Affirmative Action Plans (AAP) - Are You in Compliance?

Are you doing business with the federal government? If so, you should be aware of the requirements mandated by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) for any company passing the 50/50 threshold. Companies providing services to the federal government with at least 50 employees and a minimum of $50,000 in federal contracts have 120 days to have a formalized affirmative action plan in place. Below is a check list to help ensure that your AAP program would pass an audit by the OFCCP.

OFCCP Compliance Review Checklist:

1. Do you have a formal written plan with analysis, established goals and progress to goals?
2. Are your goals reviewed by Executive Committee members and Department Heads?
3. Is your recruitment process documented and followed by all hiring managers?
4. Can you prove there is no adverse impact in your hiring process?
5. Are applicants tracked? Do you offer the opportunity for applicants to self-identify?
6. Are your open positions posted with state Job Service Offices?
7. Do your employment advertisements state EOE M/F/D/V?
8. Are your I-9 Forms in a binder, with current employees and terminated employees separated?
9. Is your employee relations environment monitored?
10. Are your vendors aware you are an AA Employer?
11. Is your community outreach documented?
12. Are signed EEO and AA policies posted?

If you are interested in learning more about how Helios HR can help you develop, execute and monitor an effective AAP, please contact Bridget Pulivarti via email at bpulivarti@helioshr.com or call her at 703-860-3882 x 118.

Audits of I-9 Compliance Heat Up - Are You in Compliance?

Recently, the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit sent over 650 audit notices to employers for the purpose of auditing I-9 forms. The I-9 form is used by employers to verify the eligibility of employment for employees and is required by law. The failure to properly verify the eligibility of employment can result in large fines, a criminal investigation and potential prosecution. Employers can be fined $1,000 per employee for whom the I-9 form was not properly completed. In an effort to help mitigate your risk, please take some time to consider the following:

• Have all employees completed, signed and dated section 1 of an I-9 form?
• Is section 2 filled out completely including document title, issuing authority, document number, expiration date (if any), and the date employment begins?
• Has an "acceptable document" from list A or one document each from list B and list C been verified and not expired at the time of verification (the "acceptable document" list can be found on the back of the I-9 form or page 5 of the downloaded form)?
• Are all I-9 forms completed, verified and certified with a signature from a company representative within 3 days of the employee's employment start date?
• If you photo copy the acceptable documents verified on the I-9 form, have you consistently done this for all new hires and stored the copies with the I-9 form?
• Are all I-9 forms separate from the personnel files and stored in a binder, with terminated and active employees separated?
• Are the I-9 forms maintained for three years after hire date or one year after employment ends, whichever is later?

To obtain the latest I-9 form, you can download the form at www.uscis.gov/forms or call the USCIS forms request line at 800-870-3676.

Benchmarking Resources for Your Compensation & Benefits Plans

We've gathered a number of resources to benchmark compensation and benefits best practices. Some of these are free, others require a subscription or one-time purchase. But all have been vetted and used by the team at Helios HR and we have found them to be quite valuable in our own research.

Click here to access our comprehensive list of benchmarking resources.

Summer Time is Social Time!

And no, we're not talking about Twitter! Summer is here – time to get the creative juices flowing and plan that company social! Not sure where to start? Not to worry. We've put together a list of places and ideas to get you started. Whether you're stay-cationing at the office, or are ready for an outside-of-the-cubicle experience, these are sure to please any size group and budget! Click here for a list of something different for your next company social!

About Helios HR

Helios HR client-focused delivery models include:

HR Outsourcing

HR Consulting

Interim HR Management

Additional information

is available at
www.helioshr.com

Will you be attending the Fifth Annual National Veteran Small Business Conference? Scheduled for July 20-23 in Las Vegas, it will bring together business owners, both small and large, and Federal Government representatives to share best practices of how to do business together. The conference will also include sessions on Federal Contracting for small businesses that are just breaking into the public sector. Helios CEO, Kathy Albarado, will be speaking on a panel at the event. Attend Wednesday's breakout session, "Human Resources: Setting Up Your Company for Success" and learn how you can ensure you have the right talent at the right time and place to best meet your organizational needs.

HR Compliance Calendar Now Available

With the ever-increasing responsibilities weighing on your HR staff — from regulatory deadlines and audits to essential responsibilities and initiatives like training, policy reviews, benefits and more — it's often a wonder how everything gets done on time.

Now, your responsibilities can be much more manageable, thanks to the HR Compliance Calendar — the all-new online organizer/resource that helps you ensure that nothing will ever again slip through the cracks.

Written by Helios HR and published by Thompson Publishing, this new HR Compliance Calendar will help you focus on the execution and planning of important activities and meeting critical deadlines. Along with important daily reminders, the HR Compliance Calendar assists you in understanding the deadline requirements and provides specific links to helpful websites, forms and checklists. Order your HR Compliance Calendar here.