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We’re the people behind payroll.
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 are hosting an event and would like to allow our employees to bring a guest. Should we put limits on who they can invite (e.g., their spouse)?
The decision is up to you, but we don’t generally recommend limiting who can be a "plus one." Not everyone has a spouse or significant other, so allowing employees to bring whomever they want is more inclusive and inviting. They’re more likely to attend and have a...
An employee called out a few days ago by leaving a message with some vague information about being ill and hasn’t followed up since. Can we consider this a voluntary resignation and start the termination process?
Most likely not. There are many reasons why your employee might not have been in contact since leaving the original message, and since they mentioned illness, there’s a good chance their absence is protected by law. Potential protections come from the federal Family...
We have two employees who openly dislike each other. How can we help them work together effectively?
Personal animosity can create a toxic environment and obstruct productivity beyond the individuals directly involved. We recommend the following practices to help improve the situation: Investigate the cause or causes of the conflict. It’s easy to jump to conclusions...
When can we deduct from an exempt employee’s pay?
In general, if an exempt employee performs any work during the workweek, you must pay them their full salary for that week. Deductions are allowed, however, for legally required withholdings and benefit elections. There are a handful of other situations in which a...
When are we required to pay for trainings?
In general, time spent in job-related training is counted as time worked and must be paid. However, not every lecture, class, training program, or similar activity would qualify. If all four of the following criteria are met, you don’t need to pay the employee for the...
Is there anything different we should do when terminating a remote employee?
For the most part, no. Your termination process should look much the same. However, there are a few extra steps you may need to consider: If your employee is in a different state, follow the notice and other termination requirements for that location. For example, if...
New Hampshire Law Alert
New Hampshire Adds Protections for Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs Effective August 13, 2024, employers of all sizes will be prohibited from taking adverse action against volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) for reporting late to work...
If an employee runs out of paid time off, do we have to allow them to take unpaid time off?
It depends on why your employee needs the unpaid time off and what you’ve done in the past. In some situations, such as those that would be covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, or a similar state...
Do we need to tell employees when employment laws change?
Possibly. As the employer, you need to stay up to date on legal changes that affect your organization, and your leadership team, managers, human resources, and payroll departments should be kept aware of any new legal requirements or rights that will apply to them or...
What do we do if we find a discrepancy in a background check?
It depends on the seriousness of the discrepancy, whether the information is pertinent to the job itself, and whether the candidate would be ineligible for the position. You probably don’t need to make an issue of a minor variance like a candidate telling you they...
What are the basic steps of a harassment investigation?
Investigating a claim of harassment can be intimidating. For this Q&A, we’ve provided a condensed overview of the steps for an investigation: Select an interviewer. This person should be an impartial manager, company officer, or HR representative. Ideally,...
We have a longtime employee who’s no longer meeting expectations. The owner is afraid to hold them accountable because they’re over 40 and therefore in a protected class. What can we do?
In general, you shouldn’t let an employee’s protected class status deter you from holding them accountable to your performance expectations. After all, everyone belongs to protected classes. Being in one simply means you can’t be treated differently because you’re in...
Payroll Management, Inc.
550 Center Street STE 1210
P.O. Box 1837
Auburn, ME 04211-1837
