Best Benefits

Best Benefits
Are you using your 401(k) lure effectively?

Ask Robert Garcia what benefit he offers to attract the best employees and his excitement will almost bowl you over. “We offer a 401(k) plans with a 50% match!” he grins. Garcia’s benefits manager isn’t so excited. “It’s a super benefit, but we only have about 14% participation in the program. We have a substantial number of blue-collar workers, and apparently, retirement savings isn’t a big priority.”

"What I see is, Joe Lunchbox everyday people don't understand the 401k benefits and aren't involved," said Patrick Vandenberg, manager of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service in Milwaukee. If we had a high school course that taught the value of compound interest along with English composition and Biology, we’d have better 401(k) participation, but until then, the burden for teaching employees the value of retirement savings rests with the employer. The PEO can help.

We’ll start by helping you get the word out about how much an employee stands to gain from contributing to a 401(k) retirement plans. If you offer an employer match and you don’t advertise that to potential recruits and current employees, you’re missing a great retention opportunity. In addition to getting the word out, consider easing eligibility for the plans. Many companies are reducing waiting periods to thirty days, or signing employees on immediately.

Pay close attention to helping employees understand that this is a long-term investment. Currently, 68% of employees cash out their plans when they leave the job, blowing retirement savings and incurring tax penalties. Most are simply not properly educated about the consequences of such a move.

Call us about the availability of training materials to help your employees see how the company 401(k) benefits them. Get the most out of this valuable recruiting and retention tool!

(See, Joel Dresang. “401(k); It’s a Benefit Employers Use as a Lure, But Workers Aren’t Completely Hooked.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.. Business; Pg. 01D.)

AmCheck offers nationwide 401k Benefit & 401k retirement plans services. Get an online quote.

Bilingual Employees

Bilingual Employees
Hiring Bilingual Employees for your benefit

In almost every state in the nation, financial and accounting executives are grappling with an increased need for bilingual employees. Demand for hiring bilingual employees is primarily increasing within financial services, pharmaceutical, technology, and life sciences sectors, according to Chris van Someren, president, Global Markets, at Los Angeles-based Korn/Ferry International. His company specializes in executive recruitment.

Whether you’re trying to meet the needs of immigrant customers who do not speak English, or because increasing globalization has made it difficult to do business in one language, the temporary staffing industry may be your best tool for recruiting top bilingual employees. Here’s why:

• As the U.S. population diversifies, you’ll want to stay ahead of the competition as you market to different ethnic groups. If you want to attract and market to the Hispanic population, you need Spanish-speaking staff. It’s that simple.

• Our firm assists with “testing” to help you make sure that applicants who say they are bilingual, really are. For example, is your Spanish-speaking candidate proficient in business or technical vocabulary?

• On the flip side, we can verify that a candidate who speaks Spanish fluently also has the skills necessary for the position.

• We work constantly to collaborate with firms that have access to employees with unique language skills. If you need an accountant who speaks Mandarin Chinese, you can spend hours beating the bushes, or you can let us do the footwork.

• You may have a short-term language need. If you have a temporary need to communicate with a Brazilian company, it doesn’t make sense to have a full-time Portuguese-speaker on the payroll.

• If we supply a worker who happens to be the perfect fit, permanent placement options can allow you to hire that worker full-time.

One of our associates can meet with you briefly to discuss your company’s unique language and communication needs. Our employee screening services are designed to meet your requirement of bilingual employees. Please call today.

Source: Teiseira, Julian. “More Companies Recruit Bilingual Employees.” Employment Management Today. Fall 2004. Vol 9, No. 4. www.shrm.org/ema/EMT/articles/2004/Fall04teixeira.asp

AmCheck offers nationwide Bilingual Employee Hiring, Screening, Development & Retention services. Get a n online quote.

Cutting Edge Business Practices: PEO Services

Cutting Edge Business Practices: PEO Services
The Professional Employer Organization

When we think of cutting-edge business practices and technologies, we think of improvements or advancements that are so influential they revolutionize entire industries. Consider, for example, the invention of machine tools. They made it possible to produce articles with interchangeable parts because for the first time, a worker could make a cut in a piece of metal that was accurate to the millionth of an inch. An identical cut could be made again and again and again. The result was the ability to mass-produce articles without seriously compromising quality. That was "cutting-edge" technology.

The growth of the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry represents a similar revolution. For the first time, you have access to assistance in complying with increased regulatory demands. You can get help dealing with business threats that did not exist in the past (such as sexual harassment suits). You can offer your employees benefits that make it possible for you to retain a competitive workforce. "Cutting-edge" indeed.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. Enrollment with a PEO allows businesses to increase efficiency and focus on core growth because many of the "annoying details" can be handled by the PEO.

• Have problems with FLSA compliance? Your PEO has it under control.

• Need advice about how to prevent accidents and lower workers' compensation premiums? Your PEO has a professional on-staff that is trained to see safety risks you might overlook.

• Are you interested in offering a 401k program and teaching your employees how to assess their retirement needs? We've got that covered too.

These and a host of other benefits are available to you, and chances are that our PEO company can offer them to you for less than you're already paying. Being on the cutting edge is what business is all about. Maybe it's time to sharpen your tools.

AmCheck offers nationwide professional employer organization (PEO) services. Get an online quote.

Developing Your People

Developing Your People
Workforce Development: The characteristic of a successful company

One might think workforce development is an obvious characteristic of all successful companies and their managers. But Lominger Limited Inc. - a leadership development think tank and consultancy - reports that managers and employees ranked "developing direct reports" dead last out of all 67 competencies in its bi-annual study of leadership skills. That's right—managers are viewed and view themselves "worst" at developing their direct reports compared to all other skills in their toolbox.

Fears and hollow excuses are usually what prevents managers from developing their people. You may not be actively developing your reports job because you fear:

• Losing power. If you develop your people, you may not be the technical expert of your area anymore. (In reality, you agreed to not be the expert any more when you took a leadership position.)

• Losing your good people. As people develop, they may want to grow further beyond the function of your department. Be aware, however, that if you are seen as a "people hoarder," your career will be severely diminished.

• Being "leap-frogged." Someone you develop may eventually get a job you want. You may even have to report to one of your previous direct reports. (Let's hope you developed them well.) If you use this excuse, you're revealing a basic insecurity about your own abilities.

• Creating a rival. Worse than the fear of being leap-frogged may be the fear that a former direct report could become an arch rival in your organization. This excuse is another indication of personal insecurity.

Or you may not be developing other leaders because it takes time or you want to avoid the responsibility. But what else are you doing with your time that is more important? Here are six reasons why you should can the excuses and work on your workforce-development skills:

• To improve productivity and effectiveness. While developing a direct report may cause some temporary reduction in productivity, it will pay dividends in your department, team or division in the long run.

• To maximize long-term potential. Developing direct reports improves the long-run success of your entire company.

• To keep your sanity. Good people developers usually go home on time. Developing your people not only improves their capacity to perform, but it improves your capacity to delegate.

• To attract talent. When the word gets out that you are a people developer, the up-and-comers in your company line up to work in your department, team, shop or division.

• To "plant" good people. When people leave your area, they know your department's function, your methods and your needs, and can help you be successful from their new position.

• To get promoted. Being a great people developer differentiates you from the pack. People say good things about you. People realize you are a more complete leader, not the usual, one-commodity manager.

No one becomes a great people developer overnight, and there's no one right way to do it. You should cater to your strengths and to your style. Here are some general tips for improvement:

• Be the motivator, not the "mom." Convince your employees that they are responsible for their own development. Each must have a written development plan, including both short- and long-term development goals. Remind employees that capitalism is "creative destruction" and that their jobs may dissolve without notice. Corporate maternalism breeds unhealthy dependence on the company and minimizes self-reliance.

• Incorporate their need to have a personal development plan into your performance-management process.

• Recognize that development is more than going to training. While training courses are an important aspect of development, so are rotations, special tasks, complex projects, reading assignments, informal "brown-bag discussions" and even successful staff meetings.

• Coach with a passion. Most people can remember a coach, teacher or mentor who dared to confront behavior when it was less than optimal. People developers constructively confront-in a private and professional way-when needed.

• Delegate incessantly, and make assignments with development in mind.

• Know your people, particularly their career aspirations.

• When interviewing potential hires for your department, discuss an estimated time for them to move on (assuming this fits their career aspirations), usually by the end of three years. Make moving on a goal, and promise that you will help them find their next position within the company when they have developed to your expectations and performed in their current job for a reasonable period of time.

• Creatively reward people who actively develop themselves. Money is not always the right answer. Know your people and reward them with a motivating intangible.

AmCheck’s HR expertise can reduce your workforce development & workforce training cost while improving your processes and efficiency. Request a free HR solutions and service quote and start saving today.

Employee Retention Strategies

Employee Retention Strategies
Sometimes you just make the best out of a bad situation: Use employee retention programs

In an economy when good help is hard to find, dismissing or firing trained workers takes an especially big bite out of the company budget. Recruiting and re-training are costly and time-consuming. Is there a better way?

Jerry Strahan assures us there is. You think your employee retention strategies are miserable? Jerry’s crew of hot dog vendors is made up of extremely difficult personnel.” Like it or not, Jerry has survived 28 years in the business because he learned how to manage the unmanageable. Maybe some of his advice will help you think again before you submit yourself to the headache and expense of terminating an “unmanageable” worker:

“You have to set rules, you have to semi-enforce them, you have to be very forgiving when they’re not followed; otherwise you don’t have carts out, [and you don’t make any money,] says Strahan. “You can’t eliminate the madness. Sometimes you can control it.”

• Running a company is like raising a child - It is not a by-the-book activity for everyone. Strahan’s “best practices” consist mostly of learning to make the best of bad situations. “They need work, I need vendors,” says Jerry. While company policy expects each vendor to be neat, clean, on time, polite, and conscientious, Jerry is usually willing to settle for four out of five.

• Don’t trust the applicant who tries to sell himself -The ones who tell Jerry they’re looking for a career quit showing up for work after about two weeks. Jerry always hires the ones who say, “I’m only going to be here for a short time,” because he knows they’re telling the truth. Employees who are willing to give you the bad news, rather than sugar-coat everything are like pure gold. They help you see where you can improve.

Always consult with our human resources department before terminating any employee. We’ll help you determine whether other options are available.

(Source: “Buchanan, Leigh. “The Taming of the Crew.” INC August. To read more, pick up Jerry Strahan’s Managing Ignatiusr. Louisiana State University Press. )

AmCheck's HR expertise offers effective employee retention strategies & programs. Request a free HR - Employee Retention strategies and service quote and start saving today.

Helping With Employee Relations Challenges

Helping With Employee Relations Challenges
Improve Employee Relations: What are your employee corrective processes?

Do you know you have a Human Resources professional available to help you with your employee relations challenges? One of our goals is to help our clients identify options and best practices to manage the balance between the laws governing employer responsibilities and employee rights.

On a daily basis our Human Resources Team is in communication, either by phone or in person, with many of you to discuss the problems you're having with various employees in order to improve employee relations within your organization.

Our process is to discuss the situation with you, exposing as many different aspects as possible, run scenarios, help you identify the options available, and suggest the best ways of documentation to memorialize the event for the record. Together we help you manage the employee relation risks and fight unnecessary increases in unemployment compensation costs.

Do you have an employee corrective action process in place? No company is too small. Contact your Human Resources Department today. We’re ready to help you establish a system at no cost. This is just another one of the many services available to our clients!

AmCheck’s HR expertise can reduce your employee relation communication challenges while improving your processes and efficiency. Request a free HR solutions and service quote and start saving today.

How to Protect Your Business

How to Protect Your Business
Worker Comp Premium: Protect your business from worker’s compensation penalties

Failing to report all employees to our company can be an expensive proposition. For example, a drywall contractor was fined $361,000 for failing to provide worker comp premium.

The company neglected to enroll six new employees with the PEO Company before allowing them to work on a jobsite. By not reporting these employees and paying them in cash, they were not covered under the PEO's workers' compensation contract.

This practice is extremely risky. The employer faces the risk of fines, and since the PEO does not have the employees covered under their workers' compensation contract, the employer retains all responsibility for the risk. If an employee gets hurt, the business owner may have to pick up the tab.

More specifically, the owner of the business becomes personally liable for all medical bills and the injured employee's pay, should the employee be unable to return to work. These costs can be almost endless because the business owner no longer has the protection of the workers' compensation laws.

The answer is simple: make certain you enroll your employees as soon as you hire them.

If the State enters your business or jobsite, they will call us to confirm employee names. If the names do not match, you might find yourself in a tricky situation. Besides, who has $361,000 to throw away in fines?

AmCheck offers nationwide worker compensation and PEO Service. Get online quote to save worker compensation premium penalties.

Making Better Hiring Decisions

Making Better Hiring Decisions
Employee Hiring Assessment: Hiring Permanent Employees to eliminate hiring errors

As we move toward greener economic pastures, many managers and employers are struggling with the question of how to make the best hiring decisions and get expert employee hiring assessment. Yes, the economy looks better, but can you afford to make hiring errors right now? Replacing an employee can be costly.

Experts estimate that you will spend up to 35% of a job’s annual salary looking for a suitable replacement employee. The costs can include recruiting expenses, more wasted time reading resumes and interviewing, loss of productivity, decreased morale among co-workers who must handle added work burdens while managers search for a replacement, and of course, training costs for the new employee.

Three suggestions will help you make better employee hiring assessment decisions:

• Avoid interviewing errors
• Learn how to evaluate a candidate’s work habits
• Consider non-traditional hiring options such as permanent placement.

Avoid interviewing errors
One of the costliest employee hiring practices that managers make is premature decision-making when hiring new employees. Typically, the executive doing the interviewing makes a hiring decision within the first five to nine minutes of the interview, and these decisions are often based on “gut feeling” rather than hard facts. Great managers must learn to hire with their heads rather than their hearts. Hiring the best people is the simplest way to turn yourself into a “superb” manager. The extra effort it requires is almost always worth it.

Discuss work habits
While a prospective employee may have a great resume, it’s pretty tough to tell what his or her work ethic is like. She may possess exactly the skill-set you’re looking for, yet be a chronic latecomer. Another prospect’s confidence and poise may mask his tendency to be condescending to his subordinates, or hide the fact that he was dismissed from his last job for harassing co-workers.

As a manager, you’ll need to key in on six or eight of the “work habits” that are indispensable at your workplace, and ask questions that will help you assess whether or not the potential employee possesses those habits. Maybe you value integrity above all else, or perhaps sensitivity to diversity is important in your corporate culture. Asking about past experiences related to these necessary work habits is one good method of discovering the individual who is the best “fit.”

Permanent Placement
Yet another option is to consider permanent placement. If you don’t have the time or the expertise to perform exhaustive recruiting and careful, thorough interviews, we can help. Because it is our business to recruit, select, and refer the best candidates, you can depend on our ability to find a candidate who best meets the needs of your company.

We’re pleased to help you discover the ideal candidates for your permanent workforce. Please contact our office today to learn more about permanent placement options.

Source: “Firms Can Avoid Costly Hiring Errors” USA Today. http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1272/n2632_v126/20258650/p1/article.jhtml

AmCheck offers nationwide employee hiring assessment services. Get online quote for better & cost effective employee hiring practices.

PEO Services

PEO Services
We take the headache out of ERISA 401(k) compliance

Among the hefty employment responsibilities we help you tackle is ERISA compliance. Managing a 401(k) plan, for example, requires a specific set of standards and diligence. We assume these responsibilities for you, so that you can concentrate your efforts on building your business. As part of ERISA compliance, we monitor available 401(k) plans to insure that they meet appropriate guidelines. This service includes:

• Establishing a prudent process for selecting a 401(k) administrator, or other service provider.
• Ensuring that fees are paid, and that the level of service and quality matches the fees incurred (The law requires that the fees charged to a 401(k) plan are “reasonable,” but it does not establish a level of permissible fees. We help insure that fees are indeed reasonable).
• Educating investors about available plan options.
• Seeing that investment alternatives are adequately diversified
• Monitoring investments to assure that the alternatives offered by a specific service provider are appropriate
  

401(k) administrators charge many different types of fees, depending on how the plan is managed, but most fees fall into one of three categories: Plan administration fees, Investment fees, and Individual service fees. When these fees are carefully managed, the return on the employee’s investment is maximized. Unmanaged, the fees have the potential of taking a significant bite out of overall earnings. (For a detailed discussion on 401(k) plan fees, see “The Hidden Cost of 401(k) Plans,” HR Wire).

If you have questions about your 401(k), or would like to make one available to your employees, contact one of our representatives at your earliest convenience.

AmCheck offers nationwide ERISA compliance & 401K Plans. Get online quote for cost effective ERISA 401K compliance plans.

Random Drug Testing

Random Drug Testing
Workplace Random Drug Testing: Is it worth the costs?

When you add up the hidden costs of hiring an employee with a substance abuse problem (increased absenteeism, loss of productivity, theft, increased health insurance costs, and increased workers’ compensation claims), the expenses can amount to a substantial loss of profit.

More and more frequently, employers protect their “bottom line” by implementing workplace random drug testing. A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor reports companies which used a workplace random drug testing program reported a whopping decrease of 63.7% in worker’s compensation claims. Injury rates reportedly are lowered by 22.3%.

In this article dealing with drug testing featured in the March issue of The PEO Insider, Randall W. Montalbano wrote: “One mechanical contractor firm paid $2 million a year in claims prior to implementing a random drug-testing program. The first year their program was in place, they paid only $1.26 million. At the close of the second year, the total for insurance claims was only $264,000. You do the math.”

Montalbano’s articles rated drug use among several industry categories. Eating and drinking establishments reported drug use in up to 16.3% of their employees. Other industries figured in with comparatively high rates of drug use. A sampling follows:

Furniture and appliance retail 16.3%
Advertising, Consulting 13.1%
Construction 12.2%
Printing and publishing 11.7%
Auto Supply and Gas Stations 11.2%

Source: The ProEmp Journal.

AmCheck offers nationwide workplace random drug testing & employee screening services. Get a quote for better & cost effective employee screening solutions.

COBRA Regulations: Have COBRA Compliance

COBRA Regulations: Have COBRA Compliance
New IRS COBRA compliance regulations you need to be aware of

The IRS released Final and Proposed COBRA regulations and we want you to be aware of the changes so that your business will remain in COBRA compliance and avoid penalties. We are currently reviewing all health plans to insure that proper documents and procedures will be followed. You can help us by understanding the new laws.

Essentially, the changes relate to a recent Supreme Court decision (Geissal v Moore Medical Corp.) which mandates that “an employer may not deny COBRA continuation coverage to an employee on the grounds that he or she has already been covered by another health plan prior to making the COBRA election. COBRA may only be denied when the employee becomes covered by another health plan after he or she has elected COBRA continuation coverage.” While this rule has the potential to increase health plan costs, it should also simplify COBRA administration.

The lynchpin question is this: “Is the employee covered by another health plan before election to continue health insurance coverage with your company under COBRA Regulations?” If so, you are still obligated to offer to continue coverage.

Remember that it is our privilege and obligation to assist you with compliance issues. This allows you to focus your efforts on improving your business. Call today if you have additional questions.

*Headline Quote:

• Advise all active employees of their COBRA and HIPAA rights
• Maintain telephone records of inquiries about COBRA and HIPAA
• Refer all inquiries about COBRA compliance to our office.
  

*The headline quote is designed to accompany the article, but is printed next to the article in a larger font for added emphasis.

AmCheck offers nationwide COBRA compliance services. Get a quote.

Employee Evaluations & Appraisal

Employee Evaluations & Appraisal
Are you giving Fair Employee Performance Evaluation and Appraisal for Employee Retention?

Everybody likes getting a good “report card.” Unfortunately, our society’s educational grading process programs us to expect an “A” for average performance – for completing all of our work on time and turning everything in. You may encounter the same line of reasoning when it is time for employee evaluations.

Employees come to expect a top rating for average performance, and too often, supervisors are willing to give it to them. As Jonathan A. Segal puts it, "Poor employees are evaluated as marginally competent...and good employees [are rated] worthy of sainthood." The problem with the system is that it creates a liability for your company in the event that you terminate an employee for poor performance.

When an employee is evaluated as “marginally competent” when in fact his performance is substandard, the employer who dismisses him runs the risk of a discrimination lawsuit. An employee evaluation which doesn't clearly spell out the problems that caused the employee’s dismissal is going to make the employer come out smelling foul in court.

How do you avoid sending mixed signals? How do you evaluate employees fairly without damaging morale? Consider some of the following possibilities:

• Don’t focus entirely on the negative
• Keep a running record
• Administer discipline consistently
• Let the employee rank him/herself

Choose your words carefully. Train your supervisors to think about the possibility that someday they may be defending their criticisms in court, and to word them accordingly.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Performance Evaluations & Appraisal Services. Get a quote.

Employee Training and Development

Employee Training and Development
Employee Training: Giving company an edge

In today’s tight job market, one of your major obstacles to finding and retaining the best employees has become employee training. People simply don’t stay long when they know they have no future with a company. There are too many other options out there.

A company’s investment in employee training says, “You’re a valued employee, and your personal growth is important to us.” What’s more, employee training and development may be the key to keeping your whole business on the cutting edge. We can help. We provide an array of training opportunities as part of our service to you.

Aside from the fact that adequate training will boost morale, retention, and productivity, consider the savings that you might realize when your employees are properly prepared for their jobs. “Market conditions and technologies change so fast that your employees’ skills become obsolete at a rapid pace,” warns What’s Working in Human Resources newsletter. “Firms that train will leave those that don’t in the dust.”

There is yet another reason employee training program has value for your company. By providing opportunities for employees to become familiar with their co-workers’ responsibilities, you help employees value one another’s work. Take a close look at the work skills required for your company to function day-to-day.

Is there any employee whose skills are so valuable that you could not function without them for an extended period of time?

What training efforts could minimize the impact of this possible hazard?

We take employee training seriously, and our efforts to keep your employees up to date begin the day you enroll. Please contact a member of our Human Resources staff for a schedule of the training opportunities we are currently offering.

AmCheck offers nationwide HR Solutions & Employee Training & Development Programs. Get a quote.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA Law)

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA Law)
FMLA Law - You don’t have to "read an employee’s mind"

When Ester Gay failed to report for work on June 22, her husband called her supervisor to report that she was hospitalized for “a few tests.” In fact, Ester had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment due to a nervous breakdown.

After six days, the supervisor had received no further information, and Ester was dismissed. She filed suit claiming that she was entitled to emergency leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The court’s decision in the lawsuit is proof that there is still some justice in the world for employers weary of trying to comply with a bevy of government-imposed regulations.

Based on the information Ester’s husband gave, the employer had no way of knowing that her condition might have qualified her for leave under the FMLA Law, so when Ester’s attorney filed suit, the court ruled in favor of the employer.

According to HR Wire, “In order to take advantage of FMLA benefits, employees must provide notice to employers--normally, at least 30 days in advance where the leave is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment.” When the need for leave is not foreseeable, an employee generally must notify an employer within 48 hours. There are exceptional cases, but these are general guidelines.

When the need for leave is unforeseeable, the employee is only required to notify the employer that his or her condition is potentially FMLA-qualifying. The burden of determining whether the leave is in fact FMLA-qualifying then rests with the employer.

We are your employment ally. We’ll help you interpret the FMLA, and prevent you from taking employment action that has the potential to damage your company.

AmCheck offers nationwide HR Solutions & Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA Law) interpretation services. Get a quote.

Hiring Minors: Fair Labor Standard Act

Hiring Minors: Fair Labor Standard Act
Prevent your company from child labor law violations - FLSA

At the conclusion of a long school year, when students have completed their final exams, the Employment Policy Foundation estimates that over 60% of teenagers, between the ages of 16-19, will look for summer employment. This equates to over 8 million new employees entering the workforce. For many employers, youth employment provides a relatively simple and cost effective resource that will help fill seasonal staffing needs.

However, what appears to be a mutually beneficial relationship could actually create undo liability for the employer. Both the federal government and the states legislators enforce regulations aimed at protecting minors from hazardous occupations and minimizing the disruption of school work. The federal government enforces child labor provisions through the Fair labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the states through various youth employment laws. Penalties for child labor violations range from $100 to $10,000 per occurrence, based on the severity of the violation. As such, it is imperative to know the laws before hiring a minor.

Federal v. State
It is not uncommon for an employer to be faced with contradicting regulations. For example, many states allow minors, 16 years and younger, to work until 10:00pm during the summertime. Conversely, the FLSA only allows for work until 9:00pm (7:00pm during the school year). So what to do? Follow the law that is most limiting. Where state laws are stricter than the federal FLSA, the state laws should be applied.

Age Certificates
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Federal Government does not require work permits or proof-of-age certificates. Most states, however, do require them for workers of a certain age. The purpose of these certificates is to protect the employer from prosecution for employing an under-aged worker. The possession of an age certificate constitutes a good faith effort to comply with the minimum age requirements. Generally, work permits can be obtained through the student’s school board or the state labor department. For specific requirements, as they apply to your state, please see the adjoining chart.

Allowable Job Duties
The employment of minors 14 – 15 years of age is severely limited by both state and federal law. Any job for a child under 16 is considered “oppressive” if it is the type of job that is typically restricted to older children. In addition, a job held by a 14 -15 year old must not interfere with school hours or the child’s well-being. The Department of Labor regulations do allow for certain non-hazardous jobs in the following types of businesses, primarily in office and sales jobs: retail establishments; movie theater, offices, fast food; newspaper delivery, entertainment and employment exclusively for a business owned by their parents. However, the states may also restrict the allowable jobs further.

Hours of Work and Rest Periods
In addition to the restricted job duties, 14 and 15 year olds are regulated in the hours they may work and the number and frequency of rest periods. These minors may work: no more than 18 hours per week during the school year; no more than 3 hours on a school day; no more than 8 hours on a non-school day and no more than 40 hours per week during non school weeks. Also, the work must be performed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 to Labor Day, when the evening hours are extended to 9 p.m.

Most states also require meal and rest periods periodically throughout the shift. They range from Maine and Massachusetts which require a 30 minute break after six hours of work to Washington which requires a 10 minute break every two hours plus an additional 30 minute meal after 4 fours of work.

Under the FLSA, 16 and 17 year-olds may be employed for unlimited hours in occupations other than those declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. Several States do restrict the number of hours and times of day that this age group may be employed.

As you can see from the examples above, there are many complex issues surrounding the employment of minors. Be sure to check with the Department of Labor or our Human Resource Department for additional regulations as they apply to your business and state.

State Work Permit or Age Certificate Provision

Alabama => Under 18

Alaska => Under 17

Arizona => No provision

Arkansas => Under 16

California => Under 18

Colorado => Under 16 to work on school days during school hours

Connecticut => Under 16

Delaware => Under 18

DC => Under 18

Florida => Parent affidavit

Georgia => Under 18

Hawaii => Required for minors 14 and 15. Age certificates required for minors 16 and 17.

Idaho => No provision

Illinois => Under 16

Indiana => Under 18

Iowa => Under 16

Kansas => Under 16

Kentucky => Proof of age required at job location

Louisiana => Under 18

Maine => Under 16

Maryland => Under 18

Massachusetts => Under 16

Michigan => Under 18

Minnesota => Under 16 during school term

Mississippi => Under 16 & parent affidavit

Missouri => Under 16 during school term

Montana => No provision

Nebraska => Under 16

Nevada => Under 14

New Hampshire => Under 16

New Jersey => Under 18

New Mexico => Under 16

New York => Under 18

North Carolina => Under 18

North Dakota => Under 16

Ohio => Under 16

Oklahoma => Under 16

Oregon => Under 18

Pennsylvania => Under 18.

Puerto Rico => Under 18.

Rhode Island => Under 16.

South Carolina => No provision.

South Dakota => No provision.

Tennessee => Proof of age required at job location

Texas => No provision.

Utah => Not required, but schools can supply age certificates.

Vermont => Under 16

Virginia => Under 16.

Washington => Under 18.

West Virginia => Under 16.

Wisconsin => Under 18

Wyoming => Proof of age required at job location

AmCheck offers nationwide HR Solutions & Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) Regulation services. Get a quote.

Increasing Your Hire Power

Increasing Your Hire Power
Employee Hiring Assessment Services- Tips to efficient employee hiring.

Had trouble hiring a qualified employee lately? If so, you certainly aren’t alone. The current low unemployment rates (as low as 3% in some states), coupled with an increased demand for employees with better-than-average job skills, making the hiring pool “shallower” than ever.

Placing a want-ad is no longer an effective means of finding qualified people--the competition for superb employees is just too fierce. Try using a less-obvious approach when you are searching for the perfect candidate. Jaqueline Lynn recommends the following procedures in an article published in the September 1997 issue of Entrepreneur:

It’s not what you know but who you know
This axiom, common among job-search candidates, applies for employers as well. Your personal and private acquaintances are a great network for “word-of-mouth” advertising when you have a job opening.

Employee referrals
Your employees themselves are a great resource for recommendations of individuals with appropriate skills. Consider offering a cash bonus for any employee who recommends a candidate who is hired.

Age is wisdom
Some of the best employees are retiree’s who are looking for extra income or a way to fill time. Post notices at your local senior citizen’s center.

Use an employment agency or an appropriate job bank
You will save time and money taking advantages of the fact that most agencies pre-screen their job candidates. Also, professional associations often maintain a job bank that could be a good source if you are interested in employees with specific skills--even potential candidates that live outside of your area.

Be sure your compensation package is at or above industry standards
Enrolling with a Personal Employer Organization may dramatically increase the scope and variety of benefits and “perks” you can offer your employees.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Hiring Assessment & Employee Leasing services. Get a quote.

Key trends shaping tomorrow’s workplace

Key trends shaping tomorrow’s workplace
Employee Benefits Consulting: Avail Advantages of Flextime

As long as the unemployment rate stays low, one of your difficulties as an employer will be attracting and retaining employees. One key to improving employee loyalty is a great package of benefits. Our services make it possible for you to offer your employees Fortune 500-level benefits, even if you are a small business. Your employees’ need for flexibility in scheduling has given rise to another popular workplace benefit: Flextime Benefit.

“Time now is as scarce as money and employees are much more likely to stay with an employer who gives them a say in setting their work schedule,” says Kathie Lingle, a Work/Life specialist. An astounding 55% of companies surveyed by the Society for Human Resources Management say they offer flexible work scheduling.

There are several different types of flextime. For some companies, flextime allows workers to choose their own starting and quitting hours. Some companies offer a four-day (10 hours/day) workweek. Still other businesses simply allow workers to borrow hours and carry them from one workday to the next.

For Flextime to work, you need to set down some ground rules in advance. Management needs to be non-controlling, and willing to trust workers not to abuse the system. If you choose to offer flextime, make sure employees understand that core business functions always need to be covered, and management reserves the right to make necessary adjustments.

*Headline quote:
“Flextime is the number-one driver of employee retention.”
-Kathie Lingle, National Director of Work/Life at KPMG LLP.

The Advantages

1. Ability to compete for top workers
2. Improved recruiting abilities
3. Reduced absenteeism and tardiness
4. Improved morale
5. Gives employees more time with families, may save child and eldercare expenses
6. More continuity in shiftwork—nurses, policework, etc.

The Disadvantages

1. Challenging to manage—supervisors can’t always see when work is being done.
2. Bosses or supervisors not always on hand to answer questions or handle problems
3. Difficult to schedule in-house meetings
4. May give rise to demands for even more flexibility - like telecommuting
5. Workers may use extra time for a second job which results in increased fatigue and safety risks
6. Covering for sick leave, vacations presents challenges.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Benefit Services & Flextime solutions. Get a quote.

Making your workplace a Drug Free Workplace

Making your workplace a Drug Free Workplace
Drug Free Workplace Act

Small Businesses are the newest draftees in the U.S. Government's War Against Drugs, as new legislation regarding drugs in the workplace has recently become federal law. Sponsored by Rep. Robert Portman (R-Ohio), the Drug-Free Workplace Act is intended to make drug-free workplaces a reality. While up to 98% of Fortune 200 companies have drug-free workplace policies, only 3% of smaller businesses do. The goal of Portman's legislation is to close this gap.

Portman's theory is that small businesses recognize the need for drug-free workplace programs, but they lack the resources to implement them. Estimates are that increased workers' compensation premiums, the cost of replacing stolen inventory, and lost productivity (all recognized hazards of worksite drug abuse) result in the loss of $200 billion annually. Portman hopes to reduce those losses.

Just as the government provides assistance in writing business plans and providing loans for small businesses, it is in a logical position to offer assistance to small businesses that want to institute drug-free policies.

We can put you in touch with agencies that are prepared to help you as a result of this legislation, and we are able to offer additional assistance to you in your efforts to make your workplace a "drug-free workplace zone."

Protecting your profits and your employees against difficulties caused when one of your workers deals with a substance abuse problem is a hefty responsibility. It is one of many concerns we are prepared to help you deal with.

Contact a representative in our Human Resources Department for more information about what advantages we can offer your company in the war against drugs.

AmCheck offers nationwide HR Solutions to build Drug free workplaces. Get a quote.

Manager's Training

Manager's Training
Employee Training and Development: Poor performance has many causes

"Did you hire the wrong person, or did you ruin him after you hired him?" That is a question you must consider before terminating an employee because of poor performance. Poor performers are sometimes simply lazy. More often, however, they have been improperly trained. Before you resort to termination, try one or more of the following suggestions related to employee training and development:

Give employees accurate job descriptions
Have you been clear about what you expect? Consider the possibility that your employee isn't doing what you want him to because he doesn't understand what his responsibilities are. Have a single individual responsible for all employee training and development (so no one can slip through the cracks), and be sure assigned tasks are “relevant,” not simply busy work.

Have reasonably demanding expectations
Expectations work two ways. You need to be certain that you don't expect too much; but on the other hand, you shouldn't resort to giving easier assignments if an employee can't handle the tougher ones. Don't reward slothfulness. Be willing to consider the fact that your employee’s way of doing things is better than your way. Prioritize assignments so employees know which ones need to be finished first.

Communicate when there is a problem
If you say nothing, your employee has every right to assume she is doing fine. Give positive feedback. When there is a problem, be certain you attack the "root of the problem" not the individual.

Expect a report of results
A common expression is "employees do what is inspected, not what is expected." Eliminate “hovering” by expecting employees to report to you after a task is completed.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Training & Development Services. Get a quote.

Never Hire Another Dud!

Never Hire Another Dud!
Employee Assessment Services: Use skills assessments testing to help the “weed out” process

Jose manages the IT department in a large firm that has been hit hard by the slow economy. The firm was forced to do some significant downsizing, so the company’s workforce was cut back to “subsistence levels.” Recent improvements in the economy have finally given the company some breathing room, so Jose is looking to fill two key positions—one for a programmer, and one for the call center.

If Jose thought he was busy before, the response to his ad (over 250 resumes total) has him completely overwhelmed. Jose knows he can’t afford to make a poor hiring decision right now, and he doesn’t have time to comb through all of those resumes for employee assessment looking for candidates that are truly the best qualified.

“The flood of applications submitted by job seekers is actually causing problems for those organizations that are not properly equipped to deal with increased levels of job seeker activity,” according to Charles Handler, PhD. “This has created a situation in which many companies are squandering their chance to catch the best fish in the talent pool because they are not properly equipped for employee hiring assessment and to identify the most-qualified applicants.”

Fortunately, Skills Assessments testing have made the “weeding out” process much simpler for managers like Jose. Our company can now offer “skills assessment” testing for a variety of job positions. Your applicants will spend a few minutes taking a test that will provide you with a comprehensive report that will clarify each applicant’s proficiency in specific skills. Reports document proficiency by skill type, task type, question level and the time it took the applicant to answer each question.

Jose could reasonably cut his applicant pool down to 15 people or less for each position, then invest a few hours in careful interviewing, and find the individual best suited for each new job. He’ll save lots of time, and he’ll sleep easier knowing he’s making an informed hiring decision.

We can put this same technology to work for you. Please call today for more information.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Assessment Services. Get a quote.

Pay Attention: Improving Listening Skills

Pay Attention: Improving Listening Skills
Listening skill requires conscientious practice

You’ve probably heard the old one-liner: “He was too poor to pay attention!”

Maybe he was poor because he didn’t pay attention! Does the following conversation sound like a meeting you’ve attended?

“Just a reminder: the luncheon seminar for department managers will start at 11:30 on Tuesday the 23rd. We’re holding it at the east side Hilton this year. Any questions?”

“Is the 23rd a Thursday?”

“Are supervisors invited?”

“Is it a breakfast, like last year?”

“Is that the downtown Hilton, or the one on the east side?”

You only have to attend a few meetings anywhere to realize that listening is a lost art. However, in the workplace, attentiveness is expected from all employees. Listening well is not a natural trait, but a skill that anyone can master.

Here are a few pointers on having effective listening skills and becoming a skilled listener:

• Focus on the speaker. If you’re thinking about something else, you’re not listening.
• Involve your body. Sit up straight. Look at the speaker. Nod your agreement. Jot notes.
• Make appropriate and occasional comments, but don’t dominate the give-and-take of a meeting or conversation. If you’re thinking about your next response, you’re not listening. And remember, your comment is only worth the same two cents that your colleagues’ comments are worth.
• Manage your time well. You can’t listen if you’re worried about something else. If all of the responsibilities of the day are scheduled and accounted for, you can focus on each item in turn without having your mind wander to the next crisis.

Becoming a good listener takes practice and preparation, but it’s a skill that employers notice and respect. Pay attention, because in the future your listening skills just might pay off!

AmCheck’s HR expertise can reduce your People development & workforce training cost while improving your processes and efficiency. Request a free HR solutions and service quote and start saving today.

Employee Recruiting Wars

Employee Recruiting Wars
Tips for winning the loyalties of employees

Companies who are winning the employee recruiting wars have a couple of simple tactics for winning the loyalties of the best employees. First, they understand that helping employees be better people ultimately gives the company itself an edge against the competition. Second, they recognize that every employee’s contribution counts.

Employee Skill Development
The best firms “don’t get ahead with clever recruiting tactics, unusual perks or a big budget. Instead, they commit to giving employees both the tools to succeed and steady recognition throughout their careers,” according to What’s Working in Human Resources Newsletter. We offer employee skill development training courses on a variety of subjects. Allowing your lower-level employees to attend these and other job-related seminars sends the message that everyone has a future, not just the "top brass."

Recognizing Employee Contributions
Businesses who are successful at recruiting and maintaining a superb workforce say that part of the secret is being sure that every employee’s contribution to the company is valued. Keep in mind also, that the most highly valued “reward” is not a T-shirt or a pizza party. Employees value praise or recognition from a supervisor above and beyond any other form of job reward, including bonuses. People like to be thanked for their hard work. They like knowing someone noticed.

As your reputation develops, your word-of mouth recruiting should bring you some top-notch employees. Meanwhile, count on us to help give your company an edge in providing the benefits and training that attract the best employees, and keep them on board.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Recruiting & Employee Skill Development Training Services. Get a quote.

Soothing Stress

Soothing Stress
Workplace Stress Management Training: Stress relievers that might help you

Suppose you lost your car keys this week. That might be bad enough, but suppose you were also in the middle of a nasty divorce situation, you had a daughter who was habitually sloughing school, and you were faced with losing your best customer because deliveries were constantly behind schedule. To overcome this one needs workplace stress management training.

All of us cope with stress periodically, but scientists are warning us that chronic stress has some devastating health effects. One of the most common is depression. While the medical evidence suggests that depression is an imbalance in the brain’s biochemistry (meaning that depression is “as biologically grounded as diabetes” or cancer), scientists have yet to come up with a method of treatment that is always effective. In the meantime, lowering the level of stress hormones in our bodies seems to be one of the best methods for preventing and treating the disease.

Here are some suggestions for stress-relievers that might help you:

• Try yoga or massage.
• Stop and do nothing—give yourself thirty minutes to simply sit and think.
• In his recent book, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Stanford neuroendocrinologist Robert Sapolsky suggests that a zebra’s don’t get ulcers because they don’t sit on the sofa and fret when hyenas come close. Try taking a brisk walk or jog to ease tension.
• Talk it over with someone. Even writing your concerns down in a journal or notebook may help.
• Give yourself permission to take an hour a day to do something you really enjoy. It might be something relaxing like taking a hot bath, but it may simply mean sitting down to organize that desk drawer that’s driving you crazy.
  

GRAPHICS BOX
Stress Test:
Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is this really important to me?
2. Would a reasonable person be this upset?
3. Is there anything I can do to fix the situation?
4. Would it be worth it to fix the situation?
   

If you can answer yes to all four, give yourself license to act. If you answered no to even one, you may be better off to distract yourself and focus your energies in another direction.
-Redford Williams, Duke University

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee/Workplace Stress Management Training Services. Get a quote.

That was Then

That was Then
Temporary Staffing Services: Is your vision of the temp staffing service industry still “Old School”?

The Old Days

1. Temps were used primarily as replacements for sick and vacationing clerical workers
2. Temps were warm bodies you bought for a short amount of time
3. The temporary workforce numbered about 800,000
4. Temps were the folks who couldn’t get work anywhere else

The way it is now

1. Companies now use temps in more highly-skilled positions and in more strategic ways, such as handling work overload or for strategic projects as complicated as company mergers
2. A recent study by the National Association of Temporary and Staffing Services (NATSS) indicates 56% of temporary assignments last more than 11 weeks (11% last longer than a year)
3. Today, the temporary workforce is made up of more than 2.4 million workers-2% of the national workforce!
4. Temps have become a great way to find full-time employees. More than one-third of all temporary accounting assignments turn into full-time positions
   

AmCheck offers nationwide Temporary Staffing Services. Get a quote.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
What is the impact?

Two years after President George W. Bush signed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 into law, Accounting professionals are still attempting to assess the impact. Experts agree that the new regulations have succeeded in increasing management’s knowledge about the accounting process and internal-control structures. It is also clear, however, that the new legislation has increased expenses—particularly audit fees.

There’s a troll under the bridge
One of the unintentional impacts of Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 has been the curious effect on smaller companies on both sides of the “public domain bridge.” Figures indicate that independent audit costs have increased between 15% and 40% for smaller companies. Costs of directors’ and officers’ insurance have also soared. Increases have topped 400% by some estimates. These prohibitive expenses are keeping smaller companies from going public, and on the other side of the equation, have forced many small and microcap companies back into the private domain. It’s as if there’s a troll under the bridge keeping all but the larger, more established firms out of the public markets.

Benefits of Sarbanes-Oxley Act Compliance for Private Companies
While Sarbanes-Oxley has increased regulations and exchange requirements for public companies, private companies will be affected indirectly as well. Savvy, proactive managers have realized that voluntary compliance with the regulations could prove to be highly beneficial for privately-held companies who hope for significant growth, who expect to go public in the future, or who anticipate being acquired. Experts anticipate that investors will be willing to pay a premium to invest in or buy companies with sound financial practices. For this reason, many smaller private companies have already begun to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 because they expect that the future benefits will outweigh current administrative costs.

Sources:
- Mark Cecil. “Sarbanes-Oxley Propels More Small Companies to Go Private.” Securities Data Publishing Mergers and Acquisitions Report. www.usbx.com/experience/docs/MAReport-SarbanesMay03.pdf

- Journal of Accountancy. “Accounting Experts Assess the Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley.” www.bowne.com/newsletters.asp?storyID=880&src=BFPfeature

- Amy Seidel. “Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance: Impact on Private Companies.” Faegre and Benson. www.faegre.com/articles/article_1235.aspx

AmCheck offers nationwide Sarbanes Oxley Legislation Compliance Services. Get a quote.

The Employee / Worksite Dress Code

The Employee / Worksite Dress Code
Employee/workplace Dress code : What to do when professionalism and personality collide?

Trends change in the workplace, and when the “status quo,” or what consumers have come to expect collides with practicality or legality, employers are left juggling some confusing questions about how to achieve professionalism while accommodating the tastes of their employees and complying with laws.

According to Diane E. Stanton, a managing partner in an employment and benefits law firm, employers may mandate an employee dress code policy as long as the rule is “reasonable and administered consistently.” But the standards can be confusing, particularly since employers are expected, in some cases, to apply the same workplace dress code across the board, while in other cases, gender, religion, or disabilities may play a factor.

The courts have concluded for the present that employers may enforce “reasonable appearance rules even if they prohibit the expression of cultural or ethnic values if the rules are job-related and are applied consistently.” In order to promote professionalism, then, an employer may mandate that all employees dress conservatively, or require male employees to wear their hair short and forbid them from wearing earrings.

On the other hand, an employer may not require an employee to wear a sexually provocative uniform, as this constitutes sex discrimination. In addition, it would be unlawful for an employer to require professional women to dress and behave in a “feminine” way, according to Stanton. The laws about religious garb in the workplace can be equally as confusing.

We can help you sort out some of the sticky issues presented by employee dress code policy, and help you draft a policy to include in your employee handbook. Consult our Human Resources Department.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Dress Code Workplace Policy. Get a quote.

Why Leave Hiring to Chance?

Why Leave Hiring to Chance?
Employee assessment tools - What to do when professionalism and personality collide

Are you good or are you lucky? Would you take $10,000.00 of your company’s money to the casino and let it ride on one bet? How many times might you be able to do this before the odds put you into a losing situation? Are you gambling with the company’s money by filling open positions without first testing applicants?

It is clearer than ever before that running a successful and profitable business hinges on hiring the right people. Selecting the best candidate is a major responsibility. It is also a great opportunity! It’s an opportunity to build a highly productive team, ensuring growth and tremendous success. In the New York Times best seller, “GOOD TO GREAT”, Jim Collins, a renowned business research author, makes it clear. “You must start by getting the right people on the bus.”

Consider this…

The cost of recruiting, screening, hiring, training and then losing an employee is unquestionably high. Ultimately, managers today will be evaluated on their contributions and performance. To achieve the efficiency and productivity expected, managers must learn to “improve the chances” of hiring the right person the first time. Like a roll of the dice, a hiring decision can be unpredictable.

Most managers don’t take advantage of technology that exists to “get better odds” in making selection decisions. Employee assessment tools can help “hedge the bet”. Whether the position is in accounting, a call center, an industrial environment or healthcare, technology is available to assess a wide variety of skills.

This technology allows managers to measure candidate skills with greater certainty. It’s convenient. Candidates can test from a computer with an Internet connection at any time. Instant results are available, providing comprehensive reports that include proficiency rated by skill type, task type and category.

Take care to ensure that testing is validated. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requires that screening tests are applied with impartiality to protect applicants from discriminatory employment procedures.

• Is the skill being tested vital for job performance?
• Does the skill or trait measured influence successful performance of the job?
• Is the question content related to performance of a particular job or duty?
  

Multiple employee assessment tools and skill testing systems are available. Proper due diligence and professional implementation of a skill and assessment process most beneficial to your organization is of utmost importance.

• What types of assessment tools are needed?
• What about future flexibility? (Change is inevitable)
• How much does it cost to implement?
• How much time does it add to the process?
• Can it be outsourced effectively?
• With hiring tools like this available to you, why leave anything to chance?
  

Our company is committed to helping our clients succeed through utilization of proven effective human resource practices. For more information about skill & assessment tools available through our company, please contact our Human Resources Department.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Assessment Tools & Services. Get a quote.

How to Host a Safe Holiday Celebration

How to Host a Safe Holiday Celebration
Employee Holiday Gift: Safe Holiday Celebration

"Tis the season to be jolly…". The holiday season is fast approaching, signaling the start of employer celebrations across the country. The end of the year is an opportune time to show appreciation to hard-working employees whose dedication has helped you succeed.

A holiday party can be a great way for employees to unwind and have a little fun; however, such festivities can also spell liability for employers if they are not handled carefully.

At their worst, events gone sour can result in considerable employer cost in the form of negligence claims, lawsuits, lost employee man-hours, and a tarnished company reputation in the workplace and the community.

Finding a balance between fun and safety is the key, and a little planning and caution can go a long way to keeping holiday celebrations safe and employer risks at a minimum.

One of the biggest potential problems that businesses face when hosting holidays parties is the liability that arises when alcohol is served. Employers may be held liable if an employee consumes alcoholic beverages at a company-hosted event, then causes injury to him or herself or injures a third-party. Add to this liability the guilt and sense of responsibility you might feel if a company party directly contributed to such an accident, and it is easy to see why taking safety precautions is such a crucial step in event planning.

To reduce your company’s liability during holiday party planning, consider alternatives to the traditional evening holiday party where alcohol is served. For example:

• Host a company picnic or field trip
• Close the office early and sponsor a company luncheon or potluck
• Start up a “Secret Santa” or gift exchange tradition
• Rent a game room or movie theater to treat employees to an afternoon of amusement
• Invite employees to an amusement park, carnival, or festival at the company’s expense

The benefit of sponsoring such alternative activities is not just a reduction in potential company liability, but also the opportunity it affords to involve the families of employees. The success of a good business year or the strain of a bad business year is felt not only by the employees of a company, but also by those individuals closest to them.

As such, family and friends of employees may be equally deserving of a year-end celebration. In addition, such family-friendly events foster a positive atmosphere that recognizes the impact your business environment has on the surrounding community, promotes strong family ties, minimizes the likelihood and occurrences of distasteful behavior, and allows co-workers and their families to get to know each other.

If your company does choose to host an event where alcohol is served, it is still possible to minimize company liability and reduce the risk to partygoers. Consider the following "Safe Celebration" tips:

• Provide plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives for partygoers
• Limit the length of time the bar is open and number of alcoholic drinks served to each party attendee
• Provide transportation (taxis, buses) or pre-arranged designated drivers for all partygoers
• Monitor party-goers’ behavior to ensure that no one is putting themselves in harm’s way and identify those individuals whose alcohol consumption has exceeded an appropriate tolerance level
• Hold the party in an establishment with a liquor license, such as a restaurant or bar
• Hire a professional bartender to serve all drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic
• Look into obtaining liability insurance to cover the event

Holidays festivities are meant to be enjoyable and an opportunity to celebrate another successful business year. By taking the proper precautions and with an ounce of planning, your next company event is sure to be a fun-filled and safe celebration.

For more information on Employee Holiday Planning and employee holiday gifts or other Payroll, Benefits or Human Resource contact AmCheck at 1-888-AMCHECK.

AmCheck offers nationwide Employee Holiday Gift & Holiday Celebration Planning. Get a quote.

Computer Forensics

Computer Forensics: Unique computer use policy
A new trend in the American workplace: Computer Forensics

The investigator waited until midnight, when the plant was empty, and thousands of computers had “slipped into screen-saver slumber.” Furtively, he sat in front of a colleague’s personal computer. In half an hour, the detective made an exact copy of the colleague’s hard drive. Then, using a program called Encase, he uncovered hundreds of pornographic images, which eventually cost the coworker his job.

Workplace computers are company property, so employers may inspect their contents. Only in Connecticut must employers inform workers of computer monitoring. According to the American Management Association, 45 percent of our nation’s large companies use “computer forensics” to electronically monitor workers’ computers.

The number of employees involved in Internet-related crimes or violations of company computer use policy is rising. Dow Chemical fired or disciplined 200 employees for trading dirty jokes and photos by e-mail. Then Xerox fired 40 workers, and the New York Times terminated 23 employees for similar violations.

Recently a small firm in Utah noticed that its servers were full. An employee remarked that several workers were regularly downloading music albums from Napster. The albums ended up on the servers, taking up megabytes of valuable space. An innocent (or intentional?) act had disrupted this company’s day-to-day operations.

Smaller businesses usually can’t afford the $200-450-per-hour fees charged by computer forensics consultants. But, by publishing company computer/internet policies and corresponding consequences for violations, requiring employees to sign compliance documents, regularly checking e-mail and hard drive contents, and asking employees to report infractions, small businesses can begin to police their own computer systems. Making employees aware that forensic software and personnel are available could deter some workers from wrongdoing. Call AmCheck for assistance in developing a computer use policy at 888-AMCHECK.

Source: Miller, Greg “High-Tech Snooping All in Day’s Work; Security: Some Firms Are Now Using Computer Investigators to Uncover Employee Wrongdoing” Los Angeles Times HR News Wire.

AmCheck offers nationwide Computer Use Policy suitable to your business needs. Get a quote.

Sexual Harassment Training for Company

Sexual Harassment Training for Company
Sexual Harassment Training: Mandated by new California law

One of the more significant pieces of California legislation that went into effect on January 1, 2005, was AB 1825. This law requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide two hours of sexual harassment training and education to all supervisory employees by the end of 2005. It also mandates that these employees will receive sexual harassment training and education once every two years after January 1, 2006.

It is important to note that temporary employees, independent contractors and workers outside of the state of California are not excluded in the 50-employee tally. Be sure you count every employee before you decide this legislation doesn’t apply to your company.

Scope of the training
Your company’s sexual harassment training should include “information and practical guidance” about all federal and state sexual harassment laws. The information provided should include:

• Prevention of harassment
• Correction of harassment
• Remedies available to victims
• Practical examples aimed at prevention of harassment, discrimination and retaliation

In addition, the law mandates that “trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in the prevention of harassment, discrimination and retaliation” should provide the training. In other words, you’ll need someone with legitimate credentials to administer the training.

Other considerations

• Because the law includes language like “interactive,” most experts warn that merely turning on a training video will not bring an employer into compliance. Instead, there must be some interaction between the presenter and those who are being trained, such as a question and answer session, or some role-playing. Interactive Internet training should also be acceptable.
• Keep a record of compliance, including documentation that all supervisors (or anyone who performs supervisory functions) participated. A “roll” that includes the signatures of the participants is one option. For Internet training, require a signed receipt.
• Develop a means to monitor future compliance and ensure that new supervisors are trained within six months of hire/promotion (and every two years thereafter).
• Update all of your current policies, employee handbooks, or other procedures to be sure they refer to the training as an expectation.
• Make sure that all executives are aware of the requirement.

For assistance in this area contact AmCheck at 888-AMCHECK.

Source: “New California Law Mandates Anti-Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors.” Jackson Lewis law firm. October 1, 2004. http://www.jacksonlewis.com/legalupdates/article.cfm?aid=639

AmCheck offers nationwide Sexual Harassment Training for Company. Get a quote.

Upgrade your status in work place

Upgrade your status in work place
Improving Workplace Habits: Developing good workplace habits bring positive results

You can improve your status in the workplace by mastering a few positive habits and improving workplace habits. According to Andrea Nierenberg, corporate training consultant, just a few modifications in your work habits and developing good work habits can bring better self-esteem, a more efficient workday, and maybe even a pay raise.

Here are some suggested workplace resolutions for improving workplace habits:

* Respond to everyone in a timely manner. Return all phone calls and e-mails within 24 hours. This applies to clients, co-workers, boss, etc.
* Say “thank you.” Be specific as you express sincere appreciation. Do something extra to let others know you value their assistance. Gratitude fosters workplace harmony.
* Improve your communication skills. Listen well when you’re spoken to. Repeat or paraphrase what was said. Let others know that they and their concerns are important to you.
* Appreciate uniqueness. Learn to enjoy the different personalities in your workplace. Take time to talk and deal with people in their own “language.” If someone prefers communicating by e-mail, send your message online. If another requires a paper memo, write it.
* Create and follow agendas. Meetings with agendas keep everyone on the “same page,” and meeting time to a minimum. Avoid the human tendency to deviate to irrelevant topics.

Don’t get discouraged as you take on some or all of these resolutions. Studies have shown that behavior becomes habit only after an average of 30 days of practice.

Focus on one modification at a time. Master it, and then add another. As you work towards improving workplace habits, even if the desired pay raise is slow in coming, you will find more joy and more opportunity in your current employment.

Source: Jaine Carter and James D. Carter, “Upgrade your position in workplace,” The Washington Times, HR News Wire.

Use Caution in Hiring and Firing: Avoid discrimination lawsuits

Use Caution in Hiring and Firing: Avoid discrimination lawsuits

Avoid discrimination lawsuits

One of the advantages of outsourcing to a Professional Employment Organization PEO or Administrative Service Organization ASO such as AmCheck, is the fact that your PEO/ASO’s Human Resource Department can help you decipher some of the legal technicalities that exist as a result of Federal Legislation regarding discrimination. This is part of the reason many PEOs may be involved in the process of hiring and firing at the worksite--it is one of many methods we use to protect you from risk of discrimination lawsuits.

Legal changes in recent years have made it more and more difficult to avoid legal tangles with prospective, existing, and former employees. Consider, for example the caution you must exercise with regard to employee relations as a result of sexual harassment litigation. What about the way you treat your older employees as a result of The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to avoid age discrimination lawsuit, or the way you accommodate disabled employees because of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)?

In addition to these federal laws, there may be local or state laws with which an employer must comply. Each of these laws must also be taken into consideration when promoting, demoting, or transferring employees to other departments.

Always consult with our HR Department before taking employment action. The HR Fact Finder recommends that you protect your company from costly legal battles by avoiding impulsive hiring, termination, transfers, promotions, etc. A company whose decisions in these areas are carefully considered should be able to avoid most legal tangles involved in discrimination lawsuits.

A Case In Point:
A recent “Corporate Downsizing” in a large firm resulted in the decision to transfer 5 women (including one female manager with over 12 years of tenure) to another department and offer them reduced compensation. The female manager was to be replaced by a male with less experience. All five of the women hired attorneys, because in spite of the fact that this was probably a well-intentioned attempt to make the department more efficient, the move looked like it may have been prompted by an act of discrimination. This article brought to you by AmCheck. Visit us at www.amcheck.com.

Source: HR Fact Finder- This article excerpted from an article formerly entitled, “Human Resources: Some Cautions about Hiring and Firing”.