Archive for category: Blog

You’re reading an excerpt from a training our partners at Inspiring HR hosted with their clients. Monthly webinars on the most pressing topics facing small business leaders is just one of the perks of being an INFINITI HR/Inspiring HR client. 

To say that there have been some societal and cultural shifts in the workplace is an understatement. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI for short) has risen to become an ongoing and vital conversation in the workplace. I know our team continues to do training to help our clients navigate these changes and to help build a more inclusive workplace.

In fact, most medium- to large-size companies have DEI officers to help those companies navigate these waters.

But as a small business leader (who likely doesn’t have a DEI officer), you’re probably wondering: how do I make incremental changes to foster a better, more inclusive place to work?

Rather than give you a textbook or inundate you with complex “HR legalese,” we thought we’d share a few basic practices to help you keep improving your culture.

These practices are by no means the complete narrative on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. But we promise: they will help you build your road map.

Let’s get started with a few important definitions that we believe we all can agree on. These definitions will serve as the foundation for how you can create a more diverse and unified small business work culture.

MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE KEY DEFINITIONS

Respect: having a high regard for someone.

Everyone wants to feel respected. It’s a basic human desire. We can all agree that we want to foster respect in our companies and feel we have high regard for our colleagues.

Reasonable Person: average care, skill, and judgment in conduct.

Everyone wants to be perceived as being reasonable… and everyone wants to work with team members who are also reasonable and fair-minded. We’re not looking for superheroes. We’re looking for people who can provide “average” care, skill, and judgment in conduct. That’s the starting point for a good employee.

Judgment: making good decisions about what should be done.

Everyone wants to have sound judgment and work with people who also model good judgment skills. Agreed?

Intent: resolved to get it done.

A common HR challenge is addressing employees who’s feelings have been hurt by another team member’s words or actions. But to hold negative feelings and even grudges after addressing the transgression doesn’t do anybody any good. That’s why I included the definition for intent here: to be resolved to get something done. We need to address the issue and move on. It’s the only way we can move forward together.

So, who do you want on your team? Someone who embodies these definitions? Or someone who doesn’t?

Creating a more diverse and more inclusive work culture requires us to all agree on certain definitions and principles. These definitions are a strong foundation for helping you to keep improving your culture.

UNIFYING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS WORK CULTURE

We find ways to help our clients achieve their goals with the resources they have available.

And what you have available to build a more diverse and unified culture is your Vision Statement, Mission Statement, and your Company Values.

YOUR VISION, MISSION AND VALUES ARE THE KEY TO A MORE INCLUSIVE CULTURE

Does your Vision Statement unify your whole team with a shared purpose?

Your Vision Statement should be big enough so that everyone in your company feels like they can contribute to a greater and more powerful outcome. If your Vision Statement is too small, then your ability to foster a more inclusive company is limited.

Does your Mission Statement tell your team where your company is going—and is that mission thrilling?

If you want to foster and encourage a more diverse and inclusive workforce, your Mission Statement should be laser-focused and help to attract great people who are unified in their desire to make your mission a reality.

Do your Company Values reinforce the kind of incredible people you want in your company?

Too many small businesses bury their Company Values in the handbook and only refer to them in new employee onboarding. That’s a wasted opportunity. Your Values set the tone for who is a good fit for your company, and how you want your employees to show up everyday. Your Values are also teaching tools and positive reminders of the kind of culture you want your company to embody. We tell our clients to plaster the Values on every wall and train on them consistently.

YOUR INCLUSIVE RALLYING CRY

In our opinion, there is no way you can create a more inclusive and equitable culture until you embrace the rallying cry and attitude that “We’re All In This Together.”

That rallying cry is the starting point for all meaningful and positive change in your workplace and culture.

You may agree with us in principle on this rallying cry, but deep down inside: do you really feel it?

We ask because we’ve worked with dozens and dozens of small business owners and entrepreneurs in our career.

The typical entrepreneur is the one who thought of the business idea, put himself or herself out there and took the risk, and put in all the sweat equity. So, it might be hard for you to relate to employees who didn’t sacrifice as you did for your company.

Our encouragement to you is to look past all that you’ve done to get your company to where it is today, and look at the horizon: you have employees who are here to make your business better. There is strength in numbers: but only to the extent that you are willing and able to build a company bigger—and even better—with diversion, inclusion and equity.

PLAY THE INFINITE GAME

We like to quote Simon Sinek, and his book, “The Infinite Game”.

We’re here to build something better than we could ever have possibly imagined. But to do that great work requires a unified, diverse and inclusive team.

There is no finish line for greatness. That’s why our work is an infinite game. It never ends. That might sound overwhelming. But here’s the thing: take one step at a time. Every day. Keep improving incrementally.

Your path to creating a more inclusive culture may be a winding road. People are fluid. Business challenges are fluid. Don’t give up. It’s worth the effort.

And when you start to feel the complexity of creating a more diverse and equitable workforce, remember the basics:

• The definitions we can all agree on that make up a unified team
• The Vision, Mission and Values that are the tapestry that align diverse talent under a shared goal
• The rallying cry that “We are all in this together.”

We hope you found this article helpful, and we hope you find your footing as you address the important changes in society and culture in your workplace.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Labor Law Updates for September – 2021 or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

 

Employee check-ins are an essential tool for increased productivity, retention, and meeting business goals. When things get busy, checking-in with your employees can take a backseat. But that’s a mistake.

If you’re not applying some basic and helpful structure to employee check-ins, you might find yourself experiencing what I have dubbed the “Hallway Ambush.” Hallway Ambushes are when you are stopped while you are walking down the hallway, on your way to a meeting, to have important, spontaneous conversations, or have a line of employees outside your door wanting to talk without warning… or, these days, you receive video calls or chat requests to connect with you on delicate topics. There are always legitimate fires to put out, and as a leader, your job is to support your employees and help to remove obstacles.

But if you feel like you’re chronically having to stop what you are doing to address employee requests to chat, then you’re probably not creating enough structure for check-ins.

As a leading PEO and HR provider, we want you to encourage you to make those check-ins the priority they deserve to be. In this short article, we’ll share simple ways to host check-ins that you—and your employees—will find helpful.

HOW TO HOST BETTER EMPLOYEE CHECK-INS

1. Don’t Wing It.
   I know you’re probably gifted in talking off the cuff. But employee check-ins are a lousy medium for testing your improvisation abilities. Even if your check-in with an employee is five minutes, identify in advance the purpose of the check-in. In other words, what do you hope to accomplish together with your team member? By setting a clear and simple intention, you’ll make the check-in more impactful for both you and your employee.
2. Script the Key Messages.
   What are the key points you want to get across? We find leaders do better at check-ins or performance discussions when they take time to write down what messages they want to convey during a conversation. This seems obvious, but unfortunately, many leaders don’t take time to prioritize and script the key things to convey during the discussion. I remember a time when a VP needed to meet with an employee to discuss termination. The employee had their own questions and took over the conversation, and because that leader was caught off guard and didn’t prepare and script his points in advance, the discussion went sideways—and the employee left the room not knowing he was being terminated! That’s an extreme example of being unprepared to deliver an important message, of course. But it’s worth sharing. Take a few minutes to script the key message.

3. Be an Active Listener.
   While we encourage you to have a clear agenda and message points for your check-in, it’s also essential to be an active listener during the check-in. Some employees are shy, or not comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings, even in a casual check-in environment. Pay attention to what you’re hearing from your employee.  Active listening implies you are not just “waiting to talk”, and are ensuring they are feeling heard.  We promise: active listening leads to better conversations and better outcomes.
4. Prepare an Opening and a Closing.
   Conversations have a beginning, middle and an end. If your employee check-in is sensitive in nature, or “crucial” in the topics you want to address, then prepare in advance how you want to open the door to that conversation. And remember: good check-ins have closure. Plan how you want to bridge the check-in closure to what should happen next. Do you expect your employee to follow through on new tasks? Will you have a process or data you follow to check on their progress? Then communicate these expectations, and gain agreement at the end of the check-in.
5. Host Structured Check Ins AND Organic Check-Ins
   When we consult with our clients, we encourage them to have structured one on one check-ins with their employees (scheduled and expected), and organic check-ins. Organic check-ins are those times when you reach out to an employee just to see how they’re doing. There’s no agenda, other than your sincere desire to find out how your employee is doing and feeling. As Maya Angelou said, “We forget what people say, but we remember how they make us feel.” Checking in on a team member who is going through a tough life situation could mean the world to that person.

IN CLOSING

We’re all re-learning how to engage our team members in this new work environment. But one thing hasn’t changed: your team wants you to take an authentic interest in their lives. Actively listen and engage with your team members. Take notes. Cultivate deeper and more meaningful work relationships. We promise you: your team members will feel seen and heard, and you’ll have a more engaged and productive team.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Important Virginia Labor Law Updates or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

 

We’ve experienced devastating loss of life and livelihoods due to COVID-19, but thankfully there seems to be a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. The economy is beginning to thrive again, and that means more companies are hiring and focused on retaining top talent. This should be good news to you—and also encourage you to think more deeply about your hiring strategy. Is it timely or out of date?

If you want to attract top talent you’ve got to pay attention to three things:

1. What that top talent is looking for
2. The trends and new best practices for hiring
3. How to design a hiring plan that will produce optimum results

OUR NEW REALITY

A rebounding economy means that there is a war for attracting talent. Maybe your small business did what it had to do in 2020.  That could have meant getting things done with fewer employees who shouldered more of the workload. But now that your business has picked up, you’re on the hunt for new employees.

Guess what? So are your competitors.

And not just for new employees: Recruiters are hounding your best employees.

That’s why we believe that great hiring strategies begin with great retention efforts.

Have your employees enjoyed working from home? It’s not for everyone. But the truth is, many people do thrive working remotely. It’s meant more time to concentrate on their work (versus interruptions by co-workers stopping by desks and cubicles). It’s also allowed your employees to really hone their work/life balance. (Ask a parent with little kids how great it is to be able to do a load of laundry at 10 AM versus waiting until after dinner to start washing clothes.)

So, are you telling your employees they all need to return to the office and deal with the commute again? That might be a no-go for some of your best talent. So really consider if you want employees who have been thriving working at home to give up that autonomy.

We’re advising our small business clients to have a more flexible approach to work: for example, encouraging team members to work in the office one or two days a week so everyone benefits from the “face-time”, while also retaining the benefits of working from home.

WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR OTHER JOBS RIGHT NOW?

Contrary to popular opinion, money isn’t the primary driver for an employee making a job change. But it does get their attention. And that’s what recruiters are using to get the attention of prospective employees.

Recruiters all over the country are asking their clients: “Can this job you’re trying to fill be remote?” That’s because working remotely is very attractive to many people right now, including your top employees and likely the top talent you’re trying to hire.

FLEXIBILITY IS THE NEW CARROT TO DANGLE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES

Beyond remote and your ability to offer that, start thinking bigger about flexibility and how you might be able to offer that if remote is not possible, or not possible full-time. Make sure you’re checking in with your employees regularly to identify how satisfied they are with their jobs. And really lean into cultivating a flexible work environment. When your employees feel like they have autonomy in how they structure their work day, they’ll be less likely to take that recruiter’s call.

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR HIRING STRATEGY

When we advise clients on their hiring strategy, we always ask: What does the best result look like?

That seems obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often owners and leaders feel the need to react instead of being more intentional about their hiring strategies.

That’s why we advise clients to refer to their business plans. Are they up-to-date? What are the documented needs of the business? If you’re a business owner or leader, you got to where you got to because you’re smart, talented, and know how to hustle. If your grand vision is “in your head” but not on paper, you’re going to run into hiring problems later. Document what you want and where your business is headed. Then execute your hiring strategy.

WHAT ARE YOUR COMPLETE HIRING NEEDS?

We advise our clients to lay all the cards out on the table. This includes the complete picture of your hiring needs: what’s essential to hire for today, and what you expect to hire in the future.

This is not a solo exercise. Get the right people on your team in the room and brainstorm.

STARTER QUESTIONS TO PLAN YOUR HIRING STRATEGY

• What are the gaps in your Org Chart? What are the roles you need to fill?
• Are job descriptions current? If the past 14+ months has taught us anything, it’s that change is constant. Your company’s job descriptions should be reviewed frequently. The skills that you may have needed a year ago may have changed. If so, update those job descriptions AND create new ones for the new roles – the ones you put a title to because of a gap you identified.
• What are the “mission critical” roles to fill? And do you have consensus on these critical roles?

YOUR HIRING PLAN KEY INGREDIENTS

• Is your org chart up-to-date?
• Are your job descriptions up-to-date? (And do they align with your org chart?)
• Is your compensation and pay structure on par with market/industry benchmarks?
• Does the compensation and pay structure align with your company’s overall budget?
• Are you exercising pay transparency? Not all states require this (yet), but this is a trend that isn’t going away. We recommend a publicly known pay range on all job descriptions.
• Is your standard operating procedure (SOP) for recruiting and hiring up-to-date and understood by all? (Including HR and hiring managers.)

GREAT HIRING STRATEGIES ARE EFFICIENT

Top talent isn’t sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. As the cliché goes, you have to strike while the iron is hot. That’s why we encourage our clients to have SOPs for ensuring that you move quickly and efficiently in hiring talent. If it takes you two weeks to get back to a job candidate, then guess what? That’s two weeks that recruiters are likely leveraging to lure your job candidate elsewhere.

JOB POSTINGS: ARE YOU CREATING A WINNING MESSAGE?

Job postings are often the first exposure your prospective employees have with your company and brand. Are you effectively selling the position and your company? In a rebounding economy, first impressions are essential.

While you are at it, take a critical look at what you’re saying publicly about your open job positions, your company, and the internal realities. Do they align?

JOB SHADOWING IS A WIN-WIN FOR YOU AND YOUR JOB CANDIDATE

One of the biggest trends we see with hiring is offering a job shadowing experience for candidates (aka a realistic job preview.) This gives the candidate a clearer view into what it would be like to work for your firm. If your culture is on point, this should really give you the upper hand in wooing top talent to join your company. (And if not … well, it’s time to address!)

EMPOWER THE HIRING MANAGER

We like to say that HR is not there to do the job of the hiring manager. Of course, HR should help remove some of the administrative burden from the hiring manager, as a partner in the process. But the hiring manager should be empowered (and coached as needed) to follow the hiring plan’s SOPS, checklists, interview procedures, and onboarding.

That’s why your hiring strategy should account for spotting training gaps: areas where your hiring managers should be coached and trained so that they thrive and flourish in their management roles.

HIRING STRATEGY PITFALLS TO AVOID

• Job descriptions that are out-to-date. Again, we see this all too often. In the rush to hire a new employee, the job description hasn’t been fully vetted and updated. Trying to hire without a well-defined job description is like trying to play tennis without a racquet.
• Job descriptions that are not helpful to the hiring manager. A good job description should inform hiring managers who has the right experience, the key skills to recruit for, and how to evaluate candidates for a good fit. They also inform the employee on their essential duties.
• Job descriptions masquerading as job postings. Job postings are written to sell the opportunity and provide just enough context for who is a great fit for the role. Don’t confuse job descriptions with job postings.
• Applicant overload. If you’re inundated and overwhelmed with applications, you may not have set clear enough parameters for who should apply.
• Applicant “deserts.” If you’re getting crickets for your job postings, your pay range might not be commensurate with the skills you’re hiring for.
• Employee “ghosting.” We see this in two forms. One is when a job applicant who is interested in your company and confirms the interview appointment, then doesn’t show. The other form of employee ghosting is when you make the offer, the candidate accepts, and then … doesn’t show up for work. You may think this is rare, but unfortunately, we’re seeing this in markets across the country. The take-home message here is: stay connected! Employee retention begins the day of the job offer acceptance.

HIRING STRATEGIES REQUIRE ONGOING CHECK-INS AND PLANNING

Hiring Plans

We recommend updating your hiring plan at least once a year. And in fast-growing economies, you might want to consider reviewing your hiring plan twice a year.

Job Descriptions

Job descriptions should be updated at least yearly, and used during annual reviews. But better yet, use the job description as a tool for the manager and employee to discuss during ongoing check-ins. Real-time, continuous feedback between managers and employees provides the best opportunity for all parties to check-in and ensure expectations are set and being met on both sides.

Expansion Planning

How often are you inviting team members to participate in your company’s expansion planning? Your team is better poised to proactively tackle your expansion goals when they know in real-time where the company is headed. Another incentive for engaging your team in expansion planning is that they can prepare and advise when those expansion plans include states with complex labor laws. You might not think this is a big deal, but it is! Labor laws change constantly. A key to business growth is being agile: staying on top of labor laws is essential to achieve your company’s long-term growth.

Cultural Champion

As the saying goes, culture trumps strategy. As you work to leverage the upsides of a roaring economy, don’t neglect what got your company great in the first place: the people and the culture. Make sure you’re setting the example and championing your team to maintain a great culture.

Competitive Pay

Thriving economies usually mean increases in compensation. Watch for trends and indications that you may need to adjust compensation to stay competitive.

“Up Training”

Many of our clients are looking within their companies for their next great leaders. Are there skills you can help to “up train” your employees so you can get better performance and outcomes?

Seeking the Right Employee Mindset

To thrive in this economy, you need employees who have great aptitude, resilience and are open to change. Is your hiring strategy accounting for these necessary skills?

Hiring Efficiently

When it comes to hiring top talent, time is of the essence. Job candidates have plenty of options right now. Make sure you have an efficient hiring strategy and stay in constant communication with those employee candidates!

Get Creative

Many of our clients are hosting virtual roundtables with job candidates as part of the hiring process. This allows the employer and job candidates a chance to conduct an open dialogue about the company and skills required for success.

We also recommend that clients create short videos that describe the job positions and qualifications, and posting on the company website and other social sites that candidates are using to search for their next opportunity.

FINAL THOUGHTS

We are as happy as we are sure you are that our economy is rebounding. But in reality it just means a new set of challenges. Hiring top talent is one of the biggest challenges facing our clients. It’s certainly a good problem to have, but a problem, nonetheless: unless you have an up-to-date hiring strategy.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Don’t Fear Change at Work: Drive the Change or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

INFINITI HR is happy to provide Monthly State Law Updates as a service to our subscribers. These briefs provide a general description and are not meant to be all inclusive of compliance requirements. This list is not inclusive of all legislative changes for employers across the U.S. Changes may have been addressed in previous updates, which can be accessed from our blog.

This list is not inclusive of all legislative changes for employers across the U.S. Other changes may have been addressed in previous updates, which can be accessed online on our partner website inspiringhr.com.

Employers are encouraged to work with their Inspiring HR Consultant before making policy changes to capture the full requirements of these laws.

Some of the notable upcoming State Changes in this issue are as follows:

CALIFORNIA

CA – OSHA updates – Effective 6/17/2021

The California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has issued updated rules for employers regarding employee vaccination status, record-keeping, facial coverings and physical distancing that closely align with CDC recommendations.  https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/Revisions-FAQ.html

DELAWARE

DE – CROWN Act – Effective 4/13/21

The state of Delaware joins other states in adding a prohibition of discrimination based on “protective hairstyle” – primarily those associated with race, such as texture, braids, locs and twists.  The new legislation includes a synopsis of a 2019 study showing disparate treatment of Black women in the workplace based on hairstyle.

NEVADA

NV Paid Leave & Covid Leave Changes – Effective Immediately

Affects private employers with 50 or more employees in NV and who have been in operation for at least 2 years.

Amends Paid Leave and adds Paid COVID 19 Vaccination Leave. Leave laws already prohibit retaliation or adverse action against employees using covered leave. The purpose of these changes is to ensure that specific circumstances receive protection under existing Paid Leave laws.

Paid Leave, amended – Requires covered employers to allow employees to use paid leave for any use, and now specifically including:

• Treatment of a medical or physical illness, injury or health condition;
• Receiving a medical diagnosis or medical care;
• Participating in caregiving; or
• Addressing other personal needs related to the health of the employee.
• Receiving or participating in preventative care;

Paid COVID-19 Vaccination Leave, new – Requires covered employers to provide:

• For a one-dose vaccine, 2 consecutive hours of leave.
• For a two-dose vaccine, 2 consecutive hours of leave per injection.

Expiration: Paid COVID-19 Vaccination Leave expires December 31, 2023.

NV Race Non-Discrimination – Effective Immediately

Affects all private employers.  Existing law already prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of race.

New law clearly defines “race” to mean “traits associated with race, including, without limitation, hair texture and protective hairstyles.” “Protective hairstyles” includes, “without limitation, hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists.”

NV Compensation Disclosures – Effective October 1, 2021

Affects all private employers.

What’s included in the law:

New restrictions on when employers and employment agencies may request and use an applicant or employee’s wage or salary history, and requirements for disclosure of the wage range or rate for a position. Under the law, employers may not:

• Seek applicants’ “wage or salary history”;
• Use applicants’ wage or salary history to determine whether to hire them or determine their rate of pay; or
• Discriminate or retaliate (e.g., refuse to interview, hire, promote, or employ) against applicants for refusing to provide their wage or salary history.

The law also requires that employers disclose the wage or salary range or rate for a position to applicants for employment who have interviewed for the position. Further, employers must disclose the wage or salary range or rate for a position to existing employees seeking promotion or transfer to that position if the employee has:

• Applied for promotion or transfer to the position;
• Completed an interview for or been offered the promotion or transfer; and
• Requested the wage or salary range or rate for the position.

NV Required Posting – Effective October 1, 2021.

Affects all employers regardless of size. The required workplace poster is in development.  Details on the upcoming requirement can be found here.

What’s required:

1. An official notice must be posted in the workplace concerning the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation’s Career Enhancement Program (CEP) and Nevada JobConnect programs.
2. The posting describes the functions and services provided by CEP and provides web addresses for CEP and the JobConnect program.

Non-Competition Restrictions – Effective October 1, 2021.

Affects all employers regardless of size. Under existing law, a non-competition covenant must meet certain requirements to be enforceable, and is prohibited from restricting a former employee from providing service to a former customer or client under certain circumstances.

What’s new:

The amendment stipulates that employers are explicitly prohibited from bringing an action to restrict a former employee from providing service to a former customer or client if:

• The former employee did not solicit the former customer or client;
• The customer or client voluntarily chose to leave and seek services from the former employee; and
• The former employee is otherwise complying with the limitations in the covenant as to time, geographical area and scope of activity to be restrained, other than any limitation on providing services to a former customer or client who seeks the services of the former employee without any contact instigated by the former employee.

The amended law now prohibits non-competes for any “employee who is paid solely on an hourly wage basis, exclusive of any tips or gratuities.”  If a court finds that a non-compete applies to an employee “paid solely on an hourly wage basis,” the court will award the employee reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, regardless of whether it was the employer or the employee who brought forward the challenge to the covenant.

NORTH CAROLINA

NC – Payroll Practice Changes – Effective Immediately

Recent legislative changes to the North Carolina Wage and Hour Act (NCWHA) affect how employers address certain payroll practices. Employers must provide to a newly hired employee written notification of promised wages, payday, and place of payment. Thus, an employer no longer has the option of orally notifying employees of promised wages. Employers must provide a written notice at least an entire pay period before making any changes in promised wages. Separated employees must submit a request in writing if they want their final paycheck mailed to them, and the paycheck must be sent using trackable mail.

NEW JERSEY

NJ WARN Act Amendment – Effective July 19, 2020

The New Jersey WARN Act has new employer eligibility and requirements.  The following changes will apply to NJ employers:

• A Covered Employer – NJ WARN will apply to all employers with 100 employees or more regardless of their length of services or hours work and has been in operation for a minimum of three years.
• Layoff Triggers – NJ WARN is triggered by the termination or layoff of a minimum of 50 employees, regardless of the length of service or hours worked by the employee. The layoff amount is the total number of employees across the state, not just in one location.  Layoffs are only counted if they are all within a single 30-day period, or within a 90-day period if it cannot be proved the terminates are for separate and distinct reasons.  The layoff of seasonal employees is not considered termination of employment under the law.  Also, transferring employees to another state or transferring employees more than 50 miles from the original location of employment is considered termination of employment if the employee does not accept the transfer.
• Notification Requirement – Employers are now required to provide 90 days advance notice to all affected employees. If 90 days advance notice is provided, the total severance amount increases by four weeks.
• Severance Pay – Employers are now required to provide severance pay to all terminated employees.  Severance pay is equal to one week of pay for every year of service.  If proper notification is not provided, the employee will receive an additional four weeks of severance pay.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Will Your New Employee “Ghost” You? or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

This article does not constitute legal advice and there are subtle variations in employment law as it pertains to this topic, depending on where your business operates. It is strongly suggested that you seek consultation or legal counsel before making decisions about policies.