Hr Rescue: Human Resource Solutions For Small Business

You've just hired a new employee! Great! Do you know what forms you need to have them complete?  Your first responsibility for paperwork and regulations for new employees comes immediately after hire. Before the employee starts work and receives his or her first paycheck, there are some forms you are required to have the employee complete.  These forms must be completed by very employee, according to both federal and state laws.  Listen in as HR expert Jenni Stone reviews what employee forms must be completed to keep compliant. 

When making personnel decisions - including hiring, retention, promotion and reassignment - employers sometimes want to consider the backgrounds of applicants and employees. If you get background information (for example, a credit or criminal background report) from a company in the business of compiling background information, there are additional procedures the FCRA requires beforehand. In this segment HR expert Jenni Stone shares best practices for conduction background checks. 

When news of an active shooter breaks, most individuals are saddened and horrified by the incident, but also grateful they were not affected.  Many people commonly believe "it won't happen here" or "it won't happen to me."  The fact is, no one knows when and where an active shooter event will occur.  No employer should think its workplace is immune.  Active shooter situations are unpredictable, occur quickly and result in panic and chaos.  Therefore, it is important for employees to know ahead of time what to do in order to keep themselves and others safe.  In this segment our HR expert Jenni Stone reviews key steps an employers can take to prepare its workplace and its workforce in the event of an active shooter situation.   

Employees with body odor can cause a disruption in the workplace; other employees may feel uncomfortable and, in extreme cases, be unable to perform their jobs. Employees may also begin to talk about the problem in the workplace, which disrupts work even more. So what should you do? In this episode HR Jenni Stone shares best practices, and do's and don'ts when it comes to addressing personal hygiene and body odor in the workplace. 

Payroll mistakes can occur in any type of business, large or small, and the results may be costly and sometimes against the law, such as in the case of IRS violations.  In this segment our HR expert Jenni Stone shares some of the most common payroll mistakes to avoid. 

Paid time off policies (PTO), managing absenteeism and administering holidays are common issues for employers. Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides 5 answers to common questions about PTO and holidays to help your small business navigate these challenges and create a competitive PTO plan. 

Sometimes business owners don't think they need HR support.  As a small business owner, it's normal, and in fact, necessary to wear many different hats when you're first start out.  But if you want a successful and profitable business in the long run, there comes a time when you need to have HR support.  Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides 5 compelling reasons why your organization should seek professional HR support! 

Small business owners looking to save as much money as possible sometimes try to get around legal and financial obligations to workers who should be classified as employees by classifying them as independent contractors, but even an honest mistake can have serious consequences for employers. Employment status affects employment benefits, tax implications, liability and other issues. Any employer looking to work with independent contractors should know some of the key differences between the two classifications before deciding which type of worker to hire. Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides a checklist so you can determine if you are classifying your employees appropriately. 

Employers should be aware there are quite a few illegal job application questions that could lead to legal troubles and lawsuits. Employment applications are designed to elicit information relevant to the job for which the applicant applied.  Questions that go beyond the applicants qualifications, even if they appear neutral on their face, can be discriminatory if they require disclosure of information that may be found to adversely impact a particular group of applicants. Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides 7 questions every small business should avoid on their applications. 

Having a clear understanding to the classification of your employees is extremely important in every business.  Knowing the difference between exempt and nonexempt can impact how the employee is compensated for their time as well as how you are able to discipline that employee.  If you have an exempt/salaried employee who repeatedly comes in late, leaves early and works half days, can you dock their pay?  Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone weighs in on this issue. 

Labor law posters are the mandated state and federal employment law notices that employers with at least one employee or more are required to conspicuously post in an area frequented by all employees. Failure to display the correct state and federal employment law notices can result in penalties, fines and lawsuits. 

Most often small businesses do not have a human resource department and the employer ends up getting to know your employees on a much more personal level. Sometimes the line between the business world and the personal one blurs.  An employee's unresolved problems can affect productivity and workplace morale.  Even when employees have serious personal issues to deal with at home, they must still meet performance expectations and act professionally.  Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides several valuable tips how to address the employee while staying in compliance. 

When it comes to hiring employees, cultural fit has risen in importance, ranking among the top factors for whether to hire a job candidate. Unfortunately, for small business owners, trying to determine whether a candidate is a "good fit" can lead to discrimination pitfalls, especially when you use small talk as a gauge.  Sometimes small talk can lead to inadvertently asking illegal job interview questions, or being provided with information from job candidates that could be used to discriminate against them. In this episode our HR expert Jenni Stone shares good rules of thumb to avoid the appearance of discrimination. 

Terminating an employee for poor performance...seems easy right? On the surface, terminating an employee for poor performance seems simple.  It's nothing personal.  The employee just isn't getting it done and would be better off in another job.  But even when a termination is 100% justifiable, managers must be extremely careful how they conduct themselves. Terminations, no matter how clear cut, can have legal ramifications. Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone shares 5 tips on how to handle a termination.

Many employers want to know how they can reduce workers comp risk in their workplace. Incurring workers comp claims can drive the cost of your insurance up which will impact your margins and ultimately the cost of doing business. Our HR expert Jenni Stone explains how no matter your industry, the following tips can help keep you and your employees healthy, productive and safe.

So what do you do when you suspect one of your employees is under the influence?  Reporting to work drunk, or worse yet, drinking while at work? These situations are never easy and the solution may vary case to case. Tune in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides several tips on how you can take action to address this important issue. 

Human Resources can be complicated enough and it especially becomes more complicated as your small business grows into multiple states or takes on employees outside of the corporate location. When an employer is in one state and the remote worker is in another, compliance with various state employment and tax laws can be complicated.  In such cases, employers should consult with legal counsel and a tax advisor to determine which laws apply to the remote worker. Generally, where federal, state and local laws conflict, the law that is more generous to the employee applies.  Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone weighs in on this scenario.

If you're a small business owner, recent high-profile sexual harassment allegations may have you a little worried. Some of the behavior you've heard about might remind you of someone you know, or someone who works for you.  Or you may just fell a general sense of uncertainty. Where is the line between acceptable behavior and harassment and  how do you, the employer, draw it? Listen in as our HR expert Jenni Stone provides 5 Tips on how to address sexual harassment in the workplace. 

As a small business unemployment tax rate largely depends on the number of past unemployment claims against your business.  May business owners aren't sure how to manage this cost.  While you can't control whether an employee decides to file a claim, you can take steps to reduce the risk of unqualified claims being levied against your organization. Our HR expert Jenni Stone provides some way to proactively protect your unemployment insurance rate. 

As a small business owner you wear many hats and often play the role of the HR department.  Employee absenteeism can be difficult to address once it's become a habit or accepted behavior by your team.  AS much as you'd like to, you can't force employees to show up to work on time.  In this episode our HR expert Jenni Stone shares an easy five step-process to get a handle on employee absenteeism.