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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.
We recently hired an older individual whose start date is next Monday, but I would like to push back their start date because we’ve just had an employee test positive for COVID-19. Would this be allowed? We will be testing everyone in the workplace, but I know older employees may be at higher risk.
Answer from Daniel, SHRM-CP: You will need to tread carefully here. Pushing back an employee’s start date because of their age would be a clear case of age discrimination, even if you’re operating with the best of intentions. Age discrimination is illegal under the...
We’ve had a lot of turnover since the pandemic started and are thinking about doing exit interviews to see if we can find out why. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer from Sarah, PHR, SHRM-CP: Exit interviews can be a very useful tool — if you’re prepared to act on what you learn — so it’s great that you’re thinking about using them. I’ll cover some basics. Exit interviews typically use one of two formats: an in-person...
Key Definitions to Help You Understand the ADA
If you hadn’t engaged with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) before the pandemic, you probably have by now. The ADA comes up a lot these days, both with respect to confidentiality of medical information (like employee temperatures) as well as with reasonable...
We’ve had a few employees receive phishing emails lately. Do you have any advice for how to deal with this?
Answer from Jenny, SPHR, SHRM-SCP: Unfortunately, these scams have been on the rise for several years and don’t seem to be going away. The best way to address the issue is to make sure it’s top of mind for employees. Send a monthly or quarterly reminder that they...
Leading During a Pandemic
No one knows what the workplace is going to look like in three months. COVID-19 continues to spread. School reopening and attendance plans remain tenuous. Further action from Congress is uncertain. Official rules from the Department of Labor might even be struck down...
For leave requests under the FFCRA, can we require proof that the school or place of care is closed?
Answer from Celine, SHRM-CP: No. However, you can and should (for IRS documentation) require the following items: The names and ages of the child or children being cared for.The name of the school, place of care, or caregiver that is closed or unavailable due to...
Can I deny FFCRA leave to an employee who has high schoolers attending class remotely who are able to take care of themselves during the day?
Answer from Monica, SPHR, SHRM-CP: No. Employees are entitled to emergency FMLA (EFMLA) when they are unable to work or telework because they need to care for a child because the child's school or place of care has been closed, or the childcare provider is...
Payroll Tax Deferral Executive Order
There are still unknowns with the President’s executive order regarding payroll tax deferral. Though the order is set to begin 9/1, there is currently not enough information available from the treasury to begin this deferral process. This option may not be available...
A manager of ours, who is exempt, is taking a half day to attend a social event even though they’ve exhausted all of their paid time off. Can we reduce their salary for that day?
Answer from Kyle, PHR: Not for half day, no. As a general rule, if an exempt employee performs any work during the workweek, they must be paid their full salary. If the employee were taking off one or more full days for this social event, then a deduction from their...
Business has slowed and we’re cutting back the hours of some employees. Do I need to reclassify them as part-time if they’re working fewer than 40 hours per week?
Answer from Laura, SHRM-CP: Not necessarily. It’s up to you to decide how many hours employees need to work in a week to be considered full-time. While we generally recommend that you abide by the standards you've set previously so that you’re enforcing your policies...
The next couple weeks are going to be busier than usual for us. Can I require my exempt employees to work weekends? If so, do I need to pay them for the extra hours?
Answer from Marisa, SPHR: Yes, you can require an exempt employee to work weekends and not pay them extra, assuming they are properly classified this way. It’s pretty standard for exempt employees to be asked to work late or put in additional time on occasion, and in...
DOL Release New Back-to-School FFCRA Guidance
Ever since it became clear that not all schools would be fully reopening for the new school year, employers and employees alike have been wondering how the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) would apply in the variety of new schooling scenarios....
Payroll Management, Inc.
550 Center Street STE 1210
P.O. Box 1837
Auburn, ME 04211-1837