FICA Taxes? Fully understanding the US tax code is like fully understanding quantum physics; nobody, even lifetime IRS employees, understand it all. Millions of employees have money taken out of their check each week, and while most know “it’s for taxes”, great numbers have little real understanding of what the FICA, FUTA,… Read more »
Over the last couple of years, there’s been a lot of buzz going around about employee eligibility as it relates to overtime pay, minimum wage, and employee vs. independent contractor status. Hopefully we can shed some light on the subject. In 2016 employers anxiously watched as the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a rule… Read more »
Workplace Violence Prevention: This is a rough topic; it just seems like we shouldn’t even have to talk about workplace violence…. but we do. These days, rarely a month goes by where we don’t see some horrific event being broadcast on the web or evening news. The fact is, there are a lot of… Read more »
Most professionals understand that recruiting and hiring great employees is a critical aspect of business. So what happens when things awry? A recent study addressed just that. “The cost of a Bad Hire”. You know, those employees that somehow made it on the payroll, and now everyone is wondering why and how? The gist… Read more »
Clearly, it’s a competitive marketplace, and the companies who are best able to be strategically priced, while maintaining suitable profit levels, are leading the way. Your company’s Human Resource/Staffing strategy plays a key role in driving the bottom line. Industry leaders know, beyond doubt, from the assembly line to the executive office, the… Read more »
A primary challenge for many companies will be to attract and retain a skilled work force as the labor market continues to tighten and technology continues to evolve. This situation is exacerbated as companies find themselves managing three generations of American workers, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y or Millennials. Each has their own… Read more »
As layoffs are occurring throughout the U.S., claims of age discrimination are soaring. First, we must review age discrimination law: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The ADEA’s protections apply to employees and applicants alike. Under… Read more »
Reference checking is critical, so don’t cut corners and skip the reference checks! It is a critical step in the selection/hiring process. By completing reference checks you help protect your business from being charged with negligent hiring practices. Yes, it takes time, but time spent up front on due diligence, is time and money saved… Read more »
Legal compliance is always a hot topic, so we like to cover the issues that routinely crop up, and present questions. The quick and simple answer to the title question is, “No”. You may not, legally, refuse to hire a person simply because she is pregnant or possibly going to become pregnant. So you would… Read more »
Overall employee attendance is one of the greatest predictors of company performance; it’s pivotal to get a firm handle on things. Far too many managers take a soft approach to attendance, allowing it to becomes an organizational culture problem. This is a grave mistake, which directly impacts the bottom line. It’s obvious occasional problems crop… Read more »