MEET THE ACCA EXPERT > BROOKE DUNCAN
ACCA employs the help of my third-party experts to provide ACCA members with quality information and resources. One of ACCA’s long-term experts is Brooke Duncan, author of ACCA’s LegalTools series. ACCA Now took some time to chat with Brooke to give ACCA’s members some insight into who he is and why ACCA has worked with him for so many years.
ACCA Now: Brooke, tell us little bit about yourself. Brooke: I’m a native of New Orleans, went away to college, and came back to join the New Orleans Police Department where I was a detective for several years. From there, I was in business, managing a factory in New Orleans that produced awnings and tarpaulins. I was intrigued by the legal aspects of managing people and so in my 30s, I decided to go to law school to practice labor and employment law on behalf of employers. Early on, I realized that keeping employers out of trouble was far more desirable than simply defending them, so I’ve devoted my career to a proactive approach with my clients. New Orleans is still my home where I’m active in business and civic groups in addition to my legal practice.
ACCA Now: You have been ACCA’s legal expert for many years, why did you decide to work with ACCA? Brooke: In early 2005, I was asked to make a labor and employment pre- sentation to ACCA members, and from that seminar grew Legal Tools and numerous other webinars and seminars over the years. One of the pleasures of my line of legal work is getting to know different sorts of industries and the challenges that owners and managers face every day. From the beginning of my work with ACCA, I realized ACCA stood out as an effective advocate for its members and that perhaps I could contribute as well. It’s been fun!
ACCA Now: Why do you feel that employment law is important to share with ACCA members? Brooke: Virtually every business has employees, and the workplace is heavily regulated. Labor and employment is an area of the law that is bur- dened by rules that often defy common sense. My job is to decipher the law so that employers can avoid needless entanglements with alphabet soup agencies and the courts and get about running their businesses and serving their customers.
ACCA Now: What is the number one area you get asked about concerning employment law? Brooke: Overtime and related pay issues have always dominated. Why? Because, once again, employers often get caught up in rules that make no sense. “Salaried exempt” and “hourly non-exempt” are not exactly self- explanatory phrases!
ACCA Now: What is the best (non-legal) advice do you have for ACCA members concerning their businesses? Brooke: If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my own experience in busi- ness and from counseling employers for many years, it’s that regardless of the law, if you practice the golden rule at work—treat your employees as you would want to be treated—you’ll be more likely to avoid legal hassles. What to take advantage of Brooke Duncan’s knowledge and resources he has developed for ACCA? They are all available online at
www.acca.org and they are free to all ACCA members. And check out this issue’s LegalTools on page 35 of this magazine.
ACCA FORMS PARTNERSHIP WITH GRANT CARDONE ENTERPRISES
ACCA announces that Grant Cardone Enterprises joined ACCA's Corporate Partner Program. Grant Cardone is an internationally renowned business and sales expert, New York Times best-selling author, and contributing writer for Forbes, Success Magazine, Huffington Post, and Business Insider.
“ACCA is excited to have Grant
Cardone Enterprises join our corporate partner program and dedicate not just their financial support to the HVACR industry, but also their time and knowledge through training programs," said Barton James, ACCA president and CEO. "We look forward to seeing how this partnership will help our members become more professional and grow their businesses." ACCA’s Corporate Partner
Program enables HVACR industry suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers to demonstrate their extraordinary commitment to ACCA members and the contracting industry through year-round support of the association's activities. The Corporate Partner Program also provides increased access to ACCA’s nationwide network of contractors through tailored communications and marketing campaigns throughout the year.
For more about Grant Cardone Enterprises, visit
www.grantcardone.com.
JULY/AUGUST 2023
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