HR Department

Employment screening and hiring practices often include background screening of applicants’ credit reports and criminal histories.  These background checks have recently come under increased scrutiny from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Congress.

Acting EEOC Chairman Stuart Ishimaru has asked the agency to issue guidelines within the next 12 to 18 months on how to carry out background checks in a nondiscriminatory manner. If approved, these guidelines could to require employers to provide empirical evidence for the “business necessity” defense in discrimination cases that arise from screening and hiring practices. In addition, legislation has been introduced that would further restrict employee credit checks. The proposal would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and prohibit the use of consumer credit checks against employees “for the purposes of making adverse employment decisions.”

The HR Department at Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization with offices in Indianapolis, Indiana and Dayton, Ohio, tracks the latest legislative and agency trends and changes.  By doing this, the HR professionals at Management 2000 can provide employers with the HR support needed to address human resource issues and develop appropriate HR strategies.   

• Schedule safety training so that shift workers can attend
• Provide access to nutritious meals
• Provide checklists to accommodate fatigue
• Address personal security concerns
• Keep schedules consistent

Regular attendance at work is an essential function of most jobs. However, there are many legitimate reasons why employees cannot be at work every day. In order to help control absenteeism, employers should have a policy that addresses issues associated with attendance. These issues include tardiness, sickness, personal business, family and medical leave, and disability. Developing such policies, however, can be a time-consuming task for employers, particularly those without an HR department.

More and more, small and mid-size businesses are relying on Professional Employer Organizations for human resources administration. Management 2000, a PEO with offices in Indianapolis and Dayton, provides the HR support these companies need. Management 2000’s HR professionals have extensive experience developing effective attendance policies as well as other HR policies and procedures. This is just one of the many ways Management 2000 can help take the administrative burden of personnel matters off employers. 

• An introduction to managers, human resource personnel, supervisors and co-workers
• A tour of the facility
• An introduction to the job and its duties, including health and safety issues,Human Resource Issues and any Human Resource Forms left to fill out.

Turnover can be expensive, and have a significant impact on a company’s profitability. Although many factors could be involved, poor hiring decisions often result in high turnover.  Unless each candidate is properly evaluated, chances are that, if hired, he/she will either become dissatisfied and leave or not be able to perform at the level expected and be let go. A thorough background check can help employers verify that candidates are as qualified as they claim. However, as is true with so many human resources issues, employers must be careful when conducting background checks. The Fair Credit Reporting Act or state privacy laws may limit the information that can be accessed and used. In all cases, employers must be cautious and not consider impermissible information.

Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization with offices in Indianapolis, Indiana and Dayton, Ohio, can help. The human resource professionals in Management 2000’s HR Department have the knowledge and tools to conduct effective and legal background checks for employers. In addition, they can develop and procedures to fit individual company needs.  With HR support from Management 2000, employers can rest assured they have effective human resource policies in place so they can focus managing their business operations.  

Job descriptions play a critical role in a company’s operations.  Not only do they let employees know what is expected of them in their individual positions, they can be key factors in many situations, such as determining pay, Worker’s Compensation/disability issues and unemployment claims. Many companies, however, have little time to focus on HR administration.  Therefore, they either do not have job descriptions or the ones they have are outdated.  All too often employers realize the need for accurate job descriptions only after an issue like those identified above arises. 

The human resources consultants at Management 2000, an Indiana Professional Employer Organization, have the HR management tools and expertise to create job descriptions for any position. Employers can rely on the HR Department at Management 2000 to help them with this, as well as other HR issues. 

Employers often wonder what human resource policies they should implement.  The topics range from discipline, to employee medical benefits, to how long they should retain employee records.  Developing these policies can be a time consuming, difficult task, especially for small employers who are busy running their business.  Without these policies, however, employers can face problems such as poor productivity, low employee morale, and even costly legal issues. 

Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization with offices in Indianapolis, Indiana and Dayton, Ohio, understands this dilemma. The human resource professionals in Management 2000’s HR Department have the knowledge and tools to help employers develop effective human resource policies and procedures to fit individual needs.  With HR support from Management 2000, employers can focus on the important task of making their business successful.  

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects applicants and employees age 40 and older from discrimination based on age. Employers can defend against an ADEA claim by demonstrating that the employment decision was based on reasonable factors other than age. On Feb. 18, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a proposed rule to clarify what these “reasonable factors” could be.  This rule would revise ADEA regulations to explain that whether employer policies and practices are based on reasonable factors other than age depends upon facts and circumstances surrounding the policies and practices in question.

The ever-changing rules regulating employment matters cause headaches for employers on a daily basis, especially small employers. The Human Resources Department at Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization with offices in Indiana and Ohio, can help employers make sense of these rules. Management 2000’s HR professionals are experienced in HR administration and have the knowledge and tools to advise employers regarding HR practices and procedures, as well as how to handle specific situations.  

The Federal guidelines that protect consumers from deceptive endorsements and advertising may pose liability issues for employers if their employees use social media to talk about their employer's products or services. When employees comment on the products or services their company provides in blogs or on their Facebook accounts, the presumption is that they are doing so for the company’s benefit and with the company's approval. On-line comments by employees can, therefore, create problems for their employers even if the comments are not authorized by or sponsored by the company.  

Employers can protect against such liability by having an appropriate policy in place. Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization with offices in Indianapolis, Indiana and Dayton, Ohio can help. The HR Department at Management 2000 regularly provides human resources advice to small business owners regarding effective policies and procedures for their companies. 

All too often, performance appraisals are viewed as a “necessary evil” that must be dealt with once a year. Little real effort is put into them by either supervisors or employees, and the goal is to just get them done. Small businesses without human resource departments often ignore them altogether. With the right program in place, however, performance appraisals can be effective tools to better focus employee efforts and align performance with company, department and individual goals. They can also play a critical role in making pay decisions and in supporting various employment actions.
 

The HR Department at Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana and Dayton, Ohio, can help employers develop effective and “pain free” performance management systems. From traditional manager-subordinate appraisals to self-appraisals and peer review, the human resource professionals at Management 2000 can design a performance management system tailored to the specific needs of individual companies.  

While many people think of OSHA – the Occupational Safety and Health Act – as governing hazardous materials and dangerous occupations, virtually every employer has responsibilities under the Act. The General Duty Clause required employers to ensure that their workplaces are free from recognized hazards. In addition, many companies with more than ten employees are required to post the “OSHA 300 Log,” a form used by employers to record worker injuries and illnesses, on an annual basis.

Safety compliance can be time-consuming, especially for small business owners. The HR Department at Management 2000, an Indiana Professional Employer Organization, has safety professionals experienced in OSHA compliance and training. Through its human resources consulting services, Management 2000 can help employers develop policies and procedures to address safety, as well as other human resource administration issues.

Employers today are faced with a multitude of rules and regulations governing all aspects of their businesses, including human resources. Failure to understand the complex federal, state and local laws can lead to costly errors. For example, even if an employer does not have enough employees to be covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, it may be subject to state law requiring it to provide leave (possibly paid) to employees who undergo certain medical procedures, such as organ or bone marrow transplants. 

Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization in Indiana, can provide the human resources help employers need to understand complex and ever-changing employment laws. The professionals in Management 2000’s HR Department understand these laws and can assist employers in developing effective human resources polices and procedures compliant with these laws.  By allowing Management 2000 to handle HR administration issues, employers, especially small business owners, are free to manage the operation of their businesses.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) now prohibits texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large trucks, buses and vans. Covered drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750. 

The DOT took this step, in part, based on research showing that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road.

This prohibition is effective immediately, and employers should take the following steps to comply:

·        Implement a policy

·        Train and educate employees on the policy’s application

·        Distribute the written policy to each employee

·        Require each employee to sign an acknowledgment of the policy, stating that he or she received, read and agreed to comply with the policy

Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization in Indiana, constantly monitors federal and state laws and regulations that affect employers. With this information, it can provide the human resources help employers need to manage and direct their workforce. Whether the issue is legal compliance, documentation and record retention, discipline, performance, or training, employers can count on Management 2000  for accurate, timely advice along with it's complete human resource information system. 

Disciplining employees is often an unpleasant task, and can become even more difficult if supervisors make the following mistakes:

• Thinking of discipline as merely a punishment instead of an opportunity to correct a situation
• Taking an apologetic approach, such as saying, “HR told me to do this”
• Trying to maintain friendships and letting people get away with things too long
• Failing to keep good documentation

Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization in Indiana, has a staff of experienced human resource professionals who can provide employers with practical advice regarding disciplinary issues. This is but one of the many benefits offered by the HR Department at Management 2000

Exit interviews can be important HR management tools for employers.  Ideally, exit interviews should be conducted with all employees leaving a company. If that is not possible or practical for all terminations, an employer should make a point to conduct exit interviews in cases of voluntary resignations. This is especially important if there has been a rise in turnover, employee complaints, or possible legal action by former employees.

Exit interviews can be conducted in a variety of formats. Whether they are formal, informal, face-to-face, or a written survey, all exit interviews should be documented. The professionals in Management 2000’s Human Resources Department have extensive experience related to developing and conducting the exit interview process. In addition to advising employers as to the best format for exit interviews, Management 2000 has a complete human resource information system at their finger tips that can be used with the employer during the interview or actually conduct the interview for the employer.  

One of the many issues employers may be faced with is employees who are sensitive to perfumes or other fragrances, often referred to as fragrance sensitivity. Individuals with this condition can develop asthma, other breathing problems and contact dermatitis.  

Depending on the nature and severity, fragrance sensitivity may be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If so, an employer may be required to provide reasonable accommodations for covered employees. 

Since the best way to prevent fragrance sensitivity is to avoid the offending substance, a reasonable accommodation in these situations could be to limit the employee’s exposure to fragrances while at work. This might include requiring other employees to minimize their use of fragrances or even prohibit employees from wearing or using fragrances and/or scented products in the workplace entirely. 

Management 2000’s skilled team of HR professionals can help employers with this issue, as well as other issues related to disabilities and other employment matters. The HR Department at Management 2000 can analyze employers’ issues and provide sound advice as to an appropriate resolution. 

One of the ways employers can help avoid making poor hiring decisions is to conduct background checks on candidates they are considering for hire. Employers must be cautious, however, since relying on background check information, particularly criminal history information, can result in a disproportionate screening out of minorities and other protected groups. As a general rule, a record of arrest (which is not by itself evidence of criminal guilt) should not be the sole reason for rejecting a candidate. Other factors to be considered when reviewing an applicant’s (or employee’s) criminal history record include:   

• The length of time since a conviction
• The nature of the crime
• The relationship between the job to be performed and the crime committed
• The number of convictions
• Rehabilitation efforts
• Subsequent employment history

Employers often do not have the time or the resources to properly analyze background check information. Employers can, however, rely on Management 2000, a Professional Employer Organization, for guidance in this area. The professionals in Management 2000’s HR Department are experienced in reviewing and analyzing background check information to help ensure appropriate and legal hiring decisions.