Employers that offer voluntary benefits — such as health insurance, retirement plans and flexible spending accounts — are required by law to disclose certain information about the plans to employees. These laws aside, employees should understand the benefits available to them so they can make appropriate choices. Normally, this information is communicated during new hire orientation, open … [Read more...]

Many workers have spent the past year working from home, their suits and dress shoes gathering dust while they padded around in slippers and sweats. But many companies are looking to return to the office. Will more casual looks stay in vogue? Some wonder if the fashion pendulum will swing and bring on more luxe apparel. Even during the pandemic, many white-collar employees kept a "Zoom shirt" … [Read more...]

Competing for talent is not easy, especially in a tight labor market. To snag the most qualified candidates, employers must make a good impression. But some employers sabotage their recruiting efforts by breadcrumbing candidates. Breadcrumbing is when a hiring manager or recruiter strings along a job candidate. They give just enough to keep the candidate hanging on in hopes of getting the job. … [Read more...]

If you find yourself short-staffed, there's no harm in calling a former employee who has retired. You won't jeopardize your pension plan's tax status if you rehire retirees. Nor is it a problem if you permit distributions of retirement benefits to employees who hit the age of 59 1/2 or your plan's normal retirement age, even if they don't intend to quit anytime soon. The IRS wants to offer … [Read more...]

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers are required to maintain updated records of the hours worked by nonexempt employees. According to the FLSA, employers are also expected to pay nonexempt employees for all of the hours they work. As such, it is of utmost importance that employers ensure accurate timekeeping and payroll processes as part of their business operations. However, if … [Read more...]

In a flexible work arrangement, employees typically get to choose their work location and their work arrival and departure times. They may also have the ability to schedule their workday however they see fit. But as noted by the Department of Labor, "Under some [flexible work] policies, employees must work a prescribed number of hours a pay period and be present during a daily 'core … [Read more...]

In traditional performance reviews, managers assess their employees' performance based on established goals for the year. The manager shares his or her assessment with the employee once per year during the annual performance review. Problems With Traditional Performance Reviews With traditional reviews, employees do not receive real-time feedback on their performance. By the time they are … [Read more...]

The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation and telecommunications. If someone is limited in walking, talking, seeing or learning because of a physical or mental impairment, that person is covered by the ADA. Some people protected by the ADA are those who are confined to a … [Read more...]

Workforce management is a process that employers implement with the goal of optimizing the productivity of their employees and the workplace. According to CIO Magazine, "WFM began as a means for improving the consistency, efficiency, and productivity of call centers but has since expanded to other industries and job functions." What initially started out as a scheduling process has since … [Read more...]