Don’t Be a Dunder

Do the situations on NBC’s “The Office” make you laugh and cringe at the same time?  

Julie Elgar at That’s What She Said (HRHeroBlogs.com) is keeping a running tally of the cumulative litigation value of The Office staff’s HR gaffes.  Her weekly posts point out and explain what the real-world consequences would be for Dunder Mifflin et al.

Holding on to New Hires

A significant number of organizations lose as many as a quarter of their new hires within the first year, according to a survey by Novations Group, a global consulting firm based in Boston, and Equation Research. One-third of employers suffer such a loss, and for an additional 11% of companies first-year departures can even approach 50%.

The survey found that the top reasons new employees left their jobs were:

• Unrealistic expectations of the job and organizations
• Failure to grasp “how to get things done” around the organization
• Poor communication with immediate supervisor
• Failure to develop a sense of belonging and purpose

The study underscores the importance of communication between employers and employees (especially new employees.) The communication should begin in the interview process with business owners and managers giving prospective employees a true and realistic description of the job and company expectations. A comprehensive orientation or “on-boarding” program should include information about company policies and procedures. Let new employees know where they can go when (not if) they have questions.

It’s important to note that one of the biggest reasons that newly-hired employees did not stay is a failure to establish a sense of belonging and purpose. While there are certainly times when an employee/employer match just isn’t right, take some time and gauge the climate of your workplace. Is it a hospitable environment or a harsh one? Are there other issues that need to be addressed, such as general poor morale or disciplinary problems? Identifying and correcting these issues now can save you turnover dollars down the road.

 

How can Hippo & Fleming Law Offices help?   We can work with you to develop effective interview questions so that you can get the best candidate (and best fit) for the job. Our staff can review your existing job descriptions, or help your create new descriptions so that you can accurately and effectively communicate your expectations to your new employee, and he isn’t surprised by his job duties.  We can work with you to create an orientation program that gives your new hires the information and tools they need to start producing for you.

Contact us for more information on our Business Solutions Services for your business.

More information:

• Novations Group
• Equation Research

Mandatory Workplace Postings

Pennsylvania employers are required to post certain notices in their worksites so employees have access to and information about applicable labor laws.

All notices must be posted in a conspicuous place so that they can be seen and read by employees. Failure to post notices can result in stiff penalties and possible fines.  In addition to the notices listed below, all government agencies and private employers with government contracts over $25,000 are required to publish and post an anti-drug policy statement in accordance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998. 

• Abstract of the Pennsylvania Child Labor Law – All employers of minors
• Hours of Work for Minors Under Eighteen – All employers of minors
• Minimum Wage Law Poster and Fact Sheet  - All employers
• Abstract of Equal Pay Law  – All employers
• Pennsylvania Right to Know Law  - Public employers (State, County, Township, etc)
• Unemployment Compensation – All employers (Public) (There is also a separate poster for Spanish-speaking employees)
• Unemployment  Compensation for State Employees – State Government employers
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance Posting – All employers
• Employment Provisions of the PA Human Relations Act – Employers of four or more employees and subject to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
• Public Accommodations Provisions – Public accommodations, such as restaurants, theaters, doctor’s offices and schools. Available to accommodations subject to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
• Fair Lending Practices – Lenders and by businesses where housing financing transactions are negotiated, such as banks and savings and loans. Available to accommodations subject to the Act
• Fair Housing Practices – Owners of housing, real estate brokers and others subject to the housing provisions of the Act

From PA Dept of Labor & Industry website

In addition to the Pennsylvania mandatory postings, there are federally mandated postings as well.  You can find a list and details at the US Department of Labor Website.

Unsure if you have all of the required mandatory postings, or unclear what the postings mean to you and your employees?  Let our experienced staff complete a quick check of your existing postings, or set up a one-on-one or management training sessions on the basics of mandatory postings and the laws behind them.

Investigating the Myths #1

Across different industries and management levels, several stubborn myths exist. Passed from manager to manager, these ideas are, in some cases, just plain wrong, and in other cases can actually expose your company to liability. This newsletter will occasionally pull out one of these myths for you, explain it, and hopefully retire it.

The Unemployment Myth

“If a new employee is “borderline”, we have to get rid of him before his first 90 days are up. That way we won’t have to pay him any unemployment compensation.”

It’s easy to see how this seems correct: When your former employee applies for unemployment compensation in Pennsylvania, the Service Center will skip at least the three most recent months when reviewing his wages and hours worked. If he only worked for you for three months, the wages and hours worked in your employ will be skipped.

For now.

What many employers forget, however, is that time moves on, and it’s quite possible that down the road (say a year from now), that same former employee will have become separated from another employer, re-apply and be eligible for unemployment compensation. When the Service Center calculates hours and wages, your company will then be within the timeframe for eligible contributing employers, and you may be required to contribute a portion of his unemployment compensation.

Some points to keep in mind:

• There is no official “Probation Period” in an at-will employment relationship.  90 days is a common timeframe set up to determine if the employment relationship is working out.  That’s absolutely fine as long as you realize that 90 days isn’t a magic number.  It could be 60 days or 6 months.  Many companies have no provision for a probationary period at all.  Above all else -  it’s important to remember that 90 days is in NO WAY tied to eligibility for unemployment compensation.
• It’s important to document performance consistently, however it’s especially important in the first few months of employment.  Documentation will help the new employee understand what is expected of him, will help in coaching and in upcoming evaluations, and if the employee IS borderline and you decide to terminate, consistent documentation is imperative to head off claims – whether an unfair practices claim or an unemployment claim down the road.

Confusing?  That’s why we’re here.  Our staff can help your company through a current or potential unemployment claim.  We’re also more than happy to simply answer your questions about unemployment.  If you have several managers, we offer customized training sessions that will allow us to get into as much detail as your company wants or needs.

Contact our office for more information.