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Yearly Archives

2016

Jun 21 2016
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Engaging Around Employee Engagement

By HR
A hot topic in the HR industry and around our offices lately is "employee engagement." Are your employees engaged? If not, why not? What do your employees really value? Employee engagement is the art of listening to your employees and the science of acting on what you hear to create an environment where your staff members are raving fans of your organization. Research from Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2016 reveals that nearly 20 percent of…
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Jun 14 2016
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Staying on Top of Overtime

By HR, Legal
As we indicated in last month's newsletter, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) finalized their new overtime policy known as the "white-collar exemption." This is a significant change to overtime pay exemptions, increasing the salary of "exempt" employees to $47,476 from $23,660, meaning if an employee makes less than $47,476 annually, they are now entitled to overtime pay. Employers must comply with these updated regulations by December 1, 2016. That gives you a little more…
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Jun 07 2016
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Will Transparent Data Make Workplaces Safer?

By HR, Legal
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) thinks so. In May, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a ruling that increases data transparency by making information about workplace injuries and illnesses available online. They say that sharing this kind of information publicly helps "reduce work-related injuries and illnesses." The new rule takes effect on January 1, 2017. It requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness data that they are already required to…
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May 25 2016
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Overtime Overhaul

By HR, Legal, Payroll
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is close to making a final decision regarding salary levels eligible for overtime pay exemptions. The anticipated outcome is expected to more than double the current annual exemption level of $23,660 to somewhere between $47,000 and $50,000. This change is expected to impact many people including executives, administrators and professionals. For this reason, the new policy is often referred to as the “white-collar exemption.” Employees newly classified as nonexempt…
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May 18 2016
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Sorting Out the Business of Bathrooms

By HR, Legal
With all of the discussion about who has the right to use which restroom, I wanted to share legal information from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). A hot topic in North Carolina right now, this issue is sure to be on the dockets of courthouses in many states very soon. First, let’s look at what the law says about “transgender.” From the EEOC website: "Transgender" refers to people whose gender identity and/or expression is…
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May 11 2016
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Let’s Talk Tattoos

By HR
According to an October 2015 The Harris Poll, 29% of the U.S. population has at least one tattoo. Nearly half of Millennials have at least one and more women than men are tattooed. What is your company’s policy regarding “body art?” Whether you have one in place or need to develop one, here are a few things to consider: Does your policy reflect your business/brand? Does the policy fit your type of employee? (Remember, all…
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Apr 25 2016
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The Top Recruiting Trend of 2016

By Recruiting
The hiring needs of our nation's companies don't appear to be slowing down any time soon if you look at current economic indicators. Forecasts for the remainder of the year are bullish and many believe the hiring increase will continue into 2017. Given the competitive recruiting environment and a tightening labor market, companies need to give specific thought to how they go about increasing headcount. Of all the recruiting trends out there – from technology…
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Mar 17 2016
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What’s in a Job Title?

By HR
Despite a continued focus on job titles at work, what you call a position doesn't matter. What is of much greater importance is the job description. As a trend years ago, companies would elevate job titles to make people feel better. You could be dubbed the Intergalactic Executive in Charge of Office Aesthetics as your days are spent cleaning floors. Would an extravagant title make you do your job better on a daily basis? The…
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Mar 13 2016
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What Low Unemployment Rates Mean for Businesses

By HR
On the surface, sustained low unemployment rates appear to be a good thing. In the past year, unemployment claims have been below 300,000, which hasn't happened in more than 40 years. In a March 3, 2016, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, Georgia labor commissioner Mark Butler said, "Georgia employers continue to add jobs at a stronger pace than the national over-the-year job growth rate." The state saw job growth in nine of the eleven major job…
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Mar 09 2016
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Maximizing State Jurisdiction Over Minimum Wage

By HR, Legal
When the cost of living differs from one place to another, there is some common sense in setting different minimum wage levels. These wage decisions seem to be best made at the state level, where the costs of living are best estimated, as opposed to the federal level. Further, the minimum wage may even need to be different within states where different economic conditions exist. Earlier this month, Oregon governor Kate Brown signed a minimum-wage…
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