employers – HRWS maintains a bird’s eye view of the Country’s most pressing business issues. We developed the “HRWS 5” to highlight and give some perspective on the most pressing HR topics that challenged U.S. THE HRWS 5. Leave finds itself at the top of the list as we see employers from all over the country having to accommodate employees due to a tight labor market. Harassment. Bonus” Topic: Rise of the Lawyers. MORE

As I built the EffortlessHR platform – a Human Resource Information System – I kept being asked several questions: Why do I need to …. Include and post information on Harassment. What this really told me was that most companies without a HR Department had no idea how the number of their employees impact which law/regulation they needed to follow and understand. Equal Pay Act (EPA) – Employers must pay male and female employees the same wage for the same job. MORE

Whether you are left or right, blue or red, liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, it’s hard to argue that the first 28 days of POTUS 45 have been anything other than a dumpster fire. It culminated over the past 48 hours with Trump’s bizarre press conference , and withdrawal of his nominee for Labor Secretary, Andy Puzder. He nominated someone eminently qualified to run the Department of Labor. Alexander Acosta will become the next Secretary of Labor. MORE

It is essential that your workforce is following your company policies and procedures strictly for your organization to comply with the laws and regulations. Managing employee compliance training and ensuring your workforce is compliant at all times can be a daunting task. However, you can automate this process through LMS workflow automation (If the LMS provides this feature). You will have the data you need to stay on top of your workforce’s compliance status. MORE

Compliance training is usually a part of every employee’s initial training process. It generally consists of a long list of code of conduct which includes topics such as anti-harassment, bribery, FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practice Act), protection of company data, client interactions, usage of company property and data security etc. Are your Compliance Training Resources Effective? Employees quickly glance through them and go for the start test button. HIPAA. MORE

Performing the assessment will not only help you measure risk and legal compliance, but also identify areas in need of process improvements – all of which could threaten the continued success of your business. . Employees are properly classified as Exempt or Non-Exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Child Labor laws are implemented for workers under the age of 18. MORE

Compliance training is usually a part of every employee’s initial training process. Compliance training resources and modules generally consist of a long list of code of conduct which includes topics such as anti-harassment, bribery, FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practice Act), protection of company data, client interactions, usage of company property and data security, etc. Are your Compliance Training Resources Effective? How to Deliver Compliance Training? MORE

What can tracking your employees’ training do for your human resources strategy? It keeps your workers in compliance with state or industry regulations and puts them on track for advancement so that your business can stay current with prevailing trends and maintain a workforce that is engaged and ready for the future. Continuing education (CE) is required within many fields for workers to stay up-to-date on new technologies, skills and developments within the industry. MORE

Employers may only hire those who can legally work in the United States and must maintain up-to-date I-9 forms for all employees. Employers must withhold and pay the federal government a set percentage of employee wages for the federal government. Employers must withhold and pay the federal government a set percentage of employee wages for Social Security and Medicare. Employers must pay male and female employees the same wage for the same job. MORE

Ongoing and recurring training are vital types of training that contributes to the success of the business. Using both types of training within your organization will ensure your employees are sufficiently trained on company processes and procedures and are compliant with policies and regulations. You run the risk of having poor-performing employees and face liabilities if you do not offer consistent ongoing and recurring training. MORE

Who knew that the l’il ol’ Oxford comma was so controversial? I would have never dreamed that yesterday’s post on the importance of its omission in a wage/statute would generate so much feedback, or that people feel so passionately about its use or non-use. To gauge exactly how you feel about the Oxford comma, I’ve designed a quick, one-question survey. Take a moment, and click “yes” or “no” on whether one should use the Oxford comma when writing. MORE

There are no clear rules, but you don’t agree with what the employee did. Don’t just hope the workers will always do the right thing. A code of ethics covers rules regarding safety, harassment, employee conduct, and conflicts of interest. You don’t want your company getting a bad reputation due to the actions of one employee. You do have to think about the public’s perspective of you having someone who broke a law on your team. MORE

That being said, human resources is often the “go-to” place for employees and they need to feel comfortable coming to HR. I was recently accused of harassing and bullying by someone with anxiety. When HR met with me, they never listened to my side of the story. ” because the other employee has anxiety. I feel targeted and can’t turn to HR because they didn’t listen or care during the first interaction. I’m not naïve. MORE

Yesterday, at approximately 5:18 PM EDT, all of the associates at my law firm received the same email. “ You will learn something from him nearly every day of the week,” wrote my partner. Plaintiff Linda Diane Cobb filed a race discrimination lawsuit against the State of Tennessee. For example… the two co-workers were allegedly allowed to switch desks whenever they wanted, but Ms. Baker allegedly yelled across the room at Ms. MORE

Having time to focus on the vital revenue-generating responsibilities of running your business can seem like a never ending challenge. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day administrative tasks that it takes to keep your business running and lose sight of your moneymaking initiatives. Here are three ways a PEO can help keep you from getting side-tracked and support you in making your business the best it can be. Do you know how the Fair Labor Standards Act affects you? MORE

My friend Jeff Nowak, a legal expert on FMLA, tells the story of an employee who took FMLA time for a genito-urinary tract condition. Naturally to take this time the employee had to complete paperwork regarding the condition. He was granted the time off. But, back at the office someone revealed his condition to eight fellow employees in the meeting. The court agreed with him, much to the chagrin of the employer. The lesson. MORE

The trouble with recordkeeping at a lot of companies: You don’t know how complete your records are until you get involved in litigation or an audit. To be on the safe side, many employment law attorneys recommend you keep everything for at least five to seven years after an employee has left. That’s sound advice — if you’ve got the storage and personnel to keep track of all those docs for that long. Copies of the company’s FMLA policy. Litigation changes the equation. MORE