Comments for Femec http://www.femec.org Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:03:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 Comment on Nonprofit Compensation, Benefits, and Employment Law by Stephen Nill http://www.femec.org/nonprofit-compensation-benefits-and-employment-law/comment-page-1#comment-33 Stephen Nill Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:03:01 +0000 http://femec.org/nonprofit-compensation-benefits-and-employment-law#comment-33 One of the more daunting challenges for US nonprofit board members, officers, and senior staff is setting compensation and benefits for existing and prospective employees. They are faced with the challenges of navigating not only the "usual" employment-related laws that all employers face, but also those laws peculiar to the nonprofit sector. <p>There is also the related challenge of setting compensation levels and benefits high enough to compete for the most talented candidates, but not so high as to run afoul of the intermediate sanctions rules. <p>Unfortunately, there is no single book that I've found that combines both the legal and practical elements involved in such important decisions. However, I have found two books that, taken together, substantially cover the territory: Nonprofit Compensation, Benefits, and Employment Law, covering the legal aspects, and Nonprofit Compensation and Benefits Practices, covering compensation levels.<p>This review covers Nonprofit Compensation, Benefits, and Employment Law, a reference that focuses mostly on the legal aspects of employee compensation and benefits. It not only covers those laws unique to the nonprofit sector, but, thankfully, addresses workplace-related statutes of broader applicability such as workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and so on. It even covers 401(k) plans, which until recently were unavailable to nonprofit organizations. <p>Importantly, the book offers a solid treatment of the intermediate sanctions law -- a topic that is critical for these reasons: <p>--Board members, officers and other "managers" can be individually "fined" a 10% excise tax for participating in an excess benefit transaction. Voting on a compensation package that exceeds reasonable levels of compensation could give rise to such penalties.<p>--The employee who is over-compensated can be hit with 25% or, in some cases, 200% penalties.<p>While the book is comprehensive and well written, I would like to have seen model or sample employment agreements to help in drafting. Had it provided these samples, I would have given this a 5-star rating. Rating: 4 / 5 One of the more daunting challenges for US nonprofit board members, officers, and senior staff is setting compensation and benefits for existing and prospective employees. They are faced with the challenges of navigating not only the “usual” employment-related laws that all employers face, but also those laws peculiar to the nonprofit sector.

There is also the related challenge of setting compensation levels and benefits high enough to compete for the most talented candidates, but not so high as to run afoul of the intermediate sanctions rules.

Unfortunately, there is no single book that I’ve found that combines both the legal and practical elements involved in such important decisions. However, I have found two books that, taken together, substantially cover the territory: Nonprofit Compensation, Benefits, and Employment Law, covering the legal aspects, and Nonprofit Compensation and Benefits Practices, covering compensation levels.

This review covers Nonprofit Compensation, Benefits, and Employment Law, a reference that focuses mostly on the legal aspects of employee compensation and benefits. It not only covers those laws unique to the nonprofit sector, but, thankfully, addresses workplace-related statutes of broader applicability such as workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and so on. It even covers 401(k) plans, which until recently were unavailable to nonprofit organizations.

Importantly, the book offers a solid treatment of the intermediate sanctions law — a topic that is critical for these reasons:

–Board members, officers and other “managers” can be individually “fined” a 10% excise tax for participating in an excess benefit transaction. Voting on a compensation package that exceeds reasonable levels of compensation could give rise to such penalties.

–The employee who is over-compensated can be hit with 25% or, in some cases, 200% penalties.

While the book is comprehensive and well written, I would like to have seen model or sample employment agreements to help in drafting. Had it provided these samples, I would have given this a 5-star rating.
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> Comment on Private Foundations: Tax Law and Compliance by S. Francis http://www.femec.org/private-foundations-tax-law-and-compliance/comment-page-1#comment-32 S. Francis Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:00:28 +0000 http://femec.org/private-foundations-tax-law-and-compliance#comment-32 This book comes with a hefty price - I was hesitant. If you are considering the establishment of your own private foundation, this book is a must. It is fairly heavy with the legaleze, but required when considering the thorough discussions of establishing and maintaining a foundation with respect to the applicable IRS tax code. Each topic is documented and sample tax forms are illustrated. Highly recommended - needs to be a little more user friendly for the 5th star. Rating: 4 / 5 This book comes with a hefty price – I was hesitant. If you are considering the establishment of your own private foundation, this book is a must. It is fairly heavy with the legaleze, but required when considering the thorough discussions of establishing and maintaining a foundation with respect to the applicable IRS tax code. Each topic is documented and sample tax forms are illustrated. Highly recommended – needs to be a little more user friendly for the 5th star.
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> Comment on Private Foundations: Tax Law and Compliance by Grehger http://www.femec.org/private-foundations-tax-law-and-compliance/comment-page-1#comment-31 Grehger Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:16:14 +0000 http://femec.org/private-foundations-tax-law-and-compliance#comment-31 I just wanted to clarify that this is a supplement to the 3rd edition of the book, not the book itself, which seems unclear from the reviews. Rating: 5 / 5 I just wanted to clarify that this is a supplement to the 3rd edition of the book, not the book itself, which seems unclear from the reviews.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> Comment on Grant Winner’s Toolkit: Project Management and Evaluation by Rodney Slaughter http://www.femec.org/grant-winners-toolkit-project-management-and-evaluation/comment-page-1#comment-27 Rodney Slaughter Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:45:39 +0000 http://femec.org/grant-winners-toolkit-project-management-and-evaluation#comment-27 Too many grant seekers think that winning a grant is a job well done. The reality is that winning the grant is only a first step in a long process. This book has all the information anyone needs to effectively manage their grant programs. The text is well written and easy to read and follow. The examples and sample documents are worth their weight in gold! I would highly recommend this book to begining grant writers who have never had the opportuntiy to work on a grant project. This book will help you avoid the pitfalls many of us had to discover the hard way. Rating: 5 / 5 Too many grant seekers think that winning a grant is a job well done. The reality is that winning the grant is only a first step in a long process. This book has all the information anyone needs to effectively manage their grant programs. The text is well written and easy to read and follow. The examples and sample documents are worth their weight in gold! I would highly recommend this book to begining grant writers who have never had the opportuntiy to work on a grant project. This book will help you avoid the pitfalls many of us had to discover the hard way.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> Comment on Grant Winner’s Toolkit: Project Management and Evaluation by Lynda Reynolds http://www.femec.org/grant-winners-toolkit-project-management-and-evaluation/comment-page-1#comment-26 Lynda Reynolds Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:33:41 +0000 http://femec.org/grant-winners-toolkit-project-management-and-evaluation#comment-26 Cheryl Carter New and James Aaron Quick have put together a complete collection of MUST HAVE books for the Grant Seeker. Getting the Grant funded is just part of the process, "The Grant Winner's Toolkit" walks you through the "Now What?" phase of grant seeking. I never put Cheryl and James's books back on the shelf, they are ALWAYS on my desk, where I can easily reach for them...they are the BEST! Rating: 5 / 5 Cheryl Carter New and James Aaron Quick have put together a complete collection of MUST HAVE books for the Grant Seeker. Getting the Grant funded is just part of the process, “The Grant Winner’s Toolkit” walks you through the “Now What?” phase of grant seeking. I never put Cheryl and James’s books back on the shelf, they are ALWAYS on my desk, where I can easily reach for them…they are the BEST!
Rating: 5 / 5

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