7 Benefits to Outsourcing Payroll

As a business owner, you’ve put in a lot of hard work and sacrifice for the health of your company. The highs and lows, the celebratory moments and the challenges, all combine together to form your experience as a business owner. And even though you and your team are...

How should we handle returning personal belongings to a terminated employee? Can we pack them up for the employee?

Question: How should we handle returning personal belongings to a terminated employee? Can we pack them up for the employee? Answer from Monica, SPHR, SHRM-CP: You may pack personal belonging for the employee or ask that they come in and collect their items. My...

An employee of ours had a brief coughing fit today, but she says she just had something caught in her throat. As far as we’ve seen, she hasn’t experienced any symptoms associated with COVID-19 other than this one time. Do we need to send her home just in case? 

Answer from Kyle, PHR: No. If you’ve confirmed that she isn’t experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, I would recommend treating this instance of coughing as a one-off event and not indicative of the virus. You can remind her and other employees to stay home if they are...

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, should we cancel our annual holiday party?

Answer from Emily, PHR: We would certainly recommend not having an in-person event this year, which could put your company, employees, customers, and community at risk. If your event spreads the virus, your employees could become sick, much of your workforce may need...

Can we require that employees give notice before quitting?

Answer from Megan, SPHR, JD: Requiring departing employees to give notice could jeopardize their at-will status (if applicable). To avoid this, I recommend requesting that employees provide notice instead of requiring it. Asking for notice as a professional courtesy...