An employee worked unauthorized overtime. Do we have to pay them the time and a half for these hours?

by | Dec 14, 2021 | Employment Law, Human Resources, Payroll, Time & Attendance

Answer from Margaret, PHR, SHRM-CP: Yes. Any overtime worked by non-exempt employees must be compensated, regardless of whether the overtime was authorized. We recommend communicating with the employee about work expectations outside of their scheduled workday, making...

Should we cancel our annual holiday party again this year?

by | Dec 7, 2021 | Business Tips, covid-19, Human Resources

Answer from Kyle, PHR: Ultimately, that’s your decision. Some companies are forgoing an in-person holiday party again this year, while others feel like it’s safe enough to celebrate in person. Unfortunately, COVID cases and hospitalizations due to the virus are rising...

What are effective ways to manage remote employees and monitor their work?  

by | Dec 2, 2021 | Business Tips, Human Resources

Answer from Sarah, PHR, SHRM-CP: Managing remote employees can certainly be a challenge. Here are some of the practices we recommend: Set measurable goals around quality of work. Whether employees get their work done to your satisfaction is more important to your...

One of our employees has taken on a second job, and I’m concerned the additional work might hurt his performance or interfere with his work for us. What do you recommend?

by | Nov 17, 2021 | Business Tips, Employment Law, Human Resources

Answer from Kyle, PHR: If you haven’t had previous issues with this employee’s performance, I wouldn’t worry too much about his taking a second job. Side jobs are common, and many people manage them just fine. You can certainly reiterate your performance expectations,...

We have under 100 employees and are not required to mandate the COVID vaccine. We’re considering doing so anyway, but we’re also interested in other ways of encouraging our employees to get vaccinated. What incentives have been most effective?

by | Nov 9, 2021 | covid-19, Human Resources

Incentives are a good idea if you don’t want to mandate the COVID vaccine. Bonuses have been shown to convince at least some hesitant employees. You could, for example, establish a policy that every vaccinated employee gets $100. If you go the monetary incentive...

What questions should an employer avoid asking during the recruiting and interview process?

by | Nov 2, 2021 | Human Resources

Answer from Brody, PHR, SHRM-CP: You should avoid questions that are not job-related or that cause an applicant to tell you about their inclusion in a protected class. These would include questions about race, national origin, citizenship status, religious...