Supreme Court's Marriage Decision Should Prompt Employers' Review of All Employment Policies

By Dean A. Rocco, Esq. and Angela M. Duerden, Esq. of Wilson Elser et al

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. ... Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right." Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ (June 26, 2015).

WORK ETHIC FORECASTING: Pre-Employment Tests, Child Labor, & More

By Michael Mercer, Ph.D.

Amazingly, pre-employment tests, child labor, certain job interview questions and more help managers forecast if a job applicant possesses a terrific work ethic or a lousy work ethic.

WHAT IS WORK ETHIC?        

Employees with a good work ethic

+  show up at work

+  arrive before their start time

+  put in more than a day's work for a day's pay

+  conscientiously do work assignments

+  consistently are highly productive

+  work well with others

No Breach of Contract Where Code Not in Contract for Architectural Services

By Donald A. O'Brien, Esq. of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital v. Cannon Design, Inc., Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, New York, Docket No. 519411 (April 9, 2015)

Plaintiff hospital contracted with the defendant architectural firm to provide structural design services for a seismic retrofit of one of its buildings. Defendant's design used four steel plate sheer walls. The 2000 International Building Code (IBC) was not mentioned in the contract, though certain Code Standards were listed in the defendant's structural design criteria and in the technical drawings. The contract stated that the defendant's design services were to be provided "in a manner consistent with the standards of care and skill exhibited in projects of this nature." 

SCOTUS: Affordable Care Act Subsidies Apply to Federal Exchanges

By Aaron J. Aisen, Esq., Matthew S. Lerner, Esq and Fallyn B. Cavalieri, Esq. of Goldberg Segalla LLP 

Failure to Comply With a Consent to Settle Provision in Excess Insurance Policy Precludes an Insuredā€™s Bad Faith Lawsuit

By Lindsey Dean, Esq. of Tressler LLP

Because an insured failed to obtain its excess insurer's consent prior to entering into a settlement, the insured violated the "consent-to-settle" clause in the policy and was precluded from maintaining a bad faith and breach of contract action against the insurer. Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc. v. XL Specialty Ins. Co., No. S15Q0418, 2015 Ga. LEXIS 247 (Apr. 20, 2015).

10 Rules for Using Social Media to Prospect

By Mark Hunter "The Sales Hunter"

1. Don't think social media is going to replace traditional prospecting methods.

View social media as another tool to help you prospect. Most of all, never allow yourself to take the quality time you devote to prospecting and spend it doing social media.

Biggest mistake you can make is thinking all you need to do is devote all your prospecting time to social media and everything is going to work out great.

Protecting Your Reputation

Book One - 

A Comprehensive Guide To Avoiding E & O Claims

Book Two - 

E&O Exposures in the Sales Process

Book Three - 

E & O Exposures By Line of Business

Do You Need Continuing Education?

Complete your entire State-Required CE Online with WebCE! AOA has partnered with WebCE, a leading nationwide provider of Continuing Education for insurance professionals to provide you with state-approved self-study CE courses to satisfy your CE requirements online!  Check out your CE State Requirements. 

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