Jim, the operations manager for Walton’s Mountain Supplies, noticed John coming to work late for the third time this week. He checked with Mary Ellen, John's supervisor and discovered this had been a regular occurrence for the past two months. Jim then asked Mary Ellen what she had been doing about this. She explained that John was a good worker once he showed up and she didn’t feel that 10 – 15 minutes was worth the confrontation.

A couple of months later, Mary Ellen came to Jim and let him know that Elizabeth was consistently coming in 5 -10 minutes late; she had given Elizabeth three verbal warnings and had written her up twice. Mary Ellen recommended that Jim fire Elizabeth. In talking with Mary Ellen, Jim discovered that Elizabeth was an “adequate” worker and John was still coming in late.

What should Jim do? He decided to call his ESG republic Customer Service Manager for advice. This is what he was told:

• You must enforce your policies equally across the board. If you are not going to hold one employee accountable for the policies then you cannot hold another accountable for the same policy.
• If you terminate Elizabeth, at this point, you are exposing your company to a potential law suit for, Wrongful Termination and Sexual Harassment.
• Write up both employees. Make the write-ups “Final Warnings” and attach all documentation to each write-up; such as time sheets and previous write-ups.
• Explain in the final write-up what your expectations are for each employee, making sure you are consistent.
• Review your Employee Handbook and make sure it is current and contains your policy for tardiness. Also, be sure employees have signed the acknowledgement page stating they have received and read the handbook.
• The CSM also recommended Jim train his supervisors about the importance of keeping updated performance logs.
• Include positive and negative behaviors
• Include the date of the entry
• Write observations not assumptions
• Be specific
• Keep out biased language
• Be brief, but complete
• Track trends
• Be consistent

Labels: Employees, Employers, ESG republic, Human Resource

Are you still dealing with all of your company´s Human Resource, Workers´ Compensation, Employee Benefits and Payroll needs? Are those business necessities your core competency? Are you compliant with local, state and federal regulations governing those important areas of your company? What if you could outsource those functions, provide better benefits to your staff, operate in compliance to protect you and your company, and save money in the process? You can!

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) is designed to help small to mid-sized companies by providing them the resources to better manage and administer these non-revenue generating but essential business functions. You stay focused on your core business, what you know, and what you got into business to do. The PEO manages much of the rest, benefiting both you and your staff. Here is a quick list of 5 things to look for in a PEO:

1. Combination of Hi-Tech and Hi-Touch Delivery.
   Let´s face it…in today´s business world, many deliverables are made available online and much business is done via phone and email, etc. However, as a "service" business dealing with the complexities of human resources, training, safety, employee benefits, enrollment and orientation, it´s important to deal with a company that will be there when you need them. Likewise, your PEO should be able to deliver hi-tech solutions to help you manage your business in a more efficient and timely manner.
2. Multiple Employee Benefit Options.
   Often times, small and mid-sized businesses struggle to afford and offer attractive and competitive benefit choices to their staff. Benefits that will help you attract and retain the best staff. Many PEO´s will simply work with you to broker a plan for your organization but not offer a competitive group policy option. Look for a PEO that will meet or exceed your employee benefit needs. Large group policies, often with multiple plan options (HMO, PPO, HSA, etc.) or even multiple carriers, can be more attractive to your staff as they can choose the coverage that meets their personal needs. Composite premiums versus age-banded pricing can also have its advantages.
3. Safety Services – Not Just Workers´ Compensation.
   As the employer of record, PEO´s will typically provide all required workers´ compensation insurance for your staff. But insurance without attention to prevention is not enough. Your PEO should be as concerned about preventing claims as they are about managing them should they occur. Training, ergonomics, Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, Personal Protective Equipment, work site audits and inspections, pre-employment drug screening and background checking and hiring best practices are just some of the things to expect.
4. Real Human Resource Services.
   Like the previous tip, human resource services shouldn´t be defined solely by the reaction to events. Make sure your PEO is providing a comprehensive and proactive review of your current business practices, policies and procedures related to employment. Again, expect training, professional employee handbooks, job description review and development, hiring, firing, counseling and disciplinary best practices, among other HR deliverables.
5. Payroll – Options, Ease and Accuracy.
   Let´s face it…payroll doesn´t have to be complicated but it has to be right. Make sure your PEO has available options to track, manage and submit payroll information. Web-based time clocks, swipe clocks, biometrics, and company specific online payroll portals are just some of the ways companies report and manage time and attendance these days. What works for you? Will your PEO work with your current reporting methods? Is it time for a change?

These are just 5 tips for selecting a Professional Employer Organization to meet your needs. Certainly, checking customer references and personally meeting with the PEO to assess their staff expertise, professionalism and responsiveness will go a long ways too. Following these few tips can help tremendously as you explore the many benefits of outsourcing these non-core business functions. Want more information? Click here.

Labels: Benefits, Human Resource, Payroll, Workers Comp.

Any business can find value in a relationship with an HR Outsourcing company. An average client company is a business with 17 worksite employees. Increasingly, larger businesses also are finding value in a co-employment relationships because HR Outsourcing companies (ESG republic) offers robust web-based HR technologies and expertise in HR management. Additionally, the extensive network and buying power of HR Outsourcing companies (ESG republic) large employee base will provide companies with the highest quality employee benefits at the lowest possible price.

So whether your company has 5 employees or 100, your company can take advantage of HR Outsourcing companies (ESG republic) abilities to help your company grow and be successful.

Labels: Employees, Employers, Human Resource

Once a client company contracts with ESG republic, we will then co-employ the client's worksite employees. In the arrangement among ESG republic, a worksite employee and a client company, there exists a co-employment relationship in which both ESG republic and client company have an employment relationship with the worker.

ESG republic and the client company share and allocate responsibilities and liabilities. ESG republic assumes much of the responsibility and liability for the business of employment:

• such as risk management
• human resource management
• and payroll and employee tax compliance.

The client company retains responsibility for and manages product development and production, business operations, marketing, sales, and service. ESG republic and the client will share certain responsibilities for employment law compliance. As a co-employer, ESG republic will provide a complete human resource and benefit package for worksite employees.

Labels: Employees, Employers, Human Resource

Employees seek financial security, quality health insurance and Work Life benefits, a safe working environment and opportunities for retirement savings. When a company works with an HR Outsourcing company(ESG republic), job security is improved as efficiencies are implemented to lower employment costs. Job satisfaction and productivity increase when employees are provided with professional human resource services, training, employee manuals, safety services and improved communications.

With ESG republic, employees are provided a greatly expanded Work Life benefits package, to include a 401(k), a flexible spending plan, life insurance, disability insurance, fitness club and credit union memberships, child care discounts, “every day” shopping discounts, and more. These benefits really impact an employee’s life and the lives of their families.

Labels: Employees, Human Resource

Labels: Benefits, Employees, Employers, Human Resource, Payroll

ESG republic is always looking for great articles on HR Outsourcing. Even in this current market, HR Outsourcing can help keep your company thriving. Here is a list of items that you should think about when considering an HR Outsourcing firm:

• Great Reduction in Costs
• Simple Global Models
• Expertise
• Best of Breed Solutions
• Risk Mitigation
• Value Addition

Continue reading this article here!

Labels: Human Resource

Another way the stimulus law could endure is by launching broader health care reform. It contains $19 billion to establish a national health information technology system to support computerized medical records for every American by 2014.

Continue reading this story here.

Labels: Employers, Human Resource, law, Politics

On January 29, 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law with an effective date of May 28, 2007, which is the day before the Ledbetter decision.

What this means is that an employee may come back and sue you today for what they believe was a “discriminatory” pay decision – even if it happened years ago! Under the bill, as long as workers file charges within 300 or 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck, depending on the state where they live, their charges would be considered timely. Any federal cases currently pending that were filed after May 28, 2007 will be subject to this new law.

The Lilly Ledbetter bill restores the rights of workers to fight pay discrimination. This bill’s passing has opened up the window to file a lawsuit if an employee feels that they have not been fairly paid for the job they do.

Some experts say that this bill will create an increase in lawsuits, potentially subjecting businesses to expensive litigation. This may or not be the case, but it does require action on the part of the employer to review his own practices regarding compensation for all employees.

Our advice to an employer is, begin your audit now:

• Examine current compensation policies. If you maintain a policy of carrying out performance evaluations, follow your policy consistently
• Review job descriptions
• Properly train supervisors and managers who make decisions on compensation and/or promotions

The bottom line: Employers should take steps now to evaluate their exposure, train employees responsible for decisions that influence compensation, and make necessary modifications to their pay equity.

At ESG republic, we are committed to helping our current clients as well as future clients in finding the best solutions for their business.

Written By
Karen Burns
Human Resources Specialist

Labels: Human Resource, law, President

New supervisors are eager to show that they are "boss," and they may think that harsh discipline is the way to establish themselves. That is often not the best way to get individuals moving and to keep up department morale, says attorney Jeffrey Wortman.

Continue reading this story here by HR Daily Advisor

Labels: Employers, Human Resource

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has delayed by 60 days, until April 3, 2009, the effective date for using the revised Form I-9, originally scheduled to go into effect today. Please note: Employers who use the new form prior to the April 3, 2009 effective date are subject to civil monetary penalties.

Labels: Human Resource, law

I had received a call from an employee in regards to his new pay structure. Due to the present economy downfall, his company implemented a new pay structure in hopes to save money and create a different motivational incentive for their employees by paying on a per complete piece rate versus a sales commission. It was apparent he did not agree with the new pay structure.

He expressed that he understood his company’s needs but as an employee the new pay structure motivated him to not work as hard. If he was getting paid on a piece rate then it motivated him not to sell which what the company really needed in a time like this. I explained I understood his concern but at this point it was what his company wanted to implement at this moment and to give it some time.

Anytime our client approaches us with big changes that affect personnel, we collaboratively determine if this is a good move or not. If you are considering any change, I recommend you take the following steps:

1. Determine Goal – Is your goal to cut cost? Reduce turnover? Whatever your goal is get input from all points of the organization so you can understand how a change can influence different departments. Do a thorough need assessment.
2. Communicate - Top management must communicate to employees and to all areas of the organization. This is a vital step in the process of change. Communication is the key to change.
3. Implement – Now it is time to put your plan into action. Do this carefully and make sure you have thoroughly thought your plan through.
4. Evaluate – Determine if you are meeting your goal. See if your plan is working or if you need to modify your goal.
5. Reevaluate – You may reevaluate a year or two from the time you implemented a change so you can really determine if your initial plan was successful. Remember change is always ongoing so you will need to reevaluate your plans on a consistent basis.

Change in an organization is not always pleasant. No matter how big or small or the size of your organization, change is ongoing and can make employees very nervous. But remember it is not ‘things’ that change, but people. People change and we must learn to manage those who are resistant to change and create small goals to fulfill the big picture.

Written By
Silver Arias, PHR
Human Resources Specialist

Labels: Employees, Employers, Human Resource

President Barack Obama will soon be able to fulfill a campaign promise by signing a pay discrimination bill into law that was passed by the House on Tuesday, January 27, in a 250-177 vote.

The measure, known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, would make it easier for workers to sue for pay inequities.

The House acted on a bill the Senate approved January 22. The House originally passed the measure as part of a larger pay discrimination package January 9. But the Senate acted only on the Ledbetter portion, which necessitated another House vote.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama made the Ledbetter bill a centerpiece of campaign events designed to highlight women’s issues.

Under the legislation, each paycheck that has been diminished by discrimination is a separate violation of civil rights law. The statute of limitations for filing a suit would run 180 days from each paycheck. A worker could recover two years of back pay.

Opponents argue that the bill eviscerates the statute of limitations, potentially subjecting businesses to lawsuits over pay decisions that date back decades at a time when they are trying to cope with the recession.

Supporters say that the bill overturns a 2007 Supreme Court decision. Ledbetter, a former supervisor at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber plant in Alabama, sued the company for paying her less than her male counterparts for 20 years.

Continue reading this story here
Written by Workforce Management writer —Mark Schoeff Jr.

Labels: Employers, Human Resource, law, Politics, President, rules, Washington

Here are some important dates for Human Resources. Keep these in mind as they will soon pass.

• FMLA Final Regulations, effective 1/16/09
• Furnish W-2 to Employees and Former Employees, no later than 1/31/09
• Post OSHA 300-A, beginning 2/1/09
• Revised Form I-9: Employers must start using on 2/2/09
• Federal Contractors Must E-Verify, postponed to 2/20/09
• GINA: Title I of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which applies to group health plans, effective 5/21/09, except for calendar-year plans.

Brought to you by SHRM

Labels: Administrator, Employers, FMLA, Human Resource, law, regulations

As an HR Specialist here at ESG republic, I find many business owners have many challenges that they face daily. Items such as layoffs, alternative work schedules, and decreases in pay, hours and benefits. Not to mention several talks of amending policies for mileage reimbursement, severance and bonus structures. Employers are in a constant struggle on how to save money but also struggling to keep their most important asset: people.

Business owners need to take a look at the bigger picture. 2009 is about looking where you want to be, not only this year but the following year and beyond. It’s about finding new ways to manage your employees and thinking of new strategies. Yes, that may mean investing more time and money in your key talent employees but think of it as an investment to the upcoming success of your business. If the problem is about saving money, then communicate to your employees the challenges and make it a team effort to cut costs. Have employees think of ideas, big or small, on ways to save money. You will be amazed by the ideas your employees come up with. This year is about a different strategy in managing people and being creative in the process. Your work culture has a big part in this and you may find that you can come up with creative ways to mange this change in your workplace and make 2009 a great success.

Written By
Silver Arias, PHR
Human Resource Specialist
ESG republic

Labels: Employees, Employers, Human Resource

In the week ending Jan. 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 589,000, an increase of 62,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 527,000. The 4-week moving average was 519,250, unchanged from the previous week's revised average of 519,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.4 percent for the week ending Jan. 10, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.4 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 10 was 4,607,000, an increase of 97,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,510,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,559,750, an increase of 58,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,501,000.

Continue reading this article at U.S. Department of Labor

Labels: Employees, Employers, Human Resource, law