When an employee informs you that they were injured while working from home, take the claim seriously and follow your usual procedure for a workplace injury. Here are the steps we recommend: Thank them for letting you know about the injury and ask if they need medical attention. If necessary, help them get it. Their health and safety should be your first priority. Have the employee complete a workers’ compensation claim form, which can be obtained from your carrier. The carrier should be notified as soon as possible. Check for any recordkeeping or reporting requirements that you may be subjec ..read more

In June of 2023, Maine passed a law requiring that employers with more than 50 full-time equivalent employees display a yet-to-be-created poster about veterans’ benefits and services. Well, the time has come—it’s been created! This poster needs to be displayed in a conspicuous place that’s accessible to employees. You can find a copy here.  The post Maine Law Alert: Maine Veterans’ Benefits and Services Poster Now Available appeared first on Payroll Management, Inc ..read more

Whistleblowing occurs when an employee reports wrongdoing (dangerous, illegal, or unethical activity or practices by the company or its employees) either directly to the employer or to an outside authority. Many laws, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act, consider whistleblowing a protected activity, meaning you can’t lawfully retaliate against an employee for making such a report. If you were to retaliate, for instance, by disciplining the employee or excluding them from promotional opportunities, the employee could file a complaint. You can reduce the risk of employees “blowing t ..read more

Answered by the HR Experts Furloughs and layoffs are ways to reduce labor costs during times of economic hardship. They both involve a loss of work for employees, but there is a key difference between them. A furlough continues employment but reduces scheduled hours or requires a period of unpaid leave. Because the employment relationship remains intact, employees typically expect that they’ll come back to their full schedule when the period of hardship is over. Employers should generally avoid using a furlough if the odds of bringing people back are slim, as it can provide false hop ..read more

Answered by the HR Experts This situation should be handled the same way you’d manage most work disruptions affecting an employee’s performance. Start by having a conversation with the employee about the disruption and explaining your concerns and performance expectations. Remind them that it’s their responsibility to maintain a working environment where they can be successful. Feel free to brainstorm solutions with them—like a different room for their workstation or creating a house rule that calls for quiet during work hours—but it’s ultimately on the employee to make whatever changes are n ..read more

Ordinarily, you should assume that an employee’s request for a religious accommodation is based on a sincerely held religious belief, observance, or practice. The definition of religion is broad and protects beliefs, observances, and practices you may not be familiar with. That said, if you have an objective basis for doubting either the religious nature of the belief or that it’s sincerely held, you can request additional supporting information. If you decide to ask for supporting documentation, don’t require that it come from a specific source, such as a clergy member or fellow congregant. A ..read more

Annual OSHA Form 300A Posting Begins February 1, Expanded Electronic Reporting Due March 2 Form 300A Workplace Posting Begins February 1 Covered employers that had 11 or more employees at any point in 2023 are required to post Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injury and Illnesses, from February 1 through April 30 unless they qualify as an exempt low-risk industry. Employers are required to post Form 300A even if they didn’t have any recordable incidents in 2023. OSHA Form 300A must be certified by a company executive and posted in a conspi ..read more

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published a final rule independent contractor classification under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Beginning on March 11, 2024, the rule will effectively reinstate the longstanding version of the “economic reality” test the DOL previously used. This test uses a multifactor, totality-of-the-circumstances analysis to determine whether a worker is an employee who is economically dependent on the employer for work, or an independent contractor (IC) who is in business for themself. Although this version of the economic reality test hasn ..read more

Answered by the HR Experts Mentoring is a professional relationship between a senior or more experienced employee (the mentor) and a newer or less experienced one (the mentee). The mentor shares their knowledge and experience, offering guidance, advice, feedback, and encouragement. The mentee, for their part, can go to their mentor with personal and professional goals, questions, and frustrations. Mentorship is not a replacement for management—these conversations can and should also take place between managers and their direct reports. Mentoring relationships are meant to supplement supervisor ..read more

Answered by the HR Experts Yes, you can store completed Forms I-9 electronically. However, per U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services any electronic storage system must include the following: Reasonable controls to ensure the system’s integrity, accuracy, and reliability. For instance, you would need to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the records and have a backup plan to recover records in the event of information loss. Reasonable controls that prevent and detect any unauthorized or accidental changes. In practice, the system should create a secure and perma ..read more