One of my employees has requested time off to vote. My state doesn’t require voting leave, but this employee works in a different state and we have employees located across the country. What do I need to do here?

by | Oct 23, 2020 | Human Resources, Time & Attendance, Voting Leave

Answer from Kyle, PHR: If an employee of yours works in a state with a voting leave law, you will need to comply with that law. Most states require that employers provide at least a few hours to vote, and many of those states require some or all of that time to be...

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.

by | Oct 14, 2020 | covid-19, Human Resources

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?

by | Oct 1, 2020 | Business Tips, Human Resources

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...

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?

by | Aug 31, 2020 | Human Resources, Payroll, Time & Attendance

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...

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?

by | Aug 31, 2020 | Human Resources, Time & Attendance

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...

We’ve heard that some employees aren’t sanitizing their workstations and wearing masks when required. Do we need to investigate safety violations even if no one has made an official complaint?

by | Aug 20, 2020 | covid-19, Human Resources

Answer from Angela, SPHR: Yes, I recommend you investigate the matter and take appropriate enforcement or disciplinary action. As an employer, you have an obligation under the OSHA general duty clause to provide a workplace free from hazards. Under the circumstances,...