PBPA Podcast

How does your organization handle drugs and alcohol in the workplace? Do you follow a consistent policy or will you just figure it out when it comes up? Drugs or alcohol in the work place can create safety hazards and lead to poor job performance. It can also reduce inhibitions to the point employees engage in office behavior that they’d normally avoid. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Jennifer Sandberg will share why every nonprofit should have a drug and alcohol policy, drug testing considerations, and other insights on how small organizations can legally address these big concerns.

Nonprofits of all types are susceptible to fraud, especially those with limited resources and internal controls. It could come as an imposter creating a webpage that looks like your organization, and taking donations intended for your 501(c)(3), or an email phishing scam to an unsuspecting employee. Is your nonprofit taking the appropriate steps to protect itself from potential fraud? In this episode of the PBPA podcast, Noula Zaharis, Director of the Securities and Charities Division at the Georgia Secretary of State, and Anna Burns, Southeast Regional Director of the Federal Trade Commission, share real-life examples of fraud they have investigated and tips on how to avoid becoming a victim.

Directors have legal duties to their nonprofit, and the board chair is in a unique position to oversee these duties. A chair can lead the board not just to govern, but to set the organization up for long-term success. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Marianna Faircloth with The Home Depot will outline best practices and simple reminders for board chairs to lead a solid and legally compliant board.

Nonprofits rely on volunteers to help them fulfill their missions everyday. Some nonprofits rely on a volunteer base more heavily than others, but all nonprofits eventually encounter a difficult volunteer. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Elizabeth Newton will speak to us about how to effectively and legally deal with challenging volunteers.

It is a tight labor market these days! What is an employer supposed to do when tight labor markets leads to high employee turnover? Be prepared! In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Christian Turner, Senior Counsel at Chick-Fil-A, and Justine Cowan, Corporate Counsel with PBPA, provide insight on how to anticipate and better prepare for both the legal and practical implications of employee, board & volunteer turnover. Join us as we discuss how policies and planning today can put your organization, and your workforce, in a better position for future turnover.

Whether a nonprofit’s name is based on its mission, location, founder, or something completely unrelated, it is the keystone of the organization’s branding. If you're deciding on a name for your organization or a new program, or even if you are growing your brand, take a listen to this episode of the PBPA Podcast. In this episode, Creighton Frommer, Chief Counsel at RELX, guides us through legal considerations in selecting and protecting a nonprofit’s name.

An employee leave policy can help recruit new talent and allows staff to understand what leave benefits are available to them. This may even be the most frequently referenced section of an employee handbook. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Bryan Stillwagon with Uniserv and Alyce Ogunsola with Ford Harrison talk to us about legal requirements and best practices for nonprofits to consider as they develop or review their employee leave policies.

Nonprofits continually seek new and creative methods to increase awareness about their mission and fundraise. Social media influencers are a real marketing force, and you may be trying to figure out if and how your nonprofit could work with an influencer. Take a listen to this episode of the PBPA Podcast, where Jim Dudukovich, Counsel at Bryan Cave, reviews the legal considerations for nonprofits working with social media influencers.

Whether your nonprofit has had Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (“DEI”) at its core since inception, or you are just now hearing about it for the first time, DEI programs should be evaluated both at conception and on an on-going basis. Otherwise, these good intentions may sometimes have unintended consequences. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Abby Larimer with the law firm Ford Harrison will speak to us about how to legally focus on diversity, equity and inclusion at your nonprofit.

Online auctions make it easy for nonprofits to connect with a wide audience in a convenient format. They have also skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic as a safe option for nonprofits to continue their fundraising efforts. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Mary Benton with Alston & Bird talks to us about legal considerations around nonprofit fundraising through online auctions, including tips on auction website provider’ terms & conditions, out-of-state bidders, and raffles held with online auctions.