Employee handbook updates are critical for compliance every year. In addition to ensuring compliance, updates to the employee handbook will also reduce legal risk for employers—this is key in a year full of COVID-oriented lawsuits. In 2022, employers need to ensure they’re up to date with the myriad of federal and state-level changes that will impact HR compliance. States are passing legislation surrounding marijuana usage, protected classes, as well as COVID (regarding time off, safety, and vaccination). Depending on the workplace, employers may find it more advantageous to update employee policies in their employee manuals or develop location-based addendums or COVID addendums. MP’s HR and compliance experts outline the five employee policies workplaces must update for 2021. Download the brief to:
• Find out the critical components of a COVID safety policy
• Develop a remote work policy to improve workforce efficiency while reducing risk and exposure
• Discover how employers should update 2022 leave policies surrounding COVID, FMLA, and paid family medical leave laws
• Get detailed information about how drug abuse policies could create legal risk for employers
Archives for November 2021
4 Recruiting Best Practices to Build Your Employer Brand Online
For many employers, recruiting in 2021 will be focused heavily on remote hiring Because so many candidates desire remote work or hybrid remote work (per a recent study, 58% of respondents would look for a new job if required to return to the office), it’s clear the most efficacious way to recruit employees will be remotely. One of the best practices for hiring top talent in a remote environment is building a robust employer brand online. MP’s recruiting experts share four key recruiting tips to help workplaces polish their employer brand online.
Do the OSHA COVID Vaccine Mandates ETS Apply to Your Company?
Employers who are keeping up to date on the COVID vaccine mandates may be confused about whether they’re covered by OSHA’s recent Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Workplaces covered by the ETS must create and enforce employee policies that require either COVID vaccination or weekly COVID testing. (Of course, to remain ADA compliant, policies must allow employees to request medical exceptions, as well as religious exceptions.) MP’s HR compliance experts share information to assist employers in determining if they need to meet the ETS’s HR and compliance requirements. Read the article to:
• Find out two considerations surrounding who the ETS covers
• Outline which staff count towards the 100-employee count
• Uncover why some employees may be exempt from vaccination or COVID testing
• Learn whether employers with less than 100 employees should mandate COVID vaccination
Parental Leave Policies: Avoid these 4 Critical Mistakes in your Employee Handbook
As organizations update their employee handbook for 2022 HR compliance, parental leave policies are paramount. With a record high of open jobs, it’s essential for employers to gain a competitive edge in the current job market. In July 2021, the US had nearly 11 million open jobs. Employers must offer more than ever to woo top talent, and competitive offerings frequently include parental leave. Read the article to:
• Learn four critical HR and compliance errors employers should avoid when developing or updating parental leave policies
• Discover why older parental leave policies may create a risk of discrimination lawsuits
• Find out how to reduce excessive employee absences
• Understand how FMLA and parental leave employee policies could interact
Read the article.
COVID Vaccination Mandates: 3 Tactics for Difficult Conversations with Employees
In the latest HR updates, and possibly the most challenging of the pandemic, many employers are preparing to comply with the COVID vaccination mandates. Employers across all industries will be required to create employee policies and implement new systems to ensure HR compliance with these vaccination and COVID testing rules and regulations. The struggle may be twofold for employers:
1. They don’t just need to prepare for HR and compliance challenges.
2. They must also prepare for the difficult conversations they’ll have with employees.
MP’S HR services experts and Taryn Abrahams of Empower Behavioral Services share tips for approaching difficult conversations about the COVID vaccine mandates. Read the article to:
• Learn three tips for reducing employee pushback on the COVID vaccine mandates
• Uncover specific phrases to disarm an angry or stressed employee
• Find out how to create psychological safety
• Discover why employees need to feel like a priority, even if they can’t be accommodated
Read the article.
Is Your Business Eligible for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC)? 14 Critical Questions
Businesses in all industries are claiming Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC)s of millions of dollars—even if they received PPP loans. Many employers qualify for up to $26,000 per employee in refundable, advanceable funds. MP’s HR and payroll experts have created a brief, simple questionnaire to help employers determine if they might be eligible for the ERTC program. Just one “yes” answer could be enough for eligibility for this program. Download the questionnaire to find out if you may qualify.
You will:
• Learn about revenue loss requirements for 2021 and 2022
• Find out why an organization’s partial or complete shutdown in 2020 or 2021 qualifies them for ERC funds
• Discover how an inability to sell alcohol in the past two years may qualify employers for an ERC
• Uncover whether social distancing measures or vendor supplier issues make an organization eligible for an ERC