White-Collar Exemption Changes Are Here Last March, I wrote an article when the topic of the DOL FLSA White Collar-Exemption change was being discussed. At that time there was a lot of uncertainty about what the new minimum salary threshold would be; when this rule would take effect; and how much supervisory responsibility an employee would have to have to be considered exempt. Well, wait no more because effective December 1, 2016, the new rules go into effect.

Around election time, we hear a couple of questions that consistently come up by our clients. Time off for voting, the do’s and don’ts of how to handle politics in the workplace, and most importantly, how to encourage voter participation. Find out how I respond to these questions below!

What to Expect During a Service Contract Act Audit Most often when a government contracting company is audited for a Service Contract Act violation it is because an employee complains. Recently, however, the DOL has been initiating SCA compliance audits on their own. The DOL has sole responsibility for enforcing McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965 for compliance. If a violation is found, companies can find themselves targeted for follow-up SCA audits and subjected to additional penalties if corrective actions fail to yield a remedy.

Deciding whether to hire internally for your HR function or outsource HR is a critical decision, especially for organizations experiencing fast growth. If you are currently outsourcing HR functions to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and are considering bringing your HR in-house, there are several considerations you need to take into account before pulling the trigger.

If you live anywhere in the region you may have noticed the Girl Scouts cookie booths at the entrance to every grocery store taking place now. If by some small chance you haven’t seen one at your local supermarket, I am sure someone in your office has the cookie form and is helping out with orders on behalf of their daughter, granddaughter, or their niece. Other similar types of fundraisers or sales that may be occurring in your office include popcorn sales for Boy Scouts, jewelry such as Silpada, and/or beauty products like Mary Kay or Avon. While we all love the opportunity to support our colleagues and communities, the larger your business grows, the more frequent these "in-office solicitations" can occur. If you are concerned about this becoming a disruption to your business, you may want to consider setting a precedent before the flood gates open.

At some point or another while running your business, you unfortunately will likely need to let someone go, also referred to as a separation or termination of employment. Typically, businesses run into these reasons because either they are cutting costs or have someone performing poorly at their job. Majority of states across the nation, are at-will, meaning they have the right to separate employment at any time. However there are some caveats, therefore your Human Resources team should always keep detailed records to justify the decision to ensure that employee’s rights are not violated and to ensure all federal and state laws are followed during the process.