Due to the surge of COVID cases and the COVID vaccine mandates (which are likely to only apply to in-person employees), many employers are considering keeping their staff remote or returning them to remote work. The key to successfully supervising remote workers is to develop a comprehensive telework policy to the employee handbook. MP’s HR services team shares why remote work employee policies are critical to an organization’s success and HR compliance. This article also outlines guidelines for writing optimized telework policies for any staff handbook. Read the article to:
• Find out the critical elements of a telework policy
• Determine if a telework policy is necessary for the employee handbook
• Uncover how to write a telework policy that protects employers
• Learn why telework policies can improve employee performance and reduce errors, miscommunications, and missed meetings and deadlines
Archives for October 2021
Managing Remote Workers in 2022: HR Compliance Employers Must Know
Since 2020, more organizations than ever are managing employees working remotely. While offering remote work options may improve employee engagement and attract top talent, it also increases employers’ legal exposure and creates payroll, tax, and HR compliance risks. When employees work remotely in a new state, they trigger a new “work location.” This work location will be subject to HR and compliance laws in its state and city. Even if employees move without telling their employers, the organization is still responsible for payroll taxes and compliance with the HR state and city laws in the employee’s work location. This eBook will assist employers in re-evaluating how they hire, pay, and manage their remote workers.
• Get proven strategies for maintaining payroll compliance, even with employees in multiple states
• Find out how to reduce legal exposure when hiring remote employees
• Learn what employers must obtain from their workers’ compensation insurance when managing remote employees
• Discover why remote employees may need more or different training than employees working in the company office
Read the eBook.
Tobacco Use Policies: 4 Important Considerations for HR Compliance
As organizations update their employee policies for a 2022 employee handbook, they should take time to review tobacco use policies. In 2021 (and beyond), there are essential considerations must use as they review tobacco usage policies in their staff handbook. Read the article to:
• Learn four significant considerations for 2021 tobacco employee policies from MP’s HR services experts
• Find out if employers must provide smoke breaks to employees
• Discover proven strategies for employers to ensure HR compliance for their tobacco use policies
• Uncover what employers should add to their employee handbook about e-cigarettes and vaping
COVID Vaccination: Can Employers Ask Employees’ Vaccination Status and Maintain HR Compliance?
Employers across all industries are seeking the best HR strategies for discussing COVID vaccination status with their employees. Especially in the wake of the federal COVID vaccination mandates for employers, workplaces are unsure if they’ll still maintain HR compliance when they ask about an employee’s vaccination status. Employers now have more direction with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s new guidance about HIPAA. MP’s HR and Compliance experts share critical considerations regarding asking for employees’ COVID vaccination status and maintaining HR compliance.
Read the article to:
• Discover if HIPAA prohibits your workplace from requesting employees’ COVID vaccination status
• Learn three vital concerns for employers who plan to ask for employee vaccination status
• Find out how to request employee vaccination status and remain ADA compliant
• Uncover how HR services experts suggest employers record employee vaccination status
HR Compliance and Remote Workers: 4 Essential Employee Handbook Tips
As many employers have allowed remote work on a more permanent basis, they’ve also exposed themselves to many payroll and HR compliance risks. Employers can reduce risk and exposure with comprehensive employee policies in their employee handbook. One of the best practices MP’s HR services team recommends is to add language to their staff handbook that protects the company from unexpected overtime work done by non-exempt employees. Read the article to:
• Discover how remote non-exempt workers are creating costly backpay issues for their employers
• Learn proven strategies for employers to protect themselves from payroll noncompliance with non-exempt workers
• Find out specific language to add to employee handbooks
• Uncover how to describe disciplinary consequences for employees
Recruiting in 2021: The Essential Checklist for Building a Talent Pipeline
Recruiting in 2021 has been more challenging for a myriad of reasons: labor shortages, unprecedented turnover rate (per a recent study, 26% of employees plan to leave their jobs after the pandemic winds down), continued unemployment benefits, as well as concerns about COVID safety and the delta variant. One of the best practices for hiring top talent right now is to build a robust talent pipeline. Download the checklist to:
• Uncover the best ways to recruit employees in 2021 and 2022 according to MP’s HR services team
• Find out how to keep a bench of talent ready for roles that are frequently open
• Learn how to make open positions stand out from other companies, and more appealing to candidates
• Discover how to retain records of candidates who don’t get hired, but may be a fit for other positions later
Download the checklist.