Inside This Issue
01. W2 Employee, 1099 Contractor, or Legal Liability?
02. Safety in the Nonprofit Workplace
03. Upcoming Webcasts
04. Legal Bootcamp Applications Open
05. Recently Added
Classifying a worker as an independent contractor instead of an employee might seem like a simple administrative choice, but getting it wrong can expose a nonprofit to back taxes, penalties, and legal liability. In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Stephens of Cox Automotive to discuss how to evaluate worker classification. We examine the factors nonprofits often overlook and the steps organizations can take to protect themselves. We also explore the potential liability that board members and management may face when workers are misclassified. Whether you're bringing on a consultant, a contract therapist, or summer help, this conversation will help you understand the legal line between employee and contractor, and why that matters for your organization.
Every nonprofit employer, regardless of size, has obligations under federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration ("OSHA") regulations. Noncompliance can carry significant financial consequences. This article outlines the OSHA requirements most relevant to nonprofits, including recordkeeping, emergency action plans, and hazard communication, and offers practical guidance for establishing an effective, low-cost safety program to protect both employees and the organization.
Board Conflict at Your Nonprofit: How to Manage It Before It Manages You
Conflict in the boardroom is inevitable—but unmanaged conflict can fracture relationships, weaken governance, and distract from the mission. This session offers practical guidance, grounded in board fiduciary duties, on managing disputes effectively. The session explores distinguishing productive disagreement from harmful conflict, clarifying roles between the board and Executive Director, the board chair's role in guiding difficult conversations, and when formal action—including removal—may be necessary.
Speaker: Bentina Chisolm Terry, President & CEO | Southern Linc & Southern Telecom, Inc.
Date & Time: August 18 at 11am
Providing Emergency Funds to Participants and Employees: What Nonprofits Need to Know
When a participant or employee faces a crisis, many nonprofits want to help, but doing so raises real legal questions. Whether your organization already provides emergency financial assistance or is considering it, join us for a practical discussion of the legal considerations involved. Our speaker will offer guidance on how nonprofits can continue supporting the people they serve while protecting the organization, ensuring fairness, and giving staff the confidence to make sound decisions about if and how much assistance to provide.
Speaker: Ann Murray, Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Date & Time: October 13 at 12pm
Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta's Legal Bootcamp for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders application is now OPEN!
This program is open to nonprofit executive directors who:
- Serve low-income or disadvantaged communities in Metro Atlanta;
- Are committed to building a career in the nonprofit sector; and
- Are new to their executive director role and/or currently lead an emerging organization.
Participants are selected through a competitive application process. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until spaces have been filled, with a deadline of August 31, 2026. This program is only offered once a year and space is limited.
To learn more or apply, click the button below!
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Consider making a donation to support our work!
As a client of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, you know we provide free legal assistance to community-based nonprofits that serve low-income or disadvantaged individuals. We match eligible organizations with volunteer attorneys from the leading corporations and law firms in Atlanta who can assist nonprofits with business law matters. We want to know what’s going on with you. Let us know if you are facing a legal problem or if you have a new project for us. Please don’t contact the volunteer from your last project – please contact your PBPA attorney. We love our volunteers, but all legal requests need to go through PBPA.
Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta always welcomes new legal matters from our clients.
If you have a legal matter that you need assistance with, please contact your PBPA attorney.
Please feel free to forward this email to other nonprofits who may be interested in our services.
