Human Resources Forms

On January 11, the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a new guide to the Form I-9 process.  I-9s are required of all employers to verify the employment of each new hire, and are used as part of audits to curb illegal immigration.

The HR professionals at Management 2000, an Indiana PEO, are experienced in the proper use and retention of I-9s.  Employers can count on Management 2000 to handle all HR administration issues so they can focus on the business itself.  For more information about the human resource management services Management 2000 provides, call (317) 549-2000 or visit www.management2000.com.  

In general, employees have a duty to obey direct orders and respect their supervisors' authority.  Direct insubordination or discourtesy jeopardizes productivity, harms morale, and undermines supervisors' authority. Insubordination and discourtesy can take many forms, including: 
 

• using abusive or profane language,
• having a disrespectful attitude,
• threatening or intimidating colleagues or customers,
• making false public statements against a supervisor, and
• assaulting a person.

Employers must be careful, however, when disciplining employees for insubordination or discourtesy. The HR professionals at Management 2000, an Indiana PEO, have the knowledge and experience to counsel employers on the best way to handle these situations. They provide the human resources help employers need to develop and enforce effective human resource policies and procedures. For more information about the human resource management services Management 2000 offers, call (317) 549-2000 or visit www.management2000.com.

Employers must take care when classifying workers as independent contractors. If the Internal Revenue Service finds that an independent contractor should have been classified as an employee, it can assess the employer any or all of the following:

• An amount equal to 1.5 percent of wages (3 percent if no information return was filed).

• Up to 40 percent of the worker's share of Federal Insurance Contribution Act tax that should have been withheld.

• A civil penalty equal to 100 percent of the total amount of tax evaded or not collected. There can also be a criminal penalty of a $100,000 fine ($500,000 in the case of a corporation) and/or five years in prison.

• Up to $50 per Form W-2 that should have been filed.
• A civil penalty of $50 per W-2, if IRS finds the employer willfully failed to furnish correct W-2s to employees. There's also a criminal penalty consisting of a $1,000 fine and/or one year in prison for willful failure to furnish W-2s as required.
• Interest on past-due tax payments.

Clearly, improper classification of employees can be a costly mistake. The HR professionals at Management 2000, an Indiana PEO, have the knowledge and experience to help employers classify employees properly. With legally compliant human resource policies in place, employers can avoid costly litigation and hefty fines. For more information about the many human resource management services provided by Management 2000, call (317-549-2000 or visit www.management2000.com. 

Non-compete agreements are contracts between employers and employees in which employees agree not to compete with their employers following termination. While such agreements can offer employers significant protection, they must be drafted carefully to ensure enforceability:

·        Non-compete agreements should be in writing and signed by the employee;

·        Non-compete agreements should be mutual, including employer obligations to employees as well as employee obligations to employers;

·        Employees should receive some form of consideration in return for signing the agreement;

·        Non-compete agreements should be reasonable in duration and restricted to limited geographical areas; and

·        Non-compete agreements should be narrowly drawn to protect employers' legitimate business interests

The requirements for an enforceable non-compete agreement can vary from state to state.  Management 2000, an Indiana PEO, has the HR management tools necessary to research states’ requirements and help employers develop effective and enforceable non-compete agreements. For more information about all the human resource management services provided by Management 2000’s HR Department, call (317-549-2000 or visit www.management2000.com. 

While alcohol and drug abuse rates tend to vary over time, surveys consistently find at least 5 to 10 percent of workers admit to illegal drug use; the actual percentage is probably even higher. Employee substance abuse can have many harmful effects on an organization, including:

• higher absenteeism,

• increased accidents and injuries,

• higher medical costs, and

• lower productivity and quality.

Research by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has found that workers with the highest rates of abuse are concentrated in workplaces that have the fewest policies, informational resources, and employee assistance programs to address substance abuse. Workers in businesses with strong substance abuse programs report the lowest rates of drug use.

Management 2000, a PEO with offices in Indiana and Ohio, has knowledgeable HR professionals who provide the human resources help employers need to develop effective HR procedures and policies. Management 2000’s HR Department also provides HR support in the form of training to managers and employees to ensure understanding of these policies.           

• An introduction to managers, human resource personnel, supervisors and co-workers
• A tour of the facility
• An introduction to the job and its duties, including health and safety issues,Human Resource Issues and any Human Resource Forms left to fill out.

While many people think of OSHA – the Occupational Safety and Health Act – as governing hazardous materials and dangerous occupations, virtually every employer has responsibilities under the Act. The General Duty Clause required employers to ensure that their workplaces are free from recognized hazards. In addition, many companies with more than ten employees are required to post the “OSHA 300 Log,” a form used by employers to record worker injuries and illnesses, on an annual basis.

Safety compliance can be time-consuming, especially for small business owners. The HR Department at Management 2000, an Indiana Professional Employer Organization, has safety professionals experienced in OSHA compliance and training. Through its human resources consulting services, Management 2000 can help employers develop policies and procedures to address safety, as well as other human resource administration issues.

The New Year is a time when many look back over the prior year and contemplate both the good times and the not-so-good times. It is a particularly good time for employers to review their human resources forms and procedures and policies and consider what worked, what didn’t, and why. In most cases, situations that didn’t work out as the employer wanted can be minimized or prevented in the future by changing policies, updating procedures and/or providing training.

Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization, has the resources to help employers audit their human resources practices to determine if changes are warranted. Management 2000 can then assist with development and implementation of these changes to help employers realize a more productive year ahead.     

In addition to helping our clients deal with specific employee relations matters, Management 2000 provides a broad range of services related to day-to-day operations. Just a few of these services include:

 
Benefits:

• Multiple programs for medical, dental, vision and supplemental insurance products;
• COBRA and HIPAA administration;
• Comprehensive benefits administration (including open enrollment and employee consultation.

Payroll:

• A variety of pay options (direct deposit, live checks, pay cards);
• Administration of deductions, including garnishments;
• Access to electronic timekeeping devices and Web based on-line payroll.

Human Resources:

• Forms and letters regarding offer letters, disciplinary actions, termination/layoff notices, and probationary warnings;
• Contact vendors to set up local accounts for pre-employment and post-injury drug screenings;
• Resource library for management and supervisory training, employee development and workplace compliance training.

For more information about Management 2000’s services, call (317) 549-2000.

As I mentioned the other day, the new I-9 form in now in effect.  At Management 2000, we are using a version that is available through Homeland Security that has a nice feature.  It is in a writable pdf. format so that you can actually type in the information on.  This makes it MUCH easier to read the information and make Human Resource Administration much easier. Below is the link to the new form.  You want to make sure that you destroy your old forms and only use the new form going forward. At Management 2000 we are the HR Department making sure our clients are compliant because we know they have a business to run.

New I-9 Employee Verification Form

Strategic Human Resources Tools and Training

1. Implement time keeping system – ensures that employees aren’t spending extended time away from workstation.

2. Smoking cessation program – this would not be fee inclusive.

3. Conduct training sessions that build morale and productivity through engaged leaders including
   1.  Key skills for great managers:

                                                               i.      Improve Employee satisfaction and motivation

                                                             ii.      Clear obstacles and provide the support your employee need to get the job done

                                                            iii.      Isolate and measure what drives your employees. Provide meaningful work

                                                            iv.      Focus on what people do right

2. How to run a successful meeting including:

                                                               i.      Setting agendas according to specific goals

                                                             ii.      Controlling problem participants

                                                            iii.      Getting results

                                                            iv.      Closing the meeting on schedule

3. Time Management sessions including:

                                                               i.      Prioritizing, planning and following through

                                                             ii.      Focusing on activities with the biggest payoff

                                                            iii.      Taking action now, no procrastination

                                                            iv.      Setting achievable goals

4. Performance coaching including:

                                                               i.      Identifying shortcomings

                                                             ii.      Determine the cause and what change is needed

                                                            iii.      Get commitment and provide support where needed

                                                            iv.      Measure the results and provide feedback.

4. Improve employee retention to reduce loss productivity cause by on-boarding new employees. Management 2000, a Top PEO, would analyze turn over to determine causes of termination and develop action plans to reduce that turnover through correct human resources forms.