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What You Should Know Before Hiring a Federal Workers Compensation Attorney

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | What You Should Know Before Hiring a Federal Workers Compensation AttorneyIf you sustain an injury at work, you will likely need the services of a federal worker’s compensation attorney to ensure that you receive the medical treatment and financial benefits you need and deserve. But what should you know before you hire a federal worker’s compensation lawyer?

Getting a disability rating from a doctor is not guaranteed by the workers’ compensation carrier

If your workplace has a medical network, you can take advantage of this service. You will have access to a doctor, and your employer’s health insurance provider may pay for the visit. It is particularly true if the incident included not your fault. Often, you can also opt to get treatment from a doctor not affiliated with your employer. Regardless of who pays the bill, the patient has a better shot at a speedy recovery.

The workers’ compensation system offers many other benefits, like income, rehabilitation, and medical care. Regarding the medical component, you can choose from a local doctor pool or an out-of-town specialist. Regardless of who your doctor is, you should always keep a copy of your medical records. Also, ensure you have your doctor’s contact information handy so that you can be on your way to recovery. It would be best to ask your physician about other medical services, such as workman’s comp and life insurance.

Form CA-1 is a notice of (1) traumatic injury and (2) initiates the claim for compensation

If you work for the government, you must notify your supervisor as soon as you become ill or injured. It is vital to comply with health and safety laws and regulations. In addition, employees must seek medical attention immediately.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Department of Labor Administration (OWCP) require employers to follow specific guidelines for reporting workplace injuries. They also encourage all supervisors to provide first aid for injured workers and to file compensation claims.

A worker’s compensation claim must be filed within 30 days of the traumatic injury or occupational illness. A claimant’s medical condition must be documented in detail. Information about the injury must include a description of the damage, the injured worker’s injuries, the injured worker’s medical care, and the injured worker’s restrictions.

An employer must notify an employee of the right to continue to be paid while a compensation claim is being processed. It is a benefit available only to employees who have suffered a traumatic job-related injury.

Establishing a personal connection with a workers’ compensation attorney

The best way to learn about the benefits of your federal workers’ compensation program is to be a regular on the phone line. This will give you access to an experienced federal workers compensation attorney that can make the best of your situation. Knowing the specifics of your workers’ compensation program will also give you an advantage when negotiating a reasonable settlement. If you’re in the throes of a workers’ compensation claim, don’t let the bad guys get the best of you. Take a page out of the book and read up on the best practices for your particular industry before you go down the road of disaster. Aside from a plethora of information, you’ll be able to snoop out the dings and dents before the crooks show up at your door.

ECAB is like the Supreme Court of Federal Workers’ Compensation

The ECAB (Employee Compensation and Appeals Board) is an administrative body of the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. It can issue decisions for claims submitted to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, also known as OWCP. These decisions are based on a written finding that OWCP makes and must be appealed within 180 days of the decision’s date.

There are several different types of appeals that an injured worker can make. They all depend on the type of claim and the timeliness of the request. If the Department of Labor has denied a claim, the injured worker can file an appeal to the ECAB. In most cases, the ECAB will take a year to process a claim and reach a decision.

The ECAB is not adversarial; it does not consider evidence gathered in the workplace. It will only review the evidence that has been submitted to OWCP. An injured worker has the burden of proof in the case of all issues.

5 Lucrative Side Hustles You Can Start Today

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | 5 Lucrative Side Hustles You Can Start Today

Who couldn’t do with making a little bit of extra money? Times are tight for everyone right now, and it’s understandable you may be looking for a side hustle to fit around your full time career. There are countless people that have found highly lucrative ways to earn some passive income on the side, using their free time to start businesses, sell goods, or work second jobs.

Whatever your current situation may be, there are ways you can boost your bank balance and make the cost of living crisis a little bit easier for you and your family.

Here are five lucrative side hustles you can start right away.

Create products

If you have a creative eye, there is no reason you can’t put your skills to good use in making a bit of money. Plenty of people make significant earnings by creating products and selling them through online marketplaces like Etsy. If you know how to make jewelry or household ornaments, the markup on these items can be enormous. Alternatively, if your skills are more practical, such as carpentry, you could help homeowners by creating furniture or other essentials.

Become a delivery driver

Delivering takeout food is easy work, and the great thing is, anyone can do it. Some companies will provide a vehicle, while others may require you to have your own. But either way, it is easy enough to earn money from driving around in the evenings to hand people delicious pizzas and Chinese food. Not to mention the huge amount you can make in tips, especially around Christmas.


Register as a notary public

Becoming a notary public may not be something you’ve ever considered, but it can be an incredibly rewarding way to earn a passive income. A notary public serves as a witness to the signing of official documents and records. Your main responsibilities are to be present for the signatures and ensure each party knows exactly what they are signing. Notary publics are often called in for the signing of marriage records, birth certificates, death certificates, and real estate contracts. You can pick and choose your hours around your current schedule, and you’ll have a whole load of notary supplies with you to command respect and authority.

Sell a service

Do you have a particular skill you are good at? Maybe you’re handy with a set of tools, or you’re a keen gardener. Or perhaps you are knowledgeable about hairdressing or looking after animals. Whatever your particular talent, maybe you can find a way to sell your service to people within your community. Put up ads in public spaces and post on local Facebook groups to attract interest. Let people know the services you are offering as well as your rates and soon the requests will come flooding in.

Blogging

Making money through blogging is a bit of a long game, but it can really pay off if you’re a skilled writer. If there is a topic you are knowledgeable and passionate about, why not create a website and start blogging right away? Your blog could be on any topic of your choice, from travel to beauty to sports. Once you gain enough popularity, you can start earning money through advertising, sponsorship, and paid promotional opportunities.

Why Do Startup Businesses Need To Hire a Lawyer?

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article | Why Do Startup Businesses Need To Hire a Lawyer?If you are planning on starting your own business, you must make sure you hire a lawyer to help you. Even though you are probably focused on the products and services you want to provide for your customers and clients, you also need to work with an attorney who can make sure you do not overlook anything. You must hire experienced business attorneys to help you, such as the team from Tully Rinckey. What are some of the biggest reasons why you need to hire a lawyer who can help you get your business off the ground?

1. Choose the Right Structure for Your Business

One of the first reasons why you need to hire a lawyer is that you have to make sure you choose the right structure for your business. For example, are you interested in a sole proprietorship? Or are you thinking about forming a corporation? There are plenty of options out there, and you must make sure you choose the right one to meet your needs. For example, if you work with some of the Tully Rinckey employees, they can help you choose the right business formation, setting your products and services up to be successful in the future.

2. Prevent Lawsuits From Coming Your Way

The reality is that businesses are always targets because people think they have a lot of money. Lots of people are going to try to find any possible reason they can to file a lawsuit against you, and you want to prevent that from happening. You need to prevent lawsuits from coming your way, and that is where an attorney can help you. For example, a business attorney can make sure that you do not overlook important rules and regulations related to your industry. A business attorney can also help you defend yourself if someone tries to file an injury or neglect lawsuit against your company. You must make sure that you reduce the chances of facing a lawsuit, and a business attorney can help you do that.


3. Ensure Your Intellectual Property Is Protected

You will probably have a lot of intellectual property that you need to protect as well. For example, if you have novel products and services, you might be interested in filing a patent that protects them. Or, you might want to file a copyright protection application for your business name. You might even be interested in trademarking some of your information. You must make sure that there isn’t another company that tries to steal your intellectual property, and a business attorney can help you with that. Make sure your intellectual property is properly protected by working with a trained business lawyer.

4. Help With Real Estate Agreements

Finally, you should also hire a business lawyer because you will probably need some help with some real estate agreements. If you plan on renting commercial property from someone, you must make sure the contract is reviewed before you sign it. You need to make sure you understand what you are responsible for and what the ownership group is responsible for. Or, you might be looking for a property you can own. Purchasing real estate could be a great investment for your business, so you need to make sure you find the right one. This is another area where a business lawyer can help you. You need help with real estate agreements, so make sure you hire a business lawyer who can point you in the right direction.

Hire a Business Lawyer Who Can Help You

In the end, there are a lot of reasons why you should reach out to a lawyer who can help you get your business started. Even though you might be the expert when it comes to the products and services you want to provide, you also need to have a legal professional in your corner who can ensure you do not forget anything as you launch your business. If you work with the right attorney, you can protect your business accordingly, making sure it is not sunk before you even get started. Even though you want to be optimistic, you must make sure you prepare for contingencies, and that is where a business attorney can help you.

How Telecom Expense Management Benefits Large Scale Enterprises

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article | How Telecom Expense Management Benefits Large Scale Enterprises

Any organization on a fast growth track often outpaces its strategic technology roll-out plans. You may be utilizing a mobile workforce, or you may be managing a team of remote employees. You may want to acquire VoIP, faster Internet, or cloud-based servers. While you may have the staff to suggest solutions, your Accounts Payable function does not necessarily have the manpower to monitor the resulting expenses. This is where telecom expense management companies play a crucial role for your P&L.

Technology Asset Management

Even when the vendor procurement function manages technology asset acquisition efficiently, keeping track of inventory and utilization often becomes a costly “second thought”. This is where hiring telecom expense management companies to manage technology assets at an enterprise level avoids shortages, service disruptions, and redundancies. These companies can quote, contract, and monitor vendor billing, as well as capitalize on vendor consolidation to acquire assets at the best price points.

A good illustration of the value created by TEM vendors at an enterprise level can be found in the reviews published in the Gartner 2021 Market Guide TEM Vendors, the top reference in the industry. TEM providers offer a variety of services to streamline asset inventory management, invoice auditing and payment, as well as usage tracking and reporting.

Billing Audits & Pay

Telecom and technology billing can read like a foreign language to even the most qualified accounting clerk. TEM experts will scrutinize each bill for inaccuracies and overcharges. When new technology or services are acquired, billing auditors will ensure that the installation charges and subsequent invoicing are accurate. In addition, these professionals will find out misapplied rates resulting in overpayments. Billing audits are time-consuming tasks: when managed by TEM experts, Accounts Payable staff can focus on other value-adding processes.


Service Audits

Implementing a proactive expense management team can save organizations a significant percentage on their telecom and technology costs. In reality however, most companies don’t employ anyone with the knowledge or time to monitor service costs effectively. TEM experts identify savings opportunities by monitoring in quasi real-time the evolving needs and utilization rate of technology assets in an organization.

Enterprise-level growth often involves adding service locations and sales offices. It is typical to observe vendor invoices going to multiple offices when centralized billing would be way more cost-effective. Similarly, multiple departments inside the same organization may be adding lines or services without authorization or disregarding company procurement policies, and soon enough hundreds of invoices flow to local managers without any kind of control. Telecom expense management professionals spot these issues and coordinate with vendors to ensure cost-effective billing consolidation.

Mergers & Acquisitions Cost Management

Mergers and acquisitions often result in growing pains. With minimal interference, TEM companies oversee procurement and audit processes to ensure that technology needs are adequately met without excessive overlap or costly redundancies. While the C suite focuses on moving the expanding organization forward, TEM professionals work behind the scenes to sort out the details of expense consolidation, service activation and termination, and vendor invoice auditing.

Proactive cost avoidance should be an OKR in any organization. Telecom expense management companies help organizations achieve measurable results in cost reduction and effective inventory management.

5 Staffing Conferences To Elevate Your Business In 2022 and 2023

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | 5 Staffing Conferences To Elevate Your Business In 2022 and 2023To keep the best talent, you need to know the level of engagement in your organization. Unhappy employees have options and employee retention is difficult in today’s market. To keep employees connected from executive to intern, it will take a strong commitment to understand the pressures they face in everyday life and support them as they struggle to find work that provides more than just a paycheck.

Focus On Employee Growth

As your executives work to build the best team in a tight labor market, information from staffing conferences in 2022 can help them see the best choices for the future of your company. There are employee pressures coming that many executives, especially older leaders, may struggle to understand.

Many younger generations know that they constantly need to be building better skills to stay competitive in the job market. Your executive team needs to know how to structure this training. They also need to know what is on offer from other employers in your industry and region. Because everyone needs to find quality talent, the pressure on your executive team to keep the employees you’ve invested in will be intense.

Focus On Retention

Of course, your pay and benefits offering will need to stay current and competitive to bring in the best employees. Make sure that, once hired, your employees stay engaged. In addition to giving them manageable work requirements and achievable goals, look for ways to build engagement.

Employee engagement is often closely tied to the community in the workplace. Group gatherings, fun events, and team-building opportunities abound. However, you will also want to strive for methods of private engagement. For example, you can check with local charities for individual volunteer opportunities. You may find that an elementary school needs reading tutors or a high school needs mentors for students at risk. The ability of an employee to take paid leave for such volunteer time could do a great deal to boost their connection and loyalty to your organization.

Look For Training Across Generations

The bumper sticker thinking associated with conflict across generations may not be obvious in your office, but it does get a lot of cultural focus. Look for training opportunities that will boost connections between boomers, Gen-Xers, millennials, and Gen-Z.

Understanding the viewpoint of another employee can be easier with an understanding of the crucible in which they were formed as an employee. An older baby boomer who got to kindergarten and had to struggle to stand out in an overcrowded room has a very different view of workplace competition than someone from a later generation. The more employees know, the better they will connect.


Build In Flexibility

Workplace flexibility, including the option to work remotely, will be critical as we move forward into 2023. That being said, your managers and leaders will also need to be aware of how to support the employees left in the office.

Make sure that the training and opportunities for personal growth created by your staffing conference choices also include employees who remain in the office. The risk of friction and resentment between remote and in-office employees, as well as between in-office employees and the leaders who require them to be there, can be destructive. Do your best to offer similar opportunities and flexibility to all employees.

Invest In Well-Being

The phrase “work-life” balance will continue to fall by the wayside through 2023. Employees are looking for flexibility, but they’re also looking for a way to integrate their job into their life. To that end, look for staffing conferences that offer training on

  • time management
  • stress management
  • personal finance and budgeting skills

Of course, not every employee is able or interested in traveling to such a seminar. Consider contracting with a provider that can allow personal training on their desktop. It should not be out of the realm of possibility to provide an employee with at least an hour’s paid training per week on a topic that will improve their work life and their life at home.

With a very tight labor market, employees will have to offer more than their salary. A happy, well-rounded employee who has access to training that will allow them to improve their skills and balance their life effectively has a better chance of staying. The more people you retain, the more skills you have at your disposal.