Where Did I Put that Piece of Paper?: Small Business Record Keeping in Texas (Audio Only)

Let’s say you’ve got your first small business owner client, and he’s got his first set of problems for you to solve. The answers to his questions are easily obtained, so you tell your client: “Let’s go speak to HR, and let’s take a look at that employee’s file, the Employee Handbook, and your Corporate Notebook.” That’s when your client hits you with it: there is no HR department, there is just Nancy at the front desk who orders the coffee, paper towels, and answers the phone. There are no employee manuals, no employee handbooks, no employee files. And what, exactly, is a corporate record book?

Representing a small business client is worlds apart from representing a large corporate client. This program, led by attorney Elizabeth Alvarez, highlights the differences between record keeping and document retention in large and small companies. She will also discuss how to help your small business clients protect themselves from from liability by implementing record-keeping systems that are appropriate for their size, and manageable for their workforce. These systems include:

• employee handbooks;
• employee reviews;
• employee personnel records;
• corporate notebooks;
• holding manager and/or member meetings or board of directors meetings;
• keeping minute meetings and passing resolutions;
• dealing with unemployment from a records perspective;
• email and other correspondence retention policies; and
• non-disclosure agreements.

Learning Objectives:

1. Determine what kinds of records a client likely will not have and what they need
2. Discuss how to help a client set up those basic systems of record-keeping which are appropriate for them
3. Develop best practices for helping guide your client to protect themselves from liability