Eyeworld

EW NEWS & OPINION 12 Symposium and Congress has dra- matically expanded. Tracks provid- ing programming for beginning as well as senior level administrators have been developed. Additionally, more offerings have been made for physicians. In the service area, ASOA has ex- panded partnerships with valuable product and service providers. One such service is HR Online, a confi- dential way to discuss your staff con- cerns with human resources experts. Human resources is a compli- cated subject that affects every as- pect of your practice's success. One incorrect decision could result in a lawsuit. "One of the main rea- sons we established this service is to mitigate exposure to the legal ramifi- cations of the incorrect handling of employee relations and compliance issues," said Trent Lutz, ASCRS• ASOA director of human resources and the consultant powering HR Online. "About 98% of ASOA members who contact us with questions are in small practices—an office where the administrator has a number of re- sponsibilities of which HR is just one," Mr. Lutz said, adding, "They simply don't have the time, luxury, or financial resources to hire an HR professional or a consultant." Frequently an administrator, usually one who is overburdened, may google a question and find an- swers to questions as they apply to Federal law, but it's really more com- plex than that, said Mr. Lutz. "What we do first is ascertain what state the practice is located in and the size of the practice, as the applicable state and Federal laws depend on the number of employees in an enter- prise. Then we look for appropriate Federal and state guidance. State law tends to be more employee-friendly and it will usually take precedence over Federal regulations. In that way, we tailor each of our responses in the correct manner," he said. "I should note that we offer ad- vice, and when we think there may be legal exposure we recommend that practices consult a lawyer. The idea is to avoid muddling through when a professional HR consultation is available and a wrong step has the potential to result in an arduous, drawn-out, and expensive legal ac- tion," said Mr. Lutz. HR Online is confidential and can help with issues where you would need the guidance of an expe- rienced human resources consultant. How do you make the right staffing decisions? What strategies do you use to manage your employ- ees? Are you complying with all the workforce regulations? How can you improve staff efficiency? How can you solve employee problems and avoid potential HR-related lawsuits? What steps can you take in your ef- forts to hire the best employees? HR Online is an exclusive ASOA member benefit providing general information and current best prac- tices for U.S. members. Physicians can try this benefit for 3 months by signing up for an ASOA free trial membership. They can send a re- quest to asoa@asoa.org or sign up di- rectly at www.asoa.org. EW June 2011 The Matterhorn, Wallis, Switzerland See the beauty! ADVANCED TO THE MAXIMUM The new FEMTO LDV Crystal Line for Z-LASIK and corneal surgery Engineered in Switzerland Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems AG a Ziemer Group Company Allmendstrasse 11, 2562 Port, Switzerland Z-LASIK, the obvious choice. www.ziemergroup.com he t e e S ! y t u a be he K a I S A L - r Z o f M E w F e e n h T E M H O T T N A VA D A e g r l su a e n r d co n K a l Li a t s y r V C D O L T M U M I X A E M D E C y r e e n l Li M U K a I S A L r Z o f r g er m e i z . w w w he ob , t K I S A L - Z e g r l su a e n r d co n K a m o c . p ou r . e c i ho s c u o i v he ob y r e Allmendstrasse , 2562 Port, Switzerland 1 1 Allmendstrasse a Ziemer Group Company phthalmic Systems AG O Ziemer ASOA continued from page 11 ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Ciccone is director of communications for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Contact him at 703-591-2220.

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