget and identify ways to put your working capital to work. Accountants, CFOs, controllers,  more...

Dealing with Employee Gambling in the Workplace BenefitsGambling is a billion dollar pastime that is enjoyed by millions of Americans, including groups of employees in the average workplace. The NCAA or Super Bowl office pool can increase morale, create camaraderie among co-workers and generally be a fun and exciting event, especially with the prospect for a lucky employee of a substantial monetary payout. Workplace gambling, however, also has  more...

Excel Formulas and Functions De-Mystified: Manage Your Excel Worksheets With Power and Confidence as You Master Formulas and Fun BenefitsAnyone using Excel invariably needs to create and understand how to use formulas and functions. For some Excel users, it is the centerpiece of what they do on daily basis. Many Excel formulas involve simple mathematical constructions using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but sometimes you need more complex formulas to reach an answer. Excel has more than 300 built-in  more...

Effective Job Rotation Programs: Development and Implementation ...h goals that do not flex or align with the organization's business strategy. Today, more than ever before, the survival and growth of your organization is dependent upon your ability as a talent management professional to attract, retain and keep top talent on the cutting edge of knowledge, driving significant improvements in the capability and capacity of your organization to innovate and  more...

Taxation Issues When Conducting Business With Native American Tribes ...an lands, a growing number of companies are looking to do business with Native American tribes, tribally-owned enterprises or businesses owned by tribal members. These ventures present significant legal challenges along with unique opportunities, particularly in the area of taxation. This teleconference examines the key federal, state and tribal tax issues facing companies that work with Native  more...

Current Issues in Attributional and Agency Nexus ...BenefitsA state's ability to impose taxes on a multistate business is limited by nexus standards rooted in the U.S. Constitution. In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed its longstanding rule and held in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota that nexus requires some form of physical presence in the taxing state. However, physical presence is not limited only to direct presence. It may also be  more...

Making Revisions to Closed Medical Records BenefitsMedical records contain some of the most sensitive and personal information that exists about individuals in modern society, and some closed records may need revision because of new information received or because of the requests of individuals to correct or modify existing information. When is it appropriate to make revisions, how and under what circumstances, and at whose request? This  more...

Automated Meter Reading and Advanced Metering Infrastructure: A Guide for Municipal Water and Energy Utilities ...business case for AMR/AMI? What does it take to have a successful advanced metering system project? Advanced metering systems are evolving to meet municipal needs for efficient customer service, infrastructure management and conservation. But, acquiring and successfully integrating automatic meter reading/advanced metering infrastructure presents unique challenges to municipal utilities.  more...

Effective Management of Off-Site Employees ...e has evolved from being a personal convenience to a good business strategy, and now taking our current economic challenges it is a business necessity. It has become an imperative to effectively manage employees who are not reporting daily to the normal work site. This 90-minute teleconference will discuss how to properly manage off-site employees, the pitfalls to telecommuting and the  more...

Product Development Metrics for Manufacturers: Measuring Your Productivity ...changed significantly over the past 30 years, while other business functions have undergone transformations. Globalization, business alliances and the need for improved organic innovation to gain strategic advantage are driving significant changes in measurement practices for innovative functions. Improvements in the science of management of these activities are on the fast track. Some  more...

Withholding of Taxes on Payments to Foreign Persons and Entities BenefitsIn an increasingly global society, many U.S. payors of items of income are unknowingly subject to withholding tax obligations for payments to foreign individuals and entities. Understanding the rules for withholding on these payments can reduce liability to the IRS. After this teleconference, you will be able to identify when income is subject to withholding, evaluate the proper procedures  more...

Employment Law Compliance: Disciplining or Terminating a Workers' Comp Claimant BenefitsWhether due to legitimate injury or goldbricking, there is no debating that employee absences cost employers in lost productivity, missed deadlines, supervisor stress and tension among co-workers who are required to pick up the slack. Often an employer's plan to discipline or discharge is put on hold when the employee goes out on leave. How can employers deal with these situations? This  more...

Pitfalls of Participant Loans in Retirement Plans BenefitsParticipant loans in a qualified employee benefit plan are a common problem area due to their complex administration. Plan sponsors of qualified employee benefit plans need to be aware of many pitfalls to avoid tax consequences. Even worse than tax consequences is the possibility of the entire plan losing its preferred tax status. This teleconference will explain the regulations of  more...

Major Issues in WiMAX Tower Leases and Zoning ...ions matters. It will also touch on some of the other key business issues in wireless site leases, including lease rates and who gets the revenues from additional antennas or carriers being co-located at a site. Learning Objectives You will be able to differentiate whether WiMAX antennas can be added to an existing tower under the current lease or whether a lease amendment and rent increase  more...

Creating and Using a Salary Increase Matrix BenefitsThis teleconference will discuss the concept, implementation and best practices associated with a merit matrix. Implementing a merit matrix is one of the easiest and most direct ways to link pay with performance and manage turnover. Sharing of pitfalls that many companies encounter when implementing a matrix and how to avoid them will be addressed. The teleconference will provide insight  more...

Pervious Concrete - The Pavement That Drinks! BenefitsPervious concrete is an innovative building material with many environmental, economic and structural advantages. The proper use of pervious concrete is a recognized best management practice by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for providing first-flush pollution control and storm water management. Property owners and developers can also reduce fees and enhance the bottom line by  more...

Understanding Business Valuations From Purpose to Product ...business valuation field is widely fragmented with a variety of specialized services, appraiser credentials, business valuation standards and business valuation deliverables. For this reason, the business valuation methods employed, products delivered and prices charged can vary widely depending on the purpose of the business valuation and the appraiser or firm engaged. Therefore, it is very  more...

Using Green Strategies for Your Business to Increase Your Profits ...uring this economic crisis, if not more so (source: World Business Council on Sustainable Development). Obama's Stimulus Plan is focused on green jobs and infrastructure. Monster.com surveys show that green is a critical talent retention strategy. Discover what is driving this wave toward green and sustainable products and services. Find out how your company can profit from this world-wide  more...

When Worlds Collide - Bankruptcy and Probate BenefitsUntil the U. S. Supreme Court's 2006 decision in Marshall v. Marshall, 547 U.S. 293 (2006), there was a common belief among many bankruptcy and probate practitioners that the so-called probate exception to federal jurisdiction served to prevent bankruptcy courts from adjudicating any matters that were related, even only slightly, to a probate estate. In giving a very narrow interpretation  more...

Social Networking in the Workplace: Policies, Monitoring and Discipline Issues BenefitsSocial networking via online tools such as MySpace , Facebook and Twitter has exploded in popularity over the last few years. According to an October 2008 survey, 51 percent of employees accessed social networks at least once per day at work; many of them did so for an hour or more per week. Despite these numbers and the risks inherent in employees using social networking tools, such as  more...

Buying and Selling Partnerships, LLCs and Other Similar Entities ...ts and obligations of their equity owners. But oftentimes business people and their advisors structure and negotiate purchases and sales of equity interests in alternative entities using concepts from the corporate model. Failing to account for the differences between the corporate model and the alternative entity model may result in transaction documents that do not accurately reflect the  more...

Creating a Payroll Manual: Putting Your Procedures into Writing BenefitsPayroll has always been complicated due to compliance issues but with addition of technology, payroll processes have become more involved. This has put payroll professionals in a position to get stuck in the 'get the payroll out' each week rut. This teleconference is going to help you create and write complete process documentation that would allow any associate in your department be able  more...

Collection Issues for Attorneys: Practical and Ethical Considerations ...d problems with getting paid is to establish an effective business intake system through investigation of the client, the use of engagement letters and adequate retainers. Also, intake is only the first step. The teleconference will explain how to effectively monitor client payments and proactively pursue collections. If those efforts do not result in payment, the teleconference will explore  more...

New Regulations for the Credit Card Industry: Prepare Now and Avoid Penalties BenefitsOn May 22, 2009, President Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 to regulate several aspects of the credit card industry. This is one of the most sweeping changes to hit the industry for quite some time. This new legislation amends the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, and places a  more...

Developing A Sound HR Metrics System BenefitsDoes your organization's HR metrics system fall short of expectations? How can we effectively measure the value that our employees bring to our organizations? How do we measure the effectiveness of our human resources department? Utilizing proper metrics and benchmarking can provide the answers to these questions. Attend this teleconference and learn the importance of demonstrating HR's  more...

Don't Bet the Company: Understanding and Avoiding Class Actions in Labor and Employment Law! BenefitsYou have all seen in the news media reports of companies settling employment-related class actions for many millions of dollars. The horror of class actions is that a small claim among a few employees can mushroom into a huge claim worth millions of dollars once some ferocious plaintiff's lawyers get their teeth into it and add hundreds of additional claims through the simple process of  more...

Do's and Don'ts for Internal Investigations of Employment Issues BenefitsAny prudent employer will want to investigate and, if necessary, remedy reported discrimination or harassment. In some states, a prompt investigation is legally required. This teleconference will provide you with valuable and practical advice on planning and conducting internal investigations, and assessing how to respond once the investigation is completed. Human resource professionals,  more...

ADA Update: Overview of Americans with Disabilities Act and Practical Implications for Employers BenefitsThe ADA Amendments Act of 2008 takes effect January 1, 2009. The new amendments substantially alter and expand the definition of disabled under the ADA and who might be protected. This teleconference will review the ADA amendments and related issues, provide you with practical advice on how to comply with the ADA, and address common ADA and employment issues that may be impacted by the new  more...

Combating Rising Construction Costs ...an you avoid being the one who pays? A savvy construction business person can take many steps along the way to apportion the risks of construction in a way to ensure that his or her company avoids getting stuck with the bill for escalating costs. Some of the most important tools at your disposal come into play before construction begins, and some come into play during construction requiring  more...

Managing External Health Information BenefitsMany health care providers remain frustrated and uncertain about how to handle external health information. This information may come in the form of unsolicited health information - i.e., information that is volunteered by patients or by other health care providers, either at the time the patient arrives for treatment or thereafter - and in some cases even after the patient has been  more...

Show Me the Money: Determining Return on Investment for People, Projects and Programs Benefits'Show me the money!' is the mantra of the day. Senior leaders in private sector, public sector, and social sector organizations want to see value for investments made in people, projects and programs. This value, more than ever before, is defined in terms of return on investment. Until you can produce solid, verifiable numbers that prove the worth of investments, you may never gain the  more...

Storm Water Best Management Practice (BMP) Inspection and Maintenance BenefitsAvoid costly permit violations and problems meeting storm water discharge benchmark criteria with proper inspection and maintenance of BMPs. Storm water best management practices require regular inspections and maintenance to ensure long-term proper function. Inspections are the most effective way to detect and avoid potential problems before they become a liability. This teleconference  more...

Infection Control Programs ...tive nature of successful improvement processes. Lorman Business Center, Inc. dba Lorman Education Services is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Program Committee, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This program qualifies for 1.5 contact hours.  more...

How Letters of Credit Work and Why Sometimes They Don't BenefitsThis teleconference will walk you through the steps in the life of a letter of credit, identifying pitfalls along the way. The teleconference will review and illustrate fundamental principles using real-life examples. Our presenter will explain how these principles apply to both commercial and standby letters of credit and how these two types differ. In particular, you'll learn why letters  more...

Collection Techniques for Landlords ...eipt of rent and other tenant charges is the key to their business. However, as a result of the recent economic downturn, fewer commercial tenants are making these payments on time and in full. Most leases specifically outline collection techniques and security mechanisms (such as security deposits and guaranties), but landlords are finding that these techniques and mechanisms are insufficient  more...

Best Practices to Manage Your Multistate Payroll BenefitsPayroll personnel are continually faced with legal and practical challenges associated with employee benefits, overtime, nonexempt employee requirements, employee bonus payments, confusing payroll forms, etc. Not only do you have to know your own state laws but often times neighboring state laws if you have employees across state lines. The taxability of employee benefits is confusing and  more...

Form 990 And Unrelated Business Income BenefitsThis teleconference will involve a detailed discussion of Form 990, including tips and traps. If you are involved with 990s, you know the effort it takes to complete the form accurately. With renewed emphasis on the filing due to congressional attention and IRS audit activity, this teleconference will go through the respective parts of the form in detail, and provide tips on completing the  more...

Paperless Payroll: Essentials to a Seamless Transition BenefitsIn today's economic environment, every organization is looking to reduce costs. Paperless processes have the potential to be a healthy boost to the bottom line without eliminating employees. The notion of paperless payroll has come a long way since the introduction of direct deposit in the 1970's, but despite the advances, most companies are still distributing paper checks, pay advices and  more...

Surface Parking Lots Development and Design BenefitsThis teleconference will be of great benefit to architects, engineers, developers and contractors. You will learn how to acquire a potential property, how to design and maintain surface parking lots. This teleconference will not only devote time to surface features, such as pavements, drainage and striping, it will also discuss the importance of paying attention to soil preparation and  more...

Effective Auditing of Physicians' Notes BenefitsPhysician documentation and subsequent charge capture of physician services is becoming more complex and scrutinized than ever before. Join us for this teleconference during which we will teach you how to audit physician notes from your own practice. We will cover all aspects of coding for evaluation and management services, and the appropriate documentation of these services. We will  more...

Controlling Health Care Costs With Self-Funded Plan Options BenefitsThis teleconference will address questions an employer must answer when deciding to switch from a fully insured health plan arrangement to a self-insured arrangement. The speaker will cover different self-insured health plan options, for example, preferred provider, HMO, health savings accounts and health reimbursement arrangements. The importance of choosing a third-party administrator  more...

Business Combinations and Goodwill: What Is the Latest With Fair Value? ...ong with the FASB's proposed revision of its Statement on Business Combinations (SFAS 141R), fair value measurements may change the way acquiring companies report the acquisition on its financial statements. These changes could ultimately impact deal pricing and structure. Fair value measurements often require the use of outside valuation specialists. This teleconference will help management of  more...

Understanding the New Penalties for Tax Preparers nSignificant changes have been made to the preparer penalty of IRC §6694 since 2007. The standard of care needed to avoid the penalty has been raised, the penalty is greater and the reach of the penalty is broader. In addition, there are various other penalties and rules of conduct you must be aware of and new guidance has been issued in several of these areas in the past year. It is imperative  more...

Managing Employees' Pre-Existing Conditions: Strategies for Reducing Injury Losses nBy attending this teleconference, you will learn the fundamentals of managing employees with pre-existing health conditions. In addition to an understanding of the interplay between federal laws prohibiting discrimination against health conditions and state workers' compensation laws, you will learn the nuances of distinguishing between pre-existing conditions and new work-related injuries. Learn  more...

Introduction to New ICD-10 Coding: Preparing for Implementation nThe International Classification of Disease and Operations, Ninth Edition has out-lived its usefulness for capturing morbidity and mortality amongst the world population. Most developed nations transitioned to ICD-10 several years ago, but because of the tie of ICD-9-CM to payments in the United States there have been a series of delays in the US implementation. As the US moves a lightening speed  more...

Statement on Auditing Standards No. 104 - No. 111 Risk Assessment Standards ...ince the majority of auditors may be working with smaller businesses, this teleconference will include situations encountered with companies that have limited controls and suggestions to meet the standards in this environment. n nFor nonauditors (for example controllers and CFOs), suggestions will be provided to implement controls using cost effective measures. This will include methods to  more...

Benchmarking your Health Benefit Program: How Do You Stack Up? nInformation is power. You can increase your competitiveness by knowing the kinds and the quality of health insurance other employers are offering. Measuring your health plan against meaningful benchmarks will help fuel your strategies not only for reducing cost, but also for recruiting, employee retention and health plan design. n nThis teleconference will work through several methods to  more...

Paid Sick Leave Update: Policies and Procedures in an Evolving Workplace nMany employers voluntarily provide their employees with paid sick leave. Increasingly, however, states and localities are dictating that employers allow employees to use these voluntarily-provided paid sick leave benefits for reasons beyond those covered by the employer's program. In some cases, states and localities have begun to mandate that employers provide employees with a minimum paid sick  more...

Pervious Pavement Alternatives nPorous pavements are becoming one of the most important tools for meeting nonpoint source pollution goals, building low-impact developments and rehabilitating cities in a sustainable manner. However designers, developers and municipal officials are reluctant to use porous pavements until numerous questions about their practicality and feasibility are answered. This teleconference conveys the  more...

Structuring and Drafting Conservation Easements nCreating a conservation easement can be complicated and the failure to consider the effects of possible pitfalls can be devastating. This teleconference will provide you with the legalities of creating a conservation easement and establish what the priorities are when it comes to structuring and drafting them. You will gain an appreciation for the complexities of crafting a form of conservation  more...

Construction Contract Accounting: A Three-Dimensional Look at the Numbers nFinancial reports do more than help you comply with the terms of the contract. Financial reporting can help you become more profitable by giving you the information you need to make smart management decisions. This teleconference will discuss three types of accounting - financial, tax and internal/management. Learn how to combine the different methods to get a three-dimensional view of your  more...

Staying Compliant with the Medicare Incident-To Rules nAt a time when every medical practice dollar counts, the Medicare incident-to billing rules can enable physicians to capture revenue from common services performed by office staff. The incident-to rules, while simple on their face, can be complex in their application and failing to follow each element of the rules can result in overpayments and even false claims liability. Knowing the rules and  more...

Utilizing Settlement and Severance Packages Properly nFor HR professionals and CFOs, this teleconference is a must. As companies face ongoing reductions in force, mass layoffs and performance-based terminations, this teleconference will tell you what you need to do in planning terminations both as reductions in force and other terminations. You will learn how to decide the appropriate severance and what should be contained in the severance agreement  more...

Construction Site Hazard Prevention ...Penalties can be quite severe and may also result in lost business. Although most companies have detailed safety programs, translation of requirements to field activities may not be consistent. The most difficult aspect of establishing an effective safety plan involves the establishment of proactive hazard recognition and accident prevention systems. We all want our workers to go home at the  more...

An Introduction to Contract Basics nContracts govern the basic business and commercial relationships of most of us, yet for many the basics of contract law remain a mystery. There is often misinformation about such simple questions as "Is a handshake enough?" or "Do all the boilerplate terms of a contract really matter?" This teleconference will address these and many more issues surrounding the formation and enforcement of  more...

Preventing Workers' Compensation Abuse nNationwide, workers' compensation abuse costs the insurance industry billions of dollars each year. It is sometimes called "The Hidden Tax" because each of us absorbs these monies in the costs of goods and services each year. This teleconference will give you a better understanding of workers' compensation abuse, keys to a successful investigation and how to avoid claim pitfalls. This  more...

Writing an Employee Handbook nAre you overwhelmed with the task of revising your existing employee handbook or of preparing a new employee handbook? Are you unclear about what types of employment policies are required by federal law? Stop worrying and attend this teleconference. You will learn which policies are required by law and what employment laws apply to employee handbooks. Take the first step to creating your employee  more...

Smoking Discrimination in the Workplace: On and Off the Clock ...the employer's property line, and that an employer has no business regulating whether applicants or employees smoke off-duty, away from the employer's premises. They caution that if an employer can regulate an individual's off-duty smoking habits at home or even on vacation, the "slippery slope" could lead to an employer's regulating employees' eating habits, exercise programs and other aspects  more...

Successfully Maneuvering the Tax Maze of Amortization Rules nEfforts to simplify the rules on capitalization and amortization of intangible assets and benefits have resulted in a few lengthy sets of regulations that are often not easy to remember or apply. This teleconference provides a framework for identifying and applying the tax rules for the acquisition and creation of intangible assets, as well as costs to facilitate such transactions. Special  more...

Developing an Effective Property Management Plan nThe world of real estate and finance has changed dramatically. Are you interested in making more money? Having more free time? Living life with less stress? If you are a professional HOA property or community manager, or if you are thinking of becoming a HOA property manager, you will want to know what's new in property management. Become acquainted with the newest technology and how you can  more...

California Employment Law Update nCompanies with employees in California face a bewildering and complicated set of employment laws, which are often inconsistent with federal law. This three-hour teleconference will address the most important and current issues facing California employers (or out-of-state companies with employees in California), including wage and hour compliance and litigation trends, California's unique  more...

Drafting Trusts in Estate Planning nEstate tax laws keep changing. Did you know that even though the estate tax exemption is predicted to stay at $3.5 million the lifetime gift tax exemption will stay at $1 million, leaving the door open to reduce the estate tax exemption back down to $1 million when Congress tries to balance the budget in a few years? In addition to estate taxes, clients' families need protection from probate, bad  more...

Supplemental Wage Payments: Common Withholding Guidelines nThis teleconference will assist you in evaluating your current income tax withholding practices to facilitate compliance with IRS regulatory changes and will offer practical tips to help ease administrative burdens. The program will educate you with respect to the issues involved in determining when wage payments should be classified as supplemental wages or regular wages, and the applicable  more...

SAS 70 Requirements, Obligations, and Audit Survival Best Practices nToday's regulatory requirements are forcing corporate customers to become more aware of their vendors' internal controls and security than ever before. Maintaining an up-to-date SAS 70 report based on an audit of the effectiveness your organization's control objectives and activities can help satisfy these customers' concerns. To successfully navigate the SAS 70 audit process, it is important to  more...

Presenteeism: Measurement and Intervention Issues for Employers and Health Plans ...uctivity is fast becoming an even more vital issue to the business world. Presenteeism, or work loss due to underlying health conditions when individuals remain at work, is one important facet of productivity. One study found that approximately 6 percent of a global company's total compensation (salaries, wages and all benefit costs) were lost due to presenteeism. Work site wellness programs  more...

AIA Document A312 Payment Bond Forms ...orm and to modify the bonds in a way that will meet their business objectives. Particular attention will be paid to the 45-Day Rule modifications approved by the AIA and certain major sureties and to potential conflicts between bond terms and your contract terms. In the current credit crunch, the teleconference will also provide a primer on bankruptcy issues that may arise in the context of  more...

Demand-Side Water Conservation Initiatives ...eliable water supplies. These circumstances are impacting businesses, homeowners, and the health and security of our modern existence. Brown and Caldwell is helping utilities, government agencies and private companies nationwide develop effective solutions to manage increasing water demands with dwindling water resources. Our team has a proven track record in water conservation and drought  more...

Why Is This Guy Still on My Health Plan? nThis teleconference will cast light on an area many employers overlook but which has the potential to create significant exposure - that is, failing to coordinate a company's leave policies with the eligibility and termination provisions of its benefit plans. This results many times in inactive employees (inactive usually because of a disability or other leave of absence) lingering on employer's  more...

Tenancies in Common - Legal and Practical Issues nDuring the last five years, the tenant-in-common offering industry has grown to approximately $5 billion in annual equity raised. While specific data is hard to find, industry experts estimate that between $10 billion and $12 billion has been raised and spread across more than 2,000 offerings. In the last year, the number of materially under-performing TIC transactions has increased. As the  more...

7 Questions to Ask When Establishing Cause for Disciplining and Terminating Employees nThis teleconference will focus on understanding and implementing a simple, yet comprehensive approach to investigating and documenting potential disciplinary and termination actions. You will learn seven questions to establish cause for discipline or termination, as well as why proper investigation and documentation minimizes potential for the filing of discrimination claims, decreases settlement  more...

Understanding Pregnancy Leave and Return to Work Issues nUnder federal and state law, employers must not treat pregnant employees any differently from other employees. But, what exactly does this mean? Questions often arise as to how much leave a woman may take, what her rights are when she is on leave and what rights does she have when she returns to work. Employers often times are unwittingly violating the law. This teleconference will help you avoid  more...

FDIC's Role When a Financial Institution Fails: What Businesses and Bankers Need to Know ...business processes and procedures for determining deposit insurance coverage in the event of a failure of one of the largest insured depository institutions. This teleconference will provide you with information on the complex rules governing FDIC insurance coverage and how to maximize FDIC coverage. The coverage rules, the new rules recently passed and strategies that can be employed for  more...

Valuation for Gift and Estate Tax Purposes in a Troubled Economy nWhether we are in a recession or depression, the values of assets are not what they once were. If you are contemplating whether to consider gift and estate tax planning or executing a plan, what will the impact of this troubled economy be on your tax valuations? This teleconference provides up-to-date guidance on current market conditions, and evolving valuation industry practices and techniques  more...

Patients' Rights Update ...rovide guidance into managing these situations. n nLorman Business Center, Inc. dba Lorman Education Services is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Program Committee, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. n nThis program qualifies for 1.5 contact  more...

Successful Strategies for Controlling Workers' Compensation Costs ...ng workers' compensation insurance is a necessary cost of business, but how do you stop the costs from spinning out of control? An effective workers' compensation program will utilize the available remedies to achieve the goals of reducing injuries, reducing benefit payment and reducing unsuccessful litigation results. This 90-minute teleconference will review the myths and misconceptions about  more...

Brownfield Redevelopment and LEED. in 2009 - What Happens When You Mix Green and Brown? ...nfields. Many professionals in the real estate investment business have witnessed how the redevelopment of brownfields has increased over time due to the market realizing the ability to make a return on investment on contaminated properties. In effect, the value of a cleaned-up property is no longer stigmatized by experienced investors and developers because of our mature position on the  more...

2009 Updates to the International Residential Codes nSignificant changes to the 2009 International Residential Code lie ahead for many in the construction industry. Some of the changes will be controversial as jurisdictions will have to choose whether or not to adopt the new codes, such as residential fire code provisions, as system manufacturers and installers work to keep up with the mandates. Some professionals view the changes as unnecessary,  more...

Tax and Practical Aspects of Business Succession Planning ...businesses are often as important to the owners of that business as are their own children. With business failures increasing in today's economic environment, the importance of a well planned, dynamic and long-term succession plan is vital to the continuation of the family business as it is passes from generation to generation. Tax considerations are one part of that plan, but should not take  more...

Effective Utilization of Employee Waivers nEffective employee waivers establish employee expectations and protect employers from liability for employment-related claims such as discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as contract claims and tort claims such as defamation and invasion of privacy. Pre-employment waivers put employees on notice of employment screens such as background checks and drug testing. During employment,  more...

Understanding the New GFE and HUD-1/IA Settlement Statements nEffective January 1, 2010, all residential mortgage loan originators will have to change their loan origination forms and procedures to comply with a new rule recently adopted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The new rule dramatically changes both the Good Faith Estimate and the HUD-1 and HUD-1A Uniform Settlement Statements required by the federal Real Estate Settlement  more...

FDCPA Claims Based on Collection Letters ...collection of debts and judgments is a challenge for most businesses even when the economy is healthy. However, during times of economic slowdown and recession, you will face a higher volume of slow-pay and no-pay problems with both vendors and customers. This teleconference is designed to provide an overview of the Federal Fair Debt Practices Act; an explanation of key terms and definitions  more...

Labor Law Update: Preparing for Upcoming Regulations nAttend this teleconference and learn the new laws and strategies regarding a variety of employment-related laws that are in effect or are expected to be in effect for 2009. From the new COBRA rules, FMLA regulations, EFCA and union initiatives, issues involving wage and hour and independent contractors, the latest drug and alcohol testing, confidentiality and security of personnel data,  more...

Form I-9: Updates and Compliance Strategies for Employers nThe Department of Homeland Security recently issued new employment verification rules and Form I-9. Join us as we examine these changes. A wide range of Form I-9 issues and compliance tips will be addressed, including E-Verify program considerations.  more...

Medical Records: Responding to Subpoenas and Investigations nDon't be caught off guard. You could be breaching the confidentiality of patients without even realizing it! n nFrom HIPAA requirements to state privacy laws, legal issues abound in the medical records arena. If you're not up to date on medical records law, your company could face serious legal and financial liability risks. Attend this teleconference and gain critical information on  more...

Utilizing Congestion Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion and Generate Infrastructure Revenue nMany states and metropolitan areas are faced with increasing traffic congestion along with inadequate sources of transportation revenue to address transportation investment needs. After completing this teleconference, you will improve your understanding of the ability of congestion pricing to address both congestion reduction and revenue generation objectives. You will be able to describe some of  more...

Preparing for the International Financial Reporting Standard ...rests of investors and companies. Given the strategic and business issues related to conversion, as well as the investment of time necessary to transition a company to a new accounting language, IFRS should be an area of focus for most companies. n nAlthough there is time to take a measured approach, companies should keep the proposed timetable in mind as they make their plans. For example,  more...

Doing Business in Texas? An Overview of the Texas Margin Tax nFor decades, the Texas Franchise Tax remained virtually unchanged. Once equipped with the knowledge that Texas limited partnerships were not taxable, many companies saw little need to delve further into the details of the tax. Beginning with reports due in 2008 all this has changed with the revised Texas Franchise Tax, known as the Texas Margin Tax by everyone but the Texas Comptroller's Office.  more...

Managing And Disciplining Unsafe Employees - A Cornerstone Of An Effective Safety Program ...g and disciplining unsafe employees on the success of any business. Part of the discussion will examine the potential detrimental impact of ignoring unsafe employees can have on a company and the possible civil and criminal liability that can occur. This teleconference will examine the policies and procedures that need to be in place to deal with these issues. Another part of the discussion  more...

The New HIPAA Special Enrollment Rules and Related Disclosure Issues nRecently enacted legislation expands the special enrollment rights currently applicable to group health plans and imposes new notice and disclosure obligations for employers that maintain such plans. While many of these obligations are not effective until after 2009, the special enrollment changes are effective April 1, 2009. In addition, the new law imposes civil penalties of up to $100 a day  more...

Payment Fraud ...business owner, how do you know your customers are who they say they are? How do you know if the payments they are making to you, using credit cards or ACH, are good? Fraud is on the rise, with a tough economy and the abundance of malware in the market today, it is only a matter of time before your company becomes a target. As a business owner you need to understand the signs to look for that  more...

Establishing Payment Arrangements: Beyond Net 30 ...businesses have slow or nonpaying customers. How can you collect that money efficiently and quickly and keep that money coming in? The credit crisis, high fuel costs, job losses, bankruptcies, foreclosures and the failing economy are all contributing to factories closing, job loss and business owners going out of business because they can't get paid. Maximize your in-house receivables, learn  more...

Responding to an EEO Charge nThe most effective way to avoid an EEOC charge is to make sure you have appropriate anti-discriminatory policies in place and that all employees understand those policies. Prevention and awareness are areas employers should focus on when dealing with employee discrimination issues. If the worst case scenario happens, this teleconference will tell you how to protect your company when an EEOC  more...

FASB Statement 157 - Fair Value Update on Corporate Asset Valuation nOver the past 12 months we've seen unprecedented turmoil in the financial services industry, capital markets and global economy. Perhaps an overused term, but "perfect storm" seems like an apt descriptor for the economic events of 2008. While implementing changes mandated by FASB 157 could be challenging for companies - and has been in some cases - the rule aims to make it easier to communicate  more...

IRS Form W-9 and W-8 Series: Payee Identification and Tax Determination ... IRS regarding payments to individuals and other types of business entities. The most common are the 1099 series used to report payments to contractors, dividends, interest, real estate transactions, etc. Form W-9 requires payees or recipients to complete the form and provide their taxpayer information. W-9 is used for U.S. citizens and residents. In the event the payee recipient is a foreign  more...

Education-Based Marketing Techniques nIn this fast-paced teleconference, you'll discover how to magnetically attract new customers into your business, while maintaining the dignity, professionalism and respect you deserve. If you're an independent professional, business development manager, sales representative or small business owner, or if you have the responsibility to bring in new business, then this is a must-attend event.  more...

Internal ERISA Audits: Getting It Right Before the Government Shows Up nEmployee benefits plans are subject to a large number of requirements imposed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and by other laws such as the Internal Revenue Code. Failure to comply with these complex and ever-changing requirements could lead to substantial penalties or even the meltdown of the plan. This teleconference will highlight a number of these requirements and show you how  more...

Preparing for and Properly Reacting To Legal and Illegal Drug and Alcohol Use in the Workplace nDrug and alcohol abuse continues to have a huge impact on employee productivity and safety. At the same time, recognizing drug and alcohol abuse is outside the expertise of most managers and human resource personnel, while dealing with the problem improperly can lead to significant liability under federal and law, including the Americans With Disabilities Act and employee privacy laws. This  more...

Managed Care Contracting and Fee Schedule Review nMany practice administrators are charged with the task of negotiating managed care contracts for their practices. This responsibility is generally an inherited function from their predecessor. Most do not understand how to compute an equitable fee schedule or track contract performance. This teleconference will help you understand methods for tracking to performance and how first to establish a  more...

Handling Federal Garnishments from Receipt to Termination nNearly every employer at one time or another has received a garnishment, whether for taxes, child support or general creditors. Failing to follow garnishment laws can be very costly for employers, and thus it is critical to carefully follow the requirements of any garnishment. This teleconference will explain the different kinds of garnishments under federal law and their use and limitations. It  more...

Stemming the Tide: 10 Best Practices for Litigation Expense Management nNew rules governing e-discovery, a continued increase in corporate reliance on electronic data and growing sophistication of plaintiffs' counsel have all combined to result in skyrocketing litigation costs with no end to this growth in sight. This comes at a time when pressure from business clients to reduce the cost of legal services is at an all time high. This teleconference will suggest 10  more...

Understand and Interpret Financial Statements nIn 90 information-packed minutes, you will gain the essential knowledge you need to read and interpret financial statements. First, you will learn what the major financial statements - the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement - tell you about an organization and how they tie together. You will examine the concepts behind the major sections in the financial statements, such as  more...

Unrelated Business Income Tax - Tax Information for Charities and Other Nonprofits ...e more sophisticated and active in the arena of unrelated business income tax. The result of noncompliance can be disastrous in terms of revenue and reputational loss to the organization. The IRS has the ability to assess penalties, sanctions and even revoke the nonprofit status of the organization. This teleconference will enable you to address some of the old and new issues that currently  more...

Supply Chain Strategies in a Down Economy ...he best price for the goods and services that enable your business? Do you have an understanding of your key suppliers' financial condition? Are you matching what you are buying to what you really need to be successful? Do you have visibility into your spend? Are you actively working with your end users and suppliers to drive costs out of the process? These are just some of the strategies that  more...

Form 706: Estate Tax Return Fundamentals nAmericans have been able to accumulate wealth. It is estimated more than $10 trillion dollars in wealth will be transferred over the next 15 years. If a person has been fortunate to amass significant wealth, the government imposes a tax when the person transfers their wealth at death. In 2009, if a person's gross estate plus adjusted taxable gifts equals or exceeds $3.5 million in value, a Form  more...

Effective Exit Interviews nMost employers are always looking for ways to improve employee relations, attract new employees and retain the ones they have. But how do you know what to do to improve if you don't know what employees are looking for or why they are leaving? n nImplemented properly, a good exit interview program can provide an employer with a host of valuable information that can be used to improve its employee  more...

Tax and Estate Planning for Clients Relocating to Florida nThis timely teleconference will highlight the legal and tax impact of a client relocating to Florida. Certainly the appeal of Florida's great weather can be too much to resist for some, but the move has consequences. Tax laws in Florida are generally much more favorable than the laws of the state the client is departing. Similarly, the laws impacting asset protection planning are generally more  more...

Paycheck Calculation Basics nThis is an excellent teleconference for those new at withholding payroll taxes or for those who need a refresher course. You will learn tips on how and why to determine if the worker is exempt or nonexempt. We will cover the calculation of and the maximum deductions for Social Security and Medicare taxes in 2009. n nThere are multiple methods of calculating federal withholding, which one should  more...

What Every Business Person Needs to Know About Legal Issues in Contracts ...businesses enter into contracts thinking they know precisely what they want to accomplish and what they have agreed to. All too often this is not actually the case. Written agreements may not reflect what a business believes it negotiated. Parties may later recall terms different from what seems to be reflected in the initial agreement. And all too often, the legal boilerplate terms turn out to  more...

Workplace Flexibility: Innovative Strategies for an Evolving Workforce ...an workforce have changed dramatically. In response, many businesses have turned to workplace flexibility in order to recruit and retain the best workers, boost productivity and increase their competitive advantage. At the same time, policymakers in Washington have been exploring various approaches for increasing access to workplace flexibility across industries and professions. n nThis  more...

Roundabouts: Planning, Design Principles and Current Practices nAlthough roundabouts have proven safety and operational benefits, proper planning and engineering design is essential for roundabouts to function correctly. This brief, yet practical, teleconference is your opportunity to better understand modern roundabouts and their installation, learn specific design skills and current practices, and apply roundabout design principles to projects in your  more...

Purchasing Contract Disputes ...business disputes. This teleconference will help you plan and implement a practical strategy to minimize the business interruptions (and costs) that can occur when purchasing contract disputes occur - and turn potential career-limiting purchasing disasters in 2009 into success stories. This introductory course will help you understand how such disputes arise, how to avoid them and how to deal  more...

401(k) Plan Costs Including Recent Update on Supreme Court Rule LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates Inc. nUnhappy employees, U.S. Department of Labor investigations, IRS investigations, massive class action lawsuits - an ever-expanding list of factors bombards sponsors of 401(k) plans and places companies and their management potentially in the cross hairs. From Enron, Worldcom and Sarbanes-Oxley, to the more recent massive class actions filed against Fortune 500 companies regarding 401(k) plan  more...

The Do's and Don'ts of Telephone Monitoring ...ployee telephone conversations as a routine part of doing business. This monitoring must comply not only with the federal wiretap statute, but with a variety of differing requirements imposed by state statutes. Since courts in California have changed the rules for telephone monitoring for anyone who makes a call into California and other states with mutual consent rules may follow suit, it is  more...

Strategies for Successful Mixed Use Development nThe ideals and realty of mixed use as the preferred urban form are still in their relative infancy as part of the 21st century development vocabulary. Ironically, the ideals behind the tremendous push for this development form harken back to the urban fabric of our oldest cities. The driving factors behind the attraction to the mixed use model include current trends and attitudes toward a more  more...

Designing Effective Interest Rate Risk Management in Turbulent Times nThe current market has created challenges in managing risks while making a profit. Our tools for risk measurement were in place to help us take action to avoid as much of the impact as possible; yet a review of bank interest margins in the wake of massive rate reductions shows that bankers have a ways to go when using the interest rate risk information to make decisions. n nDuring this  more...

New Technology and the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act nThis teleconference will provide you with information regarding the interplay between the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the use of new technology in contacting debtors. The speakers will cover the use of voicemails, caller ID, emails, text messages and faxes, and discuss recent case law addressing the application of this technology to the debt  more...

Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes (UDIPTA): Business vs. Nonbusiness Income Tax ...business under the principles contained in the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act, state courts and taxing authorities have interpreted that set of relatively uniform laws differently, especially with regard to the definition of business income. The differing interpretations of business income have increased significance to multistate businesses that are in the process of selling  more...

Estate Planning Opportunities in an Uncertain Environment nMotivate the reluctant client; freeze the estate value to reduce the estate tax load. How many of us have clients waiting on the sidelines to decide what to do after experiencing 2008? The uncertain times and uncertain market have actually created the perfect time to use some of the advanced planning tools in the estate planner's arsenal. Depressed values for good assets open up the opportunity  more...

Workers' Compensation Settlements nSometimes a workers' compensation case is litigated until conclusion, but many times the parties prefer settlement. This comprehensive teleconference will provide a summary of the do's and don'ts of settlements, what to consider, what to avoid, and how to most effectively ensure that you have considered every issue and have minimized your loss prior to signing on the dotted line.  more...

Multistate Sales Tax Issues for Contractors nAttendance at this teleconference will assist you in understanding who and what is subject to sales and use taxes, including who is responsible for collecting the sales tax or paying the use tax, e.g., who is the ultimate consumer, the differences between real and personal property, the taxation of repairs and repair services, and the taxation of intangibles such as warranties. Without an  more...

Updating and Maintaining Wills, Trusts and Estate Plans for the Evolving Client nThis teleconference has two primary focuses. The first part will highlight issues and opportunities for a drafting attorney to revisit and update an existing client's estate plan or prepare an update for a new client with existing documents. This part will focus on when and why clients need to review and revisit their estate plans and how to spot those issues for existing and potential clients.  more...

Current Issues in Construction Lending ...ers has shifted to portfolio management as opposed to new business development. With this in mind, this teleconference will review loan portfolio techniques and strategies required to stay on top of troubled borrowers who cannot sell their products. Some of the techniques include performing adequate interest carry analysis, understanding your rights afforded in the Construction Loan Agreement,  more...

Best Practices in Purchasing Software ...nNegotiating software licenses can be frustrating for the business owner. Once you get past the 10-point, double column format of most vendors' license forms, you begin to understand that there are no standard terms and conditions for licensing software - each deal is unique. This teleconference will help the person responsible for evaluating, purchasing and maintaining enterprise-wide software  more...

Share-Based Compensation - Impact of Recent Events on the Use of Equity Compensation nExecutive compensation continues to be a hot topic across many industries. Recent changes in share-based compensation rules, principally the changes to Financial Accounting Standards 123(R) [FAS 123(R)], and market uncertainty and declines have led to significant changes in how companies and executives view the role and the value of equity as part of an overall compensation package. Join our  more...

Avoid Wrongful Termination Lawsuits: Strategies to Keep Your Managers Out of Legal Trouble nThis teleconference will review tried-and-true methods for eliminating employment litigation risks, will build managers' confidence in dealing with a range of common-place employee issues, and sharpen their understanding of workplace practices and policies which will dramatically reduce exposure to litigation risks for themselves and their companies.  more...

Form W4: Impact on Payroll nThis teleconference will clear up questions on the effects of filing status and exemption on payroll checks, how to handle exempt forms, time allowance for making changes, where to locate new forms, how frequently the employees should complete forms and how long employers must retain them. We will include a quick review of Form W-4P, W4-SP and W-4S and discuss which states accept Form W-4 for  more...

Criminal Liabilities Under HIPAA-Who Knew You Could Go to Prison? nMany hospitals, physician offices and other covered entities have been surprised to learn that HIPAA rules provide for criminal penalties - up to 10 years in prison for intentional violations! Health plans, health care clearinghouses, health care providers and Medicare prescription drug card sponsors may be prosecuted criminally for HIPAA violations. n nWith ID theft on the rise, prosecutors are  more...

The Streamlined Sales Tax Project - How and Why It Affects Your Business nThe Streamlined Sales Tax Project is an effort by state representatives to implement a national uniform, simplified system of sales and use tax compliance. After more than five years of their efforts, the Simplified Sales and Use Tax Agreement came into effect on October 1, 2005. The SSTP now includes 19 full member states and three associate member states. Although initially taking effect as a  more...

Conducting Successful HR Audits ... audits to help them align human resource management with business objectives, to measure the impact and results of HR activities, to assist in performing due diligence and to help ensure compliance. To help you improve the effectiveness of your HR auditing activity, this teleconference reviews and discusses current HR auditing techniques, techniques of employment practices risk assessment, key  more...

Current Trends in Green Lending ...sing market slow down get you down. Learn an exciting new business opportunity while aiding the environment. Green lending, also known as Energy Efficient Mortgages, have been around for more than decade but have been seldom used. With the growing concerns over the nation's addiction to imported oil and climate change there is a new push to create a greater market demand for this feature. This  more...

Lease vs. Buy: Choosing the Best Option ...business equipment through lease programs or by purchases is one of the most difficult and important decisions faced by businesses every day. Making the wrong choice can not only result in economic loss but significant disruption of business, loss of time and opportunity. This teleconference will provide you with a comparison of the benefits and pitfalls of financing business equipment through  more...

Employee Retaliation: Supreme Court Update nThe mere mention of retaliation in the workplace today sends waves of concern throughout an employer's organization. Most recent court decisions recognize retaliation claims in nearly all areas of employment law and find adverse actions in a variety of circumstances, beyond demotion and termination, for purposes of upholding such claims. Most significantly, the U.S. Supreme Court recently  more...

Reducing Insulin Errors ... characteristics of a safety conscious culture. n nLorman Business Center, Inc. dba Lorman Education Services, Eau Claire, Wisconsin is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Program Committee, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. n nThis program  more...

Investing IRAs and Qualified Plan Rollovers in Real Estate, Franchises, Start-Ups and Other Private Investments - Techniques and ...nvestments by investing directly in real estate and small businesses that they may intend to manage or otherwise be personally involved in. This trend has accelerated in recent years as syndicators, entrepreneurs, private fund managers and franchisors have come to view IRAs and qualified plan rollovers as sources of capital. This raises significant policy and enforcement issues for government  more...

What the New Ledbetter Pay Act Means for Employers nOn January 29, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, effectively changing the landscape of the statute of limitations for equal pay discrimination claims. The act greatly expands the amount of time that employees have to bring claims of discriminatory pay practices, which could have a substantial impact on employers. This teleconference will help the  more...

Using Medical Certifications to Minimize Employer Liability: FMLA, ADA and Workers' Comp nSince the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, proactive and proper use of medical certifications has proven to be a valuable tool to protect employers from liability under the ADA, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1994, and state workers' compensation statutes. But the legal landscape for managing employee health issues has had many changes in recent months. Amendments to the  more...