Archive for July, 2012

Religion and the Workplace

July 30th, 2012

For US Employers and HR Professionals, religion in the workplace is often one the most difficult areas of HR to navigate. Paying attention to your actions (or lack thereof) surrounding an employee’s religious beliefs is important, not only to promote a diverse and cultural workplace, but to abide by EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) standards.

Even in a workplace that promotes acceptance, diversity, and community, conflict can still occur. Did you know that as an employer you are expected to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of each employee under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of l964 (“Title VII”)? Title VII prohibits employers  from discriminating against employees (or candidates) when hiring, firing, and providing other terms and conditions of employment.

Here are some more details surrounding Title VII:

  • Employers may not treat employees more or less favorably because of their religious background.
  • Employers cannot require employees to participate in a religious activity as a condition of employment.
  • Employers must reasonably accommodate each employee’s religious practices or holidays unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer.
  • Employers must take steps to prevent religious harassment in the workplace.

Employers who violate Title VII, or other standards outlined by the EEOC, risk costly lawsuits. Are you aware of all employee rights under the laws of the EEOC? Employers are required to post notices to all employees advising them of their rights under the EEOC as well as their right to be free from retaliation.

If you have questions about religion in the workplace, Title VII, or the EEOC, please feel free to contact us today. HR Shield Advisors stay up-to-date on changing regulations, and while it’s not a ‘Get Out of Jail Free Card,’ it’s the fastest, surest way to keep your employees safe and avoid getting hit with unexpected lawsuits or penalties. We’re just a phone call away at (877) 636-9525.

Posted in Compliance, Employees | 1 Comment

Know Your Legal Obligations

July 24th, 2012

Things are always changing and you need to make sure that you’re following best practices and state and federal regulations to be sure to avoid costly accusations and claims.

For HR support, sign up now online, or call (877) 636-9525 for more information!


You can find us Online:With HR Shield, members gain access to necessary forms, and are able to give our HR advisors a call any time they have a question. We’re here to help with the these headache, and more!

Twitter: @Hr_Shield

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Streamline your human resources administration with HR management best practicesfrom HR Shield. Call and meet your HR Advisor (877) 636-9525, or contact us for more information.

 

Posted in HR Tips | No Comments

In Wake of Colorado Tragedy, Concern Over Public and Workplace Safety Arises

July 20th, 2012

The mass shooting that occurred overnight at a Colorado movie theatre presents numerous questions, many of which will go unanswered until further investigation. Could this have been prevented? Were there any warning signs? Could people have exited the building more quickly, leading them to safety?

When tragedy strikes, there is little to no time to think.  This presents a challenge to both employers and employees when trying to gain control of utter chaos. Not only are you responsible for yourself, but there is an obligation to protect your employees and patrons as well.

We remind all business owners and managers that while there is truly no way to prepare for an event so devastating, being aware of your surroundings and best safety practices is crucial if an emergency should strike.

If an emergency strikes while you are at the worksite:

  • Immediately dial 911. Even if you are unsure of the extent of the emergency, call for help and let emergency responders know of the situation.  A few minutes will make a big difference in how quickly help can arrive.
  • Know ALL possible exits in the building. This should be reviewed with ALL employees and repeated each time a new person is hired. If you are a retail operation, exits should be clearly marked and illuminated for patrons.
  • Do not waste time. Do not waste time gathering your belongings or trying to determine the severity of the situation. Exit the building as quickly as possible.
  • If exits are blocked, return to your workplace. If exits are blocked, return to your workplace and hang an article of clothing or something similar out of the nearest window. If there is a fire, shut your door, and seal it off as best as possible to avoid smoke inhalation.  The article of clothing will inform emergency personnel you are inside.
  • Shelter-in-Place for Workplace Violence/Shooting.  If your place of employment is under attack and an exit is not near, HIDE in the safest area. Shelter-in-place refers to finding the smallest area and taking refuge there. If there is a window nearby, you can also hang an article of clothing out the window, to let outsiders know you are trapped inside. Avoid overcrowding by selecting numerous hiding areas for each employee/person. DO NOT confront the perpetrator.
  • Know who to report to. Once you are outside of the building, and have reached safety, check in. Let your supervisor know you are okay. Every workplace should have a “check-in” protocol with certain employees or managers designated to take headcounts. This will help emergency personnel determine if there is anyone left in the building, and who.
  • DO NOT pull fire alarm, if the threat is outside of the workplace.  If your office or place of employment receives a threat via phone, letter, or email, do not pull the fire alarm. The fire alarm will disable all elevators, which may be crucial to exiting the building more quickly. Calmly inform everyone that they need to exit the building immediately.

Proactively creating an emergency plan specific to your place of employment will let all employees know of the aforementioned best safety practices. More importantly, delegating responsibilities amongst employees, outlining the chain of command, and determining the safety check-in points outside of your building (all found within a company’s emergency plan) will prove itself valuable in the event of an emergency.

The responsibility of creating a formal emergency plan often falls within the HR department. For companies without HR staff, it is the business owner’s responsibility. For additional questions or concerns surrounding workplace safety and your company’s emergency plan, please contact us.  HR Shield is skilled at aiding companies in creating custom emergency plans and can help promote overall workplace safety within your organization.

HR Shield sends its greatest condolences to victims and their families affected by last night’s Colorado shooting, and we are hoping for the quick recovery of all those injured.

Posted in Best Practices, General | 2 Comments

Show Your Employees Just How Much You Value Them

July 18th, 2012

You’d be surprised at just how important it is to let your employees know just how important they are to your company and how much you as their boss value what they do for the company.

value your employees

For HR support, sign up now online, or call (877) 636-9525 for more information!


With HR Shield, members gain access to necessary forms, and are able to give our HR advisors a call any time they have a question. We’re here to help with the these headache, and more!

Let’s Connect! 

Twitter: @Hr_Shield

Facebook: /HRShield

Pinterest: /HRShield

YouTube: /TheHRShield

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Streamline your human resources administration with HR management best practicesfrom HR Shield. Call and meet your HR Advisor (877) 636-9525, or contact us for more information.

Posted in HR Tips | No Comments

Hiring Our Heroes: Veteran Recruitment

July 17th, 2012

It’s no secret that veterans transitioning out of the military face challenges when it comes to finding employment. As HR professionals, we recognize that it is sometimes difficult to remember all of the important steps to take when recruiting, especially recruiting a veteran.

HR Shield has provided the following list of best practices to help business owners and HR professionals better recruit and hire our heroes.  Feel free to use this as a checklist for your next recruitment and hire!

  1. Job Descriptions: When posting your job, make sure the description is specific and clearly outlines the desired skills and experience. If the job is relevant to someone with military experience, make sure to include that information upfront; this will help veterans more easily find your post. The US Chamber of Commerce also has a website for recruiting veteran candidates – make sure to post available jobs on their site as well!
  2. Have Some Military Background: You don’t have to be a veteran yourself to understand basic military culture. A basic knowledge of the values, structure, policies, challenges, and accomplishments will help establish a stronger relationship with the candidate.  They’ve taken the time to learn about your business and culture; take the time to learn about theirs.
  3. Address Benefits: The military has an extremely easy health care system (in terms of obtaining care). If a military member is sick, injured, or in need of an appointment, they schedule the appointment and go. They may not understand terms like deductibles, co-payments and benefit years. Take your time to review the company’s benefits and answer any questions the candidate may have.  Many veterans will have continued coverage provided through the Military’s primary carrier, TriCare.  Be prepared to discuss how your company’s policies can work in conjunction with current coverage to enhance the overall benefit offering.
  4. Explain Your Structure: Explaining your organization’s structure is often important to a Veteran. Veterans are adept to operating within a chain of command, and delegating responsibilities. Let the candidate know who they will be working for, who will guide them, what their responsibilities are, who they report to, and what an “average” day’s schedule looks like.
  5. Hire for the Right Reason: Many employers are aware that hiring veterans comes with a tax break, but do not hire for that reason. Hire the candidate that is best suited for the job. This will help both the employee and employer grow and succeed.

For more information, questions, or concerns, feel free to contact one of our HR Consultants at HR Shield.

Posted in Best Practices, Hiring & Firing | No Comments

It Isn’t Always About The Monetary Incentives

July 16th, 2012

Human Resources Tips

Rewarding your staff with cash bonuses are not the only way to motivate and reward. There are many other ways to motivate your staff that are creative and more effective than money. Try offering flexible work patterns or other recognition programs. Think out of the box, be unique and get your staff excited and you’ll soon see a change in work habits, employee engagement and performance!

 

 

For HR support, sign up now online, or call (877) 636-9525 for more information!


With HR Shield, members gain access to necessary forms, and are able to give our HR advisors a call any time they have a question. We’re here to help with the these headache, and more!

Let’s Connect! 

Twitter: @Hr_Shield

Facebook: /HRShield

Pinterest: /HRShield

YouTube: /TheHRShield

Google+

Streamline your human resources administration with HR management best practicesfrom HR Shield. Call and meet your HR Advisor (877) 636-9525, or contact us for more information.

Posted in HR Tips | No Comments

Hiring Checklist – Bring on the Paperwork!

July 11th, 2012

What forms do you need to complete when hiring a new employee?

Hiring Forms Checklist:

  • Job Application Form
  • Form I-9 for Employment Eligibility
  • Form W-4 for Federal Income Tax Withholding
  • State Income Tax Withholding Form (where applicable)
  • Register with State Employment Notification System
  • SSN/W-2: You are required to get each employee’s name and SSN (along with a copy of their card) to enter them on Form W-2.

Although this list may seem short, the hiring checklist doesn’t end when federal or state forms are completed.  Different states have different regulations when it comes to documentation, and hiring a new employee can include other various HR-related tasks such as compensation structure, employee handbooks, interviews, non-disclosures, and more!

But, don’t panic just yet. While there’s a long list of “to-dos” when it comes to hiring or firing, HR Shield can help.  For HR support, sign up now online, or call (877) 636-9525 for more information!

With HR Shield, members gain access to necessary forms, and are able to give our HR advisors a call any time they have a question. We’re here to help with the hiring headache, and more!

Posted in Employees, Hiring & Firing, Recruitment | No Comments

What does “exempt” and “non-exempt” mean?

July 9th, 2012

Perhaps you’re an HR manager new to hiring personnel, or a business owner trying to navigate the world of compliance when it comes to wage and hours. You’ve likely come across the terms “exempt” and “non-exempt,” as they are required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)… but do you know exactly what they mean?

The FLSA requires that employers classify employees as either exempt or non-exempt. FLSA rules and regulations apply to non-exempt employees.  They do not apply to exempt employees.  What are the differences?

Wages:

Minimum wage, overtime, and other rights/regulations that fall under FLSA are not applicable to employees who are “exempt.” Exempt employees must receive a salary rather than an hourly wage for their position in order to be classified as “exempt.” 

Since non-exempt employees are not exempt from the FLSA requirements, employers must pay non-exempt employees the federal minimum wage for each hour worked. They must also be paid overtime for hours worked beyond 40 hours each work week.

How does this effect taxes? 

There is no difference between the way that exempt and non-exempt employees are taxed. All pay earned, is “earned income” and therefore can be taxed. Although employees will fall into different tax brackets depending on how much income is earned, the same regulations surrounding taxes apply to each group.

Is that all?

That’s not all. Laws and regulations surrounding HR can be extremely complex, and in this case determining on your own whether or not to classify your employee as exempt or non-exempt can lead to implications down the line, including benefits, workers’ rights, and unemployment. A second opinion is always a good idea!

For newcomers to the HR world, or business owners simply in need of more support, HR Shield provides instant access to an extensive online library of forms, templates and training tools on everything from job interview tips to compliance.

When you need more one-on-one support, a quick call to your HR Advisor is all it takes to tap into our team of licensed experts—each with a minimum of ten years HR experience coupled with extensive hiring expertise.

Hiring soon? Need help with documentation? Contact us!

Posted in Employees, Hiring & Firing | No Comments

Reason #6 – Why HR Shield Rocks!

July 6th, 2012

Join us each week as we review just one of the 25 reasons that HR Shield ROCKS!

Reason # 6- HR Forms and Templates to Maintain a Compliant HR Department

HR Shield offers a host of policy and form templates for the most common HR-related functions/processes. Simply select the desired template and download. This is a free library that is only available to HR Shield members. Don’t see a form you need?  Just let us know and we will create it for you!

HR Shield is offering a one-time FREE 30-day no-risk trial membership to companies interested in protecting themselves from wrongful termination suits, discrimination and FLSA issues. That’s right, you get 30 days access at no cost, and if you are satisfied (we know you’ll love it) you can continue with a month-to-month membership for only $49.99 a month.  That’s less than $2.00 a day!

Note:  The Risk Free Trial is available to new customers ONLY.  Current Members are NOT ELIGIBLE for the Risk Free Trial.

Here’s how it works:

Request your free one month membership to HR Shield by calling 1-877-636-9525 now and we’ll email you a user name and password that gives you instant access to HR Shield. There you’ll find a collection of forms and training resources for your entire management team. You’ll also have immediate access to your dedicated HR Advisor for 30 days.

It’s that simple.

Call today and start enjoying email and phone support from a fully licensed HR professional who is dedicated to helping protect your business!

Posted in 25 Reasons HR Shield Rocks | No Comments

5 Executive Tips for Successful Employee Performance Reviews!

July 2nd, 2012

As a business owner or executive, you need to establish what’s expected overall in the form of a policy manual. Once employees are given the ‘rules of the road’ for their specific job titles, performance must be measured throughout the duration of the employee’s career.

Employee performance reviews not only iron out the kinks in the workplace, but also help employees improve for the future. Reviewing the positives is important as well as reviewing the negatives surrounding an employee’s performance, but you must do so in a manner that is not a personal attack upon the employee. And most importantly, you must not deliver the review in such a manner that the truth is vague or unclear. If an employee is performing poorly,   they need to know, and it needs to be documented in the event that the end result is termination.

Here are 5 tips for management when conducting employee performance reviews:

  1. Schedule Reviews Often: Once a year employee performance reviews do not allow employees to stay on track. Quarterly reviews are much more effective when it comes to measuring an employee’s performance, success, and room for improvement. Also, as working environments change, so may an employee’s job responsibilities. What’s relevant to a good employee performance review today may not be relevant in a few months.
  2. Be Honest: We know it’s hard to deliver negative news, but the truth is much better than leading an employee to believe they are doing everything right. An honest assessment will uncover job performance areas an employee may not know they are performing poorly in. It will also give employees a benchmark, and room for improvement.
  3. Prepare: Give some thought to how you are going to deliver the employee performance review. Will you start with positives, or negatives? And have you given any thought to how much they have or have not improved since the last review? Create an outline for your review so that strengths and areas in need of improvement can be addressed independently.
  4. Be Specific: Nothing is worse than a vague, 5-10 minute review that seems more like homework than a genuine attempt at improving performance. Most employees work very hard for their employers, and a concise, respectful and honest review should be conducted.
  5. Ask About the Future: Where does your employee want to be next year? What about 5 years down the line? This is an important question to ask during an employee performance review because it’s very relevant. How is he or she performing today, and what is it going to take to reach their career goals? Let them know, so that they can work on it, and you can support them. 

Employee reviews can be difficult to deliver. To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of HR related tasks, many companies rely on HR shield. We deliver an employee performance management system that really works, including employee handbook templates, employee reviews and all the HR advice you need.

Call today to learn more about HR Shield’s employee performance reviews at (877) 636-9525 or contact us online.

Posted in Best Practices, Employees | No Comments