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?

by | May 14, 2024 | Employment Law, Human Resources

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?

by | May 14, 2024 | Human Resources

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?

by | May 8, 2024 | Human Resources, Payroll, Time & Attendance

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

by | May 6, 2024 | General News, Human Resources, Payroll

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?

by | May 5, 2024 | Human Resources

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...

Federal Law Alert: Federal EEO-1 Reporting Opens April 30

by | Apr 23, 2024 | Human Resources

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that the 2023 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection will open April 30. The deadline to file the report is June 4, 2024. The EEO-1 Component 1 report is a mandatory filing for private employers with 100 or...