Attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger of Offit Kurman discuss best practices for tracking hourly employees’ time to ensure accurate pay, overtime compliance, and proper recordkeeping. They explain that mistakes can create significant legal exposure under federal and state wage laws, including doubled damages under federal law and treble or greater damages. Key tips include using a reliable timekeeping system with clear rules, allowing employees to correct inaccurate entries, properly handling paid short breaks versus unpaid uninterrupted meal breaks, and training managers. They also recommend periodic audits and watching for “too clean” time records that may signal problems.

• (00:00) - Time Tracking Basics
• (01:05) - Wage Law Penalties
• (01:59) - Fixing Automated Time
• (02:53) - Breaks and Meal Periods
• (03:44) - Training Managers
• (04:47) - Auditing Time Records
• (05:18) - Wrap Up

Attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger of Offit Kurman discuss how employers should approach employee moonlighting, which has become more common. They emphasize starting with state-specific laws that may limit an employer’s ability to restrict outside work, then evaluating whether a side job creates a real conflict with the employer’s business. They also note practical concerns about performance and whether an employee’s outside work affects focus and commitment. The episode highlights the importance of clear, lawful conflict-of-interest policies, regular reminders to employees, and an avenue for employees to disclose perceived conflicts proactively.

In this episode of OK at Work, Offit Kurman attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Burger discuss how employers should handle political discussions at work as Election Day approaches. Employers can appropriately refocus employees on job duties when political debate becomes a distraction. Managers can delicately limit heated discussions by redirecting attention to organizational objectives, using consistent workplace policies. Make sure managers are trained to handle issues evenly without appearing to target particular views. They also flag related concerns about employees posting political opinions online, advising employers to ensure employees do not post under company pages or imply the company endorses their views.

• (00:00) - Politics at Work Intro
• (00:09) - Election Season Buzz
• (00:50) - Legal Limits on Speech
• (01:08) - Refocus on the Job
• (02:17) - Policies and Social Media
• (02:59) - Train Managers Consistently
• (03:55) - Avoid Company Endorsements
• (04:19) - Wrap Up and Goodbye

In this episode of OK at Work, attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger of Offit Kurman discuss why employers should view employee training as an opportunity rather than just a compliance task. They note that some training is required by certain states or insurance companies but emphasize that effective training should mitigate risk and improve performance. Training should focus on practical, tactical topics like performance management, documentation, complaint protocols, and supervisors’ obligations. Well-designed training can encourage two-way communication, raise employee questions, and strengthen relationships. Sarah and Russell finished by stating that training overly focused on legal definitions may not change behavior, so organizations should structure training to achieve lasting improvements.

• (00:00) - Why Training Matters
• (00:56) - Beyond Checking Boxes
• (01:37) - Tactical Risk Reduction
• (02:10) - Two Way Communication
• (02:50) - Cybersecurity Training Example
• (03:32) - Design Training That Changes Behavior
• (04:16) - Wrap Up

Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger, attorneys at Offit Kurman, discuss what employees, managers, and executives should do when they receive reports of workplace issues, and how business leaders can empower people to escalate concerns. Russell explains the compliance need for clear reporting channels for improper conduct, typically routed to HR, or to an operations leader. They also explain that businesses must establish operational reporting structures through managers, and build open communication with supervised employees. Sarah notes leaders should not assume approachability guarantees reporting, especially as companies grow and add layers.

• (00:00) - Episode Introduction
• (00:43) - Why Issues Get Missed
• (01:19) - Compliance Reporting Channels
• (01:33) - HR Paths And Alternatives
• (02:22) - Operational Reporting Lines
• (02:52) - Leader Blind Spots
• (03:52) - Growing Pains and Culture
• (04:14) - Wrap Up

Sarah Sawyer and Russell Burger are joined by Marc Misthal, an intellectual property and trademark attorney and chair of the firm’s IP group, to discuss how businesses’ use of AI is creating new IP challenges. Marc explains that AI-generated outputs raise questions about whether they can be protected by copyright, trademark, or patent. They discuss practical impacts for both creators’ seeking protection and those facing potential infringement claims. There are unresolved issues about who is responsible—the user, the AI company, or both. Marc recommends documenting AI use, including prompts, emphasizing that more human involvement can increase protectability on a case-by-case basis, and urges business owners to be proactive and consult counsel early.

• (00:00) - Meet the IP Expert
• (00:37) - AI Creations and IP Risks
• (01:48) - Infringement from Training Data
• (03:02) - Protectability and Liability Questions
• (03:48) - How to Boost Protection
• (04:53) - Law Catching Up to Tech
• (06:16) - Final Takeaways and Proactive Steps
• (07:15) - Wrap Up and Stay Updated

In this episode of OK at Work, Sarah Sawyer and attorney Russell Burger of Offit Kurman discuss how managers influence company culture alongside the usual compliance responsibilities. Managers act as ambassadors and the day-to-day face of the organization, especially as companies grow and executives have less direct contact with employees. Russell stresses the importance of being intentional about culture by clearly defining desired behaviors, communication styles, and expectations. They explain that consistent messaging, strong communication, and knowing employees help make difficult conversations easier, improve retention and productivity, as well as reduce legal risk.

• (00:00) - Managers Shape Culture
• (00:54) - Be Intentional Daily
• (01:15) - Leaders Model Values
• (02:15) - Empower Consistent Messaging
• (03:11) - Tough Talks Get Easier
• (03:39) - Communication Builds Buy In
• (03:57) - Culture Benefits and Wrap Up

In this episode of OK at Work, attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger of Offit Kurman discuss balancing consistent performance-management policies with EQ and common sense when managing people. They explain that when a previously strong employee’s performance declines, it may signal personal struggles rather than a work-related issue. Building trust, training managers, and holding regular check-ins can help identify issues early, reducing the need for PIPs or reprimands and limiting negative cultural or reputational impacts. Drawing on lessons from the pandemic, Sarah and Russell emphasize that employees are often dealing with stressors. Thoughtful support from their managers can help employees get back on track.

• (00:00) - Performance Management Balance
• (01:11) - Spotting Sudden Declines
• (02:04) - Checking in without Prying
• (02:45) - Proactive Manager Habits
• (03:38) - Stress Culture Fallout
• (04:10) - Pandemic Lessons Empathy
• (04:50) - Wrap Up