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We’re the people behind payroll.
Payroll Management is a family-owned and operated independent payroll processing, HR, time and attendance, and tax support services provider for small and medium-sized businesses that want personalized service from real people.
Do we need to tell employees when employment laws change?
Possibly. As the employer, you need to stay up to date on legal changes that affect your organization, and your leadership team, managers, human resources, and payroll departments should be kept aware of any new legal requirements or rights that will apply to them or...
What do we do if we find a discrepancy in a background check?
It depends on the seriousness of the discrepancy, whether the information is pertinent to the job itself, and whether the candidate would be ineligible for the position. You probably don’t need to make an issue of a minor variance like a candidate telling you they...
What are the basic steps of a harassment investigation?
Investigating a claim of harassment can be intimidating. For this Q&A, we’ve provided a condensed overview of the steps for an investigation: Select an interviewer. This person should be an impartial manager, company officer, or HR representative. Ideally,...
We have a longtime employee who’s no longer meeting expectations. The owner is afraid to hold them accountable because they’re over 40 and therefore in a protected class. What can we do?
In general, you shouldn’t let an employee’s protected class status deter you from holding them accountable to your performance expectations. After all, everyone belongs to protected classes. Being in one simply means you can’t be treated differently because you’re in...
We are looking to implement formal training programs. What types of training would you recommend we have for all employees?
Employee training is going to vary from industry to industry, but there are some types of training we recommend for all employers: Harassment prevention training explains what harassment is and how to avoid it, how to recognize inappropriate and unlawful behavior, and...
Are there questions or topics we should avoid during the hiring process? How can we be sure we don’t accidentally get into one of those topics?
Answered by the HR Experts You should avoid asking questions that could be viewed as discriminatory or that infringe on a candidate’s privacy. Essentially, you want to avoid any questions that are not directly related to the candidate’s ability to perform the job....
What can we do about an employee who is taking too many restroom breaks?
Answered by the HR Experts Start by asking yourself if the employee’s restroom breaks are genuinely causing problems. Focus on the employee’s productivity and performance (as well as any coverage issues) rather than the amount of time spent in the restroom. If the...
We’re planning to close the office a few days a week to save money. Do salaried exempt employees still get their full pay during these furloughs?
Yes, salaried exempt employees must be paid their full weekly salary if they do any work during your designated seven-day workweek, including tasks as quick as checking work email or voicemail. As your goal is to save money, be sure the furlough covers the full...
Federal Law Alert: DOL Increases Exempt Employee Minimum Salaries
On April 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the much-anticipated final rule that will increase the minimum salary for many exempt employees. The increase will take effect in two steps. If you’d like to review the regulations yourself, they are...
We’ve generally been tolerant of harmless pranks, but recently, an employee placed a suggestive picture on a coworker’s workstation and another employee saw it and complained. How should we respond?
Answered by the HR Experts It sounds like this prank could have crossed the line into harassment, even though the person who was offended wasn’t necessarily the intended target. As an employer, you have an obligation to prevent and deal with harassment complaints...
Do we need to pay summer interns?
Answered by the HR Experts Generally, yes, though it depends on who benefits most from their work. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has adopted the "primary beneficiary test" to determine whether a worker is an employee (who must be paid in accordance with federal...
Does the National Labor Relations Act apply to my business if we don’t have a union?
Answered by the HR Experts It does! Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935 to protect the rights of employees and employers, to encourage collective bargaining, and to limit certain labor and management practices that can harm the general...
Payroll Management, Inc.
550 Center Street STE 1210
P.O. Box 1837
Auburn, ME 04211-1837
