Human Resources

From the HR Support Center: What incentives have been most effective for COVID vaccinations?

We have under 100 employees and are not required to mandate the COVID vaccine. We’re considering doing so anyway, but we’re also interested in other ways of encouraging our employees to get vaccinated. What incentives have been most effective? Incentives are a good idea if you...

07 October, 2021

Biden’s Announcement About Mandatory COVID Vaccinations for Private Employers

We are actively monitoring for the details of President Biden's COVID action plan about Mandatory COVID Vaccinations for Private Employers. The aspects of this new plan that affect HR and how you run your business will come from DOL rules called Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS),...

30 September, 2021

From the HR Support Center: What are the penalties and costs for misclassifying employees?

The answer will depend on a number of factors, such as how many employees are misclassified, how much extra money they would have been paid if properly classified, and whether or not lawyers or regulatory agencies get involved. Generally, if an employee goes to the federal...

23 September, 2021

From the HR Support Center: What should I do if an employee moves to a different state and will be working from there?

What should I do if an employee moves to a different state and will be working from there? There are several things you need to do if an employee moves out of state: If you don’t already have other employees there, you’ll need to set up...

16 September, 2021

From the HR Support Center: What’s the difference between an exempt and non-exempt employee?

Exempt and non-exempt are classifications under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). That’s the federal law requiring that most employees receive at least minimum wage for each hour worked and overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Usually, employees who are entitled...

09 September, 2021

From the HR Support Center: Texas Prohibits Sexual Harassment

As of September 1st, Texas prohibits sexual harassment in workplaces of all sizes. Federal and Texas law already prohibited sexual harassment in employment for employers with 15 or more employees. Sexual harassment can include (but isn’t limited to) unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, offensive...

02 September, 2021

From the HR Support Center: How quickly do I need to write up an employee for a performance issue?

We recommend addressing the performance issue with the employee as soon as possible. First, feedback is more effective the more quickly it’s delivered. Waiting to provide feedback increases the likelihood that the employee won’t remember what they did wrong and that they may make the same...

26 August, 2021

From the HR Support Center: How should employee files be organized?

We recommend having five separate files for each employee, as outlined below: • I-9 file: Keep all Form I-9s in a separate master file or three-ring binder. • Medical file: This file should contain everything related to an employee’s medical history, including health insurance enrollment forms. It’s...

19 August, 2021

From the HR Support Center: Can we ask an applicant why they are leaving their current job?

Yes, you can ask applicants why they are leaving their current job. The employment application is a good place to collect this information. In the section where the applicant lists their previous employment experience, you can ask for the reason they left each job. Trends...

12 August, 2021

From the HR Support Center: Three Questions About COVID Vaccinations

Can we ask for proof of vaccination? Isn’t this a HIPAA violation or an illegal inquiry under the ADA or somehow confidential information? Employers can ask for proof of vaccination unless there is a state or local law or order to the contrary.* When an employer is...

05 August, 2021