Human Resources

Unpaid Workers Can Surprise You

Casual labor can be dangerous! Hard to believe, but an administrative assistant wrote to an advice columnist. This person was frustrated looking for a new job and complained about "The Working Interview." It seems the applicant actually had worked two days at one company and three days at...

14 August, 2018

From the HR Support Center: Can the same person be both an employee and an independent contractor?

According to IRS guidelines, it is possible to have a W-2 employee who also performs work as a 1099 independent contractor so long as the individual is performing completely different duties that would qualify them as an independent contractor. Some legitimate examples that we have seen...

13 August, 2018

Reporting New Hires to the Government

When a business hires employees, it must generally report certain details about the new staff members to a state agency within a short period of time. The agency compares the information with child support files in that state, and then passes it on to the National...

07 August, 2018

From the HR Support Center: Do We Have to Pay Overtime to an Employee Recently Switched to Exempt?

We recently promoted an employee and switched her to salaried exempt. Do I need to pay her the overtime that she worked before I gave her the promotion and raise? Yes, the employee is still eligible for the overtime she worked prior to when the exemption...

06 August, 2018

From the HR Support Center: Does an Employee Working Over 40 Hours at Two Locations Need To Be Paid Overtime?

We have an hourly employee who will be working at two different locations and under two titles, 25 hours at one location and 25 hours at the other. Will he need to be paid overtime? Yes. Titles, job duties, and locations are irrelevant—focus only on the...

30 July, 2018

Form I-9 Audits Up Dramatically Since October

From October 1, 2017 through May 4, 2018, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted 2,282 Form I-9 audits, up from 1,360 audits from October 1, 2016-September 30, 2017. Given this dramatic increase, employers should take a moment to ensure that their Form I-9 compliance practices...

25 July, 2018

When is Meeting Time After Normal Work Hours Payable?

Occasionally we have evening employee meetings after normal work hours. We include a nice meal and a cocktail, which makes it a pleasant evening. These meetings give us the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics we never seem to find time for during the...

24 July, 2018

From the HR Support Center: Can We Terminate an Employee Who Doesn’t Fit With Our Culture?

We want to terminate an employee who doesn’t fit with our culture. Can we do this? Do you foresee any issues? First things first, check your policies and any correspondence (like an offer letter) that have been given to the employee to ensure that you have...

20 July, 2018

Your Payroll and Employment Questions, Answered

Payroll is one of the most complex administrative tasks employers face. And because of the tremendous importance of payroll to American households and the economy, there are many rules surrounding it. Here are answers to some payroll and employment questions you may have: Q. Is an...

12 July, 2018

From the HR Support Center: Can We Monitor Employee Email?

The short answer is yes, you can monitor employee email. As a general rule, employees should not have an expectation of privacy when using company computers or email accounts. That said, the law is not perfectly cut and dry, so you should have both a...

19 June, 2018