We’ve recently learned that one of our employees is planning to leave the company and has been applying for positions elsewhere. Can we terminate them?

by | May 4, 2021 | Business Tips, Employment Law, Human Resources

Answer from Kelley, PHR: Terminating employment because an employee is looking for work elsewhere isn’t expressly prohibited by law, but we wouldn’t recommend it. You might be surprised by how many of your employees are looking for other opportunities—either actively...

An employee says that the stress of the job is affecting their mental health. How should we handle this?

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Business Tips, General News, Human Resources

Answer from Kyle, PHR:   This employee may just need to talk through their concerns and get your help prioritizing or delegating. They may, for example, feel like every single thing on their to-do list is life-or-death by Friday at close of business, when that’s...

Can I require employees to turn on their cameras during meetings?

by | Apr 19, 2021 | Business Tips

Answer from Marisa, SPHR: Yes, generally, you can require employees to have their webcam on during meetings. You may, however, want to take things like low internet bandwidth, equipment failure, software incompatibility, mental health, environmental circumstances,...

How Important is an Updated Employee Handbook?

by | Mar 17, 2021 | Business Tips, Human Resources

Does your employee handbook have a coating of dust on it? Was it last printed in 2008? If so, it’s probably time for an update. This important company asset is distributed to new employees during their onboarding and orientation, but it may be beneficial to you and...

Is There a Better Way to Pay Workers’ Compensation?

by | Feb 25, 2021 | Business Tips, Financial Management

There is a better way to pay your workers’ compensation insurance premiums than being hit hard with a sizable one-time sum. You’ve heard murmurs around the metaphorical watercooler of a “pay-as-you-go” method of workers’ compensation payments—rumors that it can’t be...

Do I need to include an EEO statement in our job postings?

by | Feb 23, 2021 | Business Tips, Employment Law

Answer from Margaret, PHR, SHRM-CP: Unless you are a federal contractor, you are not required to have an EEO statement in your job postings. Some employers who are not federal contractors opt to include an EEO statement as a sign to applicants that they take diversity...