Human Resources

Stop Tardiness and Attendance Problems with Clear Policies

Tardiness and absences. These are problems every employer and supervisor has to deal with at one time or another. And they are problems which cost employers money, are disruptive to co-workers, and tend to lower morale. A good way to reduce tardiness and absences is to...

13 February, 2020

From the HR Support Center: New Form I-9 Released

On January 31, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new Form I-9. The form is dated 10/21/2019 and should be used immediately. USCIS is allowing employers a three-month grace period, however, during which the old form (dated 07/17/2017) may be...

03 February, 2020

From the HR Support Center: Can We Reduce Hours and Pay to Accommodate a Disability?

We have an employee who has an illness covered by the Americans with Disability Act. The employee provided us with a letter from her doctor stating that she needs to be able to work from home 2 to 3 days per week. This employee is...

27 January, 2020

Employee Loans and Their Tax Consequences

A salary, or wage, advance is a type of short-term loan from an employer to an employee. The employee receiving the advance must pay back the money within a specified time frame, as dictated by the company's salary advance policy. Under federal law, employers can make...

22 January, 2020

From the HR Support Center: When Is It Appropriate to Use a Performance Improvement Plan?

When is it appropriate to use a performance improvement plan as opposed to a disciplinary action notice or a record of employee conversation? Performance improvement plans (PIPs) are best suited for performance issues, such as an employee not hitting their required sales goals or failing to...

20 January, 2020

From the HR Support Center: What Federal Laws Will Apply to Us When We Reach 15 Employees?

We are about to hire our 15th employee. I heard that some federal regulations go into effect then. What do I need to know about these? Once you have 15 employees, the federal laws below would apply to you. Here is a brief summary of what...

13 January, 2020

From the HR Support Center: Can We Require That At-Will Employees Give Notice Before Leaving?

How do I keep an employee at-will but require them to give notice before leaving? Unfortunately, an employer may not simultaneously utilize the at-will employment provisions and require that an employee provide notice ahead of separation. Instead, we recommend requesting that employees provide notice as a...

06 January, 2020

From the HR Support Center: Do you recommend reducing hours as a disciplinary measure?

No, we don’t recommend reducing hours as a disciplinary measure. Discipline is most effective when it directly addresses the performance or behavioral issue the employee is having. The aim is to improve performance or correct behavior. Reducing hours, however, doesn’t accomplish either of those objectives or...

30 December, 2019

Alert! New Pay Laws Affecting Every Small and Large Company

On September 24, 2019, and December 12, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to make 1.3 million American workers newly eligible for overtime pay and an updated definition of overtime. This is the first time in more than 50 years that...

25 December, 2019

From the HR Support Center: Can Employees Be Sent Home Early?

Can we send employees home early because there isn’t any work to do? Yes, you can send employees home early due to a lack of work. Just keep in mind that exempt employees would need to be paid their entire salary for the day. Non-exempt employees...

23 December, 2019