Diversity can bring positive opportunities to any organization. These opportunities include:

• Attracting and retaining high-quality people from a variety of backgrounds.
• Increasing morale because everyone feels that he or she is welcome and appreciated, regardless of background;
• Improved productivity...

Maintaining accurate employee records and legal compliance is critical for all employers. Failure to do so can result in hefty penalties, as demonstrated by a Texas company that failed to maintain accurate time and payroll accounts and did not properly pay employees for overtime hours worked. As a...

Ethical behavior by all employees is critical to the long-term success of any company. Statistics show that employees who believe that their company operates in an ethical manner tend to be more productive and stay with the company longer. One of the first steps in ensuring that a company is run...

The owners of a concrete company in California have been charged with 15 felony charges of payroll tax evasion and workers' compensation insurance fraud. The charges are based on allegations that the company intentionally under reported wages by disguising the funds as payments made to independent...

Many employers reimburse their employees for mileage driven in an employee’s personal vehicle for business purposes. For 2010, the business mileage reimbursement rate set by the Internal Revenue Service is 50 cents per mile. Starting Jan. 1, 2011, however, these rates for the use of a car, van,...

According to a BNA survey, there is a greater likelihood this year that employers will give employees holiday gifts and bonuses, sponsor end-of-year holiday parties and company-wide celebrations, and increase participation in charitable activities than last year. Employers with such plans, however,...

While holidays are fun and exciting, they can also create stress and anxiety. Not only can this create problems at home, it can negatively affect a worker’s ability to do his or her job well. An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a company-sponsored program for employees that provides...

Regular attendance at work is an essential function of most jobs. However, there are many legitimate reasons why employees cannot be at work every day. In order to help control absenteeism, employers should have a policy that addresses issues associated with attendance. These issues include...

• Payroll and employee benefits administration. Management 2000’s employee benefits advisors can make sure companies comply with employment laws regulating payroll and benefits, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

• Recruiting and retention. The HR...

Daylight-saving time in the United States ends at 2 a.m. November 7, when clocks should be turned back one hour. This time change may result in questions about overtime pay rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  Employers should observe federal rules for late-shift employees who are scheduled...

A recent survey indicates that many companies are increasingly concerned that top-performing employees will leave for better-paying jobs as the economy improves. Accordingly, more and more employers are realizing the critical importance of compensation-related retention strategies to keep these...

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that companies develop workplace safety and health programs. Although OSHA does not require employers to have written safety and health programs, many states do. Creating an effective safety and health program can not only help...

Data released last month by Quest Diagnostics Inc. (a drug testing company) indicates an increase in American workers and job applicants testing positive for prescription opiates.  This data further shows that employees are two to four times more likely to have opiate indicators in their systems...

Turnover can be expensive, and have a significant impact on a company’s profitability. Although many factors could be involved, poor hiring decisions often result in high turnover. Understandably, employers want to fill vacancies as quickly as they possibly can. Unless each candidate is properly...

Every company whose employees have E-mail access should have a policy on E-mail use. This policy should include the employer’s right to monitor E-mails. Additional tips employers should consider are including E-mail in document retention programs, limiting information in E-mails to facts rather than...

A fundamental principle in human resources administration is “if you don’t write it down, it didn’t happen.”  Documentation is critical, in terms of evaluating employee performance as well as defending against allegations of unfair or discriminatory treatment.  It may take a few minutes to document...

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, “outside sales” employees are exempt from the overtime provisions in the Act.  It would seem reasonable to assume, therefore, that pharmaceutical sales representatives who call on physicians would fall into this exempt category.  The United States Department of...

Employers that discipline or terminate employees for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons may still find themselves facing discrimination or other legal challenges to the decision. The best way for employers to protect themselves in these situations is to remember – Document, Document, Document!

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