The Department of Labor (DOL) announced on Thursday, March 7, 2019, the long-anticipated proposal to the salary-level threshold changes for white collar exemptions (overtime pay regulation).
As many of you may recall, in May of 2016, the DOL released the Final Rule on the overtime pay regulation with an increase from $23,660 to $47,476 for full-time exempt employees; however, this was blocked in November of 2016 by a U.S. District Court Judge, Amos Mazzant. The DOL did appeal the District Court’s decision, but a permanent injunction was issued in August of 2017. Employers have been holding their breath, expecting a new proposal to be released with the Trump Administration.
Patrick Lencioni, author of the New York Times Best-Seller, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” asserted, “Meetings are usually terrible, but they shouldn’t be.” Do your managers grumble when the infamous calendar invite for a company meeting invades their email inboxes? Do you find meetings monopolizing your calendar and preventing productivity? On average, office workers spend twenty-one percent (21%) of their work day in meetings, of which twenty-five percent (25%) is deemed as “wasted” in their opinion.
Recently, the HR Advisors for HR Partners attended the Kansas Society of Human Resources Management (“KSSHRM”) Employment Law and Benefits Conference. This conference discussed upcoming and changing laws, which may impact your workplace.
The following should be kept in consideration as we move forward through 2019. Please note that this list is not all-inclusive.
Tax season is typically the most vulnerable time for organizations when it comes to the potential of being scammed. Cyber criminals continue to use ever changing technology to push the limits regarding identity theft, data breaches, compromising business emails and engaging in business email spoofing scams.
The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) is warning about phishing emails involving payroll direct deposits, wire transfers, Form W-2 scams, among other fraudulent activity. Additionally, the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) warns about recent scams involving social security numbers. This criminal activity can present itself in many forms, including impersonations of a company representative, employee or executive “sent by” email correspondence or by phone. These communications are typically requesting personal or financial information.
Ghosting. The word sends chills up any recruiting manager’s spine. An employer has been ‘ghosted’ when a candidate blows off scheduled job interviews, accepts an offer of employment but does not show up on the first day, or even vanishes from existing positions, all without giving notice. A tight labor market means greater competition within the candidate pool. Locally, many of our clients have experienced ghosting. Candidates are displaying this behavior during the initial phases of recruitment, as well as when expected to report for orientation. In some industries, ghosting is as prevalent as fifty percent (50%).
Gina Stewart
Director, Information Management, Analysis and Reporting
Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation
"HR Partners provides a screening process when searching for candidates for a position. The phone screens save me valuable time and give me the information needed to decide whether to invite someone to our office for an in-person interview.
They also serve as a knowledgeable resource for up to date standards with HR issues. Two of the most significant improvements would be making the hiring process a breeze and having a resource to provide valuable feedback on HR issues. HR Partners allows you to continue to work on your mission, whatever it might be, while spending less time on HR issues. You have the confidence when hiring someone that they will have the skills/knowledge to the job well."