Tracking employee productivity used to be easy.
Work looked like work and loafing looked like loafing. The practice of management wasn’t as tough then as today. Either the workers were cutting, clearing, hammering or sewing, or they weren’t. It was plain to see.
Do your employees ever get calls from creditors or collection agencies about their personal financial affairs? Certainly, this hinders their productivity. Did you know that under the Fair Credit Collection Practices Act it is illegal for collectors to contact a debtor at his/her place of employment if the collector is made aware that it is against the personnel policy of the employer for the employee to take such calls?
State laws govern your rights and obligations as an employer with respect to your employees’ jury duty obligations. Every state requires you to allow your employees to fulfill their jury duty obligations. No state allows you to retaliate, demote, discipline or terminate employees for fulfilling their jury duty obligations, no matter how burdensome to the [...]
The new year provides an opportunity for employers to implement changes in employment policy to lower cost and legal exposure. Employees tend to more readily accept changes introduced at the beginning of a new year. Here are some you should consider.
Employers’ obligations with regard to health benefits for employees on military leave are governed by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA provides that employers must continue benefits for persons on military leave similar to the type of continuation rights provided by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA).
While I was attending a Great Place to Work Institute conference, an organizational consultant spoke about a client that displayed posters throughout its offices with the message “Our valued employees are always treated with trust and respect,” yet the employees underwent security searches before entering each day. This was an unusual practice for a civilian organization with only “normal” security concerns. The consultant questioned the leaders about the conflicting messages. The organization discontinued the searches.
Companies large and small are eliminating or suspending 401(k) matching fund programs as a way to cut expenses and stay afloat during this financial downturn. Some companies have said they will have to re-evaluate the matching funds program after the recession is over. Still, other firms have said the level of profitability will determine if employees receiving 401(k) matching funds. Employers must also examine if dropping the matching funds will drive away top talent.
Every business owner knows health care insurance costs are rising and it’s difficult to keep it under control. But there is hope and it lies within a company wellness program, which can benefit you and your employees. Healthy people are cheaper to insure and research shows that health and wellness programs reduce medical costs and lower absenteeism. You will have to spend money to begin the initiative, but for every dollar spent you’ll get between $3.50 and $6 in return. That’s a heck of a return on investment.
Scams hide behind smiling faces. These are the words of Phil Mulkins, Tulsa World newspaper Action Line writer, in response to a question about how one might keep oneself from being stung by fraud.
When it’s time to terminate an employee, most of the cards have already been dealt. If you’ve failed to play the game wisely and thereby hold a bad set of cards, there’s not a lot you can do to improve your hand.
The good news is, there are just a few basic things you need to do to reduce employee termination-related problems such as litigation. Here they are:
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