Human Resources

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

How to Figure Retroactive Pay

Retroactive, or retro, pay is money due to an employee for work already performed but paid at a lower rate. Most commonly, it is linked to late performance appraisals, in which the employee received a pay increase that took effect in a prior pay period. Employees...

02 August, 2021

From the HR Support Center: How do we report non-binary employees on the EEO-1 form?

The current EEO-1 form only provides a male or female option, but there is a comment box you can use to report data for non-binary employees by job category and race/ethnicity. The comment box appears on the certification page in the EEO-1 Component 1 Online...

29 July, 2021

Which Employees Are Exempt From Tax Withholding?

Tax withholding is a seemingly inevitable part of working, but there are exceptions, as shown by the following information about employees exempt from withholding. Student employees Generally, individuals employed by a school, college or university where they are also pursuing a course of study do not have...

26 July, 2021

From the HR Support Center: Can we share employee vaccination status with managers?

Can we share employee vaccination status with managers so they can enforce any policies based on that information, such as masking and social distancing? Yes. Obviously, managers will need this information if they are expected to enforce vaccination-dependent policies, and employers should train them on how...

22 July, 2021

How to Handle an Employee With a Substance Abuse Problem

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "68.9% of the estimated 22.4 million illicit drug users, ages 18 or older, are employed full or part time." The chances of an employee having a substance abuse problem are higher in certain industries, such...

19 July, 2021