The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) has emerged as a crucial lifeline for businesses grappling with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. As deadlines loom on the horizon, it becomes imperative for businesses to grasp the intricacies of the ERC, ensuring a correct and timely claim.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has ushered in significant changes to the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) standards. This final rule, effective October 23, 2023, comprised of hundreds of pages, is poised to impact over one million construction workers. Alongside the comprehensive revisions, the DOL has released a set of Frequently Asked Questions to guide stakeholders through the intricacies of the updated regulations.

In short, yes, employees who telework are eligible for Family Medical Leave Act/ FMLA leave on the same basis as employees who report to any other worksite to perform their job.  An employee who has worked for an employer for at least 12 months, has at least 1,250 hours of service for the employer during the 12-month period immediately preceding the leave, and works at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles is eligible for FMLA leave.

HR professionals are continually seeking ways to cut expenses, enhance operational efficiency, and uphold productivity. When it comes to onboarding procedures, the transition to a paperless approach emerges as a strategic way to realize these objectives. Below, we examine the advantages of paperless onboarding.

Michigan, with its bustling automotive, manufacturing, and construction sectors, has a significant portion of its workforce exposed to high noise levels. A Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) is a crucial tool for employers to protect their workforce from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and ensure a safe, productive work environment.

What is manufacturing day? It is a national day where high school students can learn about modern-day manufacturing, career options, and more. Students can visit a local facility and envision their future careers. They can connect current classroom learning to on-the-job skills. Careers in manufacturing today are much different than years ago. Today, the manufacturing industry utilizes technology to create and build the latest and greatest products. 

Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of cultivating their internal talent to future supervisors. Transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager requires a shift in mindset and skillset. Many organizations have come to realize that simply promoting high-performing employees to managerial roles isn't enough. Instead, a systematic approach that combines training, mentorship, and ongoing development is essential.

When interviewing a benefits broker, it’s essential to ask the right questions to ensure that they can meet your company’s specific needs and provide the best benefits package for your employees.  Start with the basic questions:

Employer-sponsored mental health benefits are no longer a nice-to-have — they are a necessity. In a recent playbook published by HR Drive, an estimated 90% of organizations have invested in wellness tools such as meditation apps and employee assistance programs (EAP). But these well-being initiatives are not having the impact they should — the number of employees that are still silently struggling is staggering. Rather than seeking support, they take vacation, use sick leave...

It is crucial for employers to remain vigilant and up to date on the ADA's provisions to ensure they provide equal opportunities and accommodations for their employees. By understanding the ADA's requirements, employers can avoid unintentional discrimination and ensure that they provide reasonable accommodations to individuals enabling them to fully participate in the workforce. Failure to comply with the ADA can lead to costly and time-consuming litigation.

If your workforce has lower literacy levels, it's important to adapt your communication strategies to ensure effective understanding and engagement.

Workplace literacy refers to the fundamental skills employees need to have to fulfill their work functions and manage the demands of their jobs. Don’t assume great conversation skills equal reading and writing levels. That employee may hardly be able write their name or read a simple sentence.

Impulsive employees can have a profound impact on the overall dynamics of a workplace. Their impulsive behavior is often driven by lack of self-control, emotional reactivity, short attention span, disregard for rules, and lack of accountability.

Voluntary benefits are services or products offered by employers, often at discounted rates, as a perk of employment. Employers can provide benefits that employees want, while employees will have a variety of insurance options available in one convenient place and as the name implies, it is optional to purchase.

Recognizing when an employee is experiencing a mental health crisis can be challenging, as employees may not always feel comfortable disclosing their mental health concerns. However, there are some signs and symptoms that employers and managers can look out for.

It just takes one bad apple…so the saying goes. One negative employee can have a significant impact on the work environment and the morale of other employees. Here are some ways in which a negative employee can affect work:

Remote work offers companies and employees more flexibility. We’re no longer limited by geography. Technology makes it easy to collaborate across the entire country. However, the complex issues that arise with out-of-state employees can be a barrier to nationwide hiring practices—and failure to comply can result in large fines and fees.

One of the hardest things about getting feedback is not reacting defensively. Defensiveness in the face of criticism is a perfectly natural response.  The quote, “listen to learn, not to react” is a great standard to live by.

Are your employees passionate about a cause or do they want to volunteer at their kids’ reading day for an hour?  Then it’s time you look at offering VTO – Volunteer Time Off.  It is proven to improve employee engagement and productivity.  It is also great for your brand.

So, your nonprofit employee also wants to volunteer at your nonprofit?  It can be done, but employers must make sure they don’t violate the law. 

Adulting is not always fun.  Instead of dealing with zoom meetings, deadlines, and endless emails, recess and taking naps seems like a far better deal.

Organizations faced hard decisions in Q4, and the downsizing continues into 2023.  The question now is who the lucky ones really are. The employees who are left or the ones that got the ax?

The layoff tidal wave is growing.  The downsizing of Q4 continues into the new year as companies slash staff.  This is the last thing employers and employees want to see happen. It means financial uncertainty for all parties involved. The reality is that sometimes these measures must be taken.  Let’s define the differences, the pros, and cons.

Updating your employee handbook is a critical annual initiative for an HR department.  It ensures compliance with industry standards and federal and state laws.  

DEI initiatives have stalled for a second year according to the McLean & Company HR Trends 2023 survey results.  In our work helping companies develop roadmaps for DEI, a handful of key areas lacking: