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Providing People Solutions |
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Providing People Solutions |
On May 18, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) released a long-anticipated Final Rule on the overtime pay regulation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Final Rule will significantly alter current pay structures for employees and have a large impact on small businesses. The current salary threshold for exempt employees is $455 a week ($23,660 per year). Effective December 1, 2016, the newly revised standard salary threshold will be $913 a week ($47,476 per year) for full-time exempt workers.
The Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 (Form I-9) is a two-page U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) document which is used by employers to verify an employee’s identity and eligibility to work in the United States. All employers are required to complete and retain a Form I-9 on each new employee within three (3) days of the employee being hired.
Whenever CBS has the privilege of providing leadership and/or team-building training to our clients, we believe initiating the training with a game, or “ice-breaker” exercise, is a good idea because it engages the participants from the very beginning. Not a game person? Well, maybe game is not the right word for this exercise.
The Lifeboat Game – one of our “ice-breaker” exercises – Is pretty simplistic. The Lifeboat Game includes 15 participants (with specific job titles/roles), but only 9 participants can get on the Lifeboat because the larger boat is sinking. The team collectively makes the decision as to which individuals are allowed on the lifeboat and the team must be able to defend its decisions. This is not always an easy task, but isn’t that what working with a team is all about?
It is important for organizations to examine their work culture at all levels, as their particular culture may either have a positive or negative influence on employer-employee relations. Kristina Dietrick, President and Owner of Creative Business Solutions, presented five ways to “spring” into a better work culture at this week’s Chamber Power Breakfast. Below is an outline which your organization may use to establish or continue developing your employer-employee relations, which in turn, will create a positive and motivating work culture for you, your employees and your organization to succeed.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which applies to employers with fifteen (15) or more employees, forbids discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspect of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, compensation, promotions, training, benefits and terminations.
Under the PDA, an employee who is temporarily unable to perform her job due to pregnancy must be given the same rights as any other employee with a temporary disability. For example, if an employee who is temporarily disabled utilizes disability leave or leave without pay, an employee who is temporarily unable to perform her job due to pregnancy must be able to utilize the same benefit.
