As an employer, you may require a rigorous pre-employment screening process for a new hire. However, if you’re not regularly rescreening employees throughout their employment, you may be putting both personnel and the company at risk. Routine Workplace Screening is a Must Employers, particularly those with employees in field-based roles or jobs subject to injury, want to protect themselves from risky behavior. For example, if you have an employee driving a company car, you need…
In today’s post-pandemic work environment, flexibility remains a top priority among employees and businesses who are concerned about finding reasonable solutions. However, it’s important to remember that alternative schedules are really nothing new. Employers have successfully offered options such as ‘Summer Fridays’ for years. The key is to balance employee-friendly scheduling options with business needs. Options for Alternative Work Schedules Here are some of the alternative work scheduling plans or “compressed work schedules” that employers…
Restaurants are increasingly adding service fees to customers’ bills. However, service fees are not synonymous with tips, and employers must follow Department of Labor (DOL) regulations for distributing tips. Service Fees vs. Tips There may be instances where restaurants want to add a service fee to a guest’s check at the point of sale. Examples include: Upsell fees for special menus Banquet event fees Takeout or delivery fees Bottle service or corkage charges Service fees…
When onboarding a new employee, employers are required to collect certain identification documents in person in order to complete I-9 forms. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) relaxed the procedures for inspecting these documents because employers were limiting physical proximity and in-person meetings. Where COVID restrictions have remained in place, DHS has continued to allow employers to review documents remotely using technologies such as Zoom, video chat, FaceTime, fax or…
In January, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it would expand surveillance for what are known as ‘instance-by-instance’ (IBI) citations. Its new enforcement plan empowers Regional Administrators and Area Directors to apply stiffer penalties for IBI citations in a way that will achieve a “deterrent effect.” This new guidance covers general industries, as well as agriculture, maritime and construction industries. Workplace Accidents Do Happen Concern about workplace safety is justified. In 2021,…
Businesses that find themselves dealing with a high rate of employee turnover must take steps to understand the cause. Root causes can be complicated, but understanding the reasons can help a company make lasting changes that will improve retention. The Importance of Exit Interviews Losing a valued employee is never easy but it can present a valuable learning opportunity if employers are willing to reflect on and identify why it happened. Many companies fail to…
Last month, the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced that it would be deploying new technologies designed to improve customer service. Specifically, the agency cited strategic improvements to its cloud-based virtual agent, an artificial intelligence (AI) solution and enhancements to the GDOL’s phone system and website chatbot, George A.I. While the GDOL states that these AI-based technologies will improve the customer experience, we remain skeptical. After all, a virtual agent is less skilled than a…
Business owners are wondering if they can still claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) under the CARES Act if they suffered a loss in revenues due to COVID-19. In particular, MarathonHR has received a number of questions about possible new ways to qualify. As a reminder, the ERTC was created to help businesses keep employees on their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide some financial relief. The ERTC is a refundable tax credit…
In August, we discussed tougher new standards in Georgia for classifying a worker as an independent contractor. The law intends to prevent companies from categorizing someone as a contractor when they’re really an employee who should receive the protections of federal and state employment laws. Misclassifying an employee as exempt is one of the latest ways that companies are trying to get around labor laws. It’s hard to believe that business owners would do this,…
I am looking forward to riding my bike in the second annual Spin for Special OPS (SFSO) charity bike ride on Saturday, May 27, 2023. The event will be hosted by Operation One Voice (O1V), a volunteer-based organization that provides support to wounded or fallen Special Operations Forces Soldiers and their families. Over 97% of each dollar raised goes directly to help these military veterans. If you would like to learn more about the event…
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MarathonHR Helps Thomas Eye Center Focus on Patient Care and Service