By Mike O'Brien bio EEOC says no to COVID-19 antibody testing: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently (6/17/20) updated its COVID-19 guidance to indicate that employers should not be requiring employees to submit to antibody testing. Here is the verbatim Q&A (found at EEOC Guidance): Question: (A.7.): CDC said in its Interim Guidelines that antibody … [Read more...] about COVID-19, discrimination, DACA, and immigration developments
Managing staff
Handle these 3 HR challenges in COVID-19 era
By Lynne Curry bio 1 Anticipate reluctance to come back to the office Question: I’ve been working from home since late March. At first I thought I’d hate working remotely; instead I love it. My work day is relaxed because I don’t have to put up with my micro-managing supervisor and can walk my dog during the day rather than waiting until after five. Working at home gives … [Read more...] about Handle these 3 HR challenges in COVID-19 era
So, your employee wants to stay on unemployment
By Paul Edwards bio It’s been a couple of months of COVID chaos and business owners across America are thinking about what it’s going to take to reopen their businesses—and the economy, in general. Of course, the first piece of that equation involves recalling your employees who have been temporarily furloughed or laid off. And, since one portion of the CARES Act included an … [Read more...] about So, your employee wants to stay on unemployment
Top 10 questions an employer should ask before returning employees to work
By Mike O’Brien bio As various states and municipalities across the country lift shutdowns and begin easing COVID restrictions, employers are faced with complex questions about safely bringing their employees back to the workplace. We’ve compiled the top 10 questions every employer should consider before returning employees to work. How do we implement proper infection … [Read more...] about Top 10 questions an employer should ask before returning employees to work
Managing virtual teams in a COVID-19 era
By Lynne Curry bio If you’re a manager struggling your way up the steep virtual workplace learning curve, you may discover the COVID-19 pandemic makes you a better leader. Here’s how to navigate your way through this trial by fire. Focus on results Effective remote supervision requires managers to switch gears from supervising activities to managing results. Train yourself … [Read more...] about Managing virtual teams in a COVID-19 era
Coronavirus pushing rapid changes in employer law
By Mike O’Brien bio Employer law is rapidly changing amid the coronavirus pandemic. For one thing, Congress has passed another coronavirus related law. The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has provided some helpful guidance and answered a number of questions about the recent expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and about the new paid sick leave law, … [Read more...] about Coronavirus pushing rapid changes in employer law
Avoid these mistakes when creating staff development plans
By Cheryl Toth bio For nine consecutive years, “lack of career development” has led the reasons why employees quit. To reduce the costly turnover that results from these resignations, many practice managers are looking for ways to develop and enhance the skills of their team. A straightforward way to approach this is to create a professional development plan for each … [Read more...] about Avoid these mistakes when creating staff development plans
What employees and managers can do to protect each other
By Lynne Curry bio I’m scared. I don’t feel like my boss or coworkers are taking COVID-19 seriously. The medical professionals say we should be wiping down high-touch places. In our office, I’m the one who does it. So does that make me on the front line? Does my doing all this cleaning let everyone else feel safer so they don’t think they need to do anything? It would be fair … [Read more...] about What employees and managers can do to protect each other
Employers need a plan for the pandemic
By Lynne Curry bio your employees ask, “What are we going to do when COVID-19 gets worse in our community?” you can’t say “I don’t know.” If you’re an employer, you need a plan. You need to address what you’ll do to keep your employees as healthy as possible and what your employees can expect from you as their employer. According to Occupational Safety and Health … [Read more...] about Employers need a plan for the pandemic
Employment law changing on the fly in response to COVID-19
By Mike O’Brien bio COVID-19 has ushered in a variety of new, and fast-evolving employment law changes, from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) includes a tax credit for employers that retain … [Read more...] about Employment law changing on the fly in response to COVID-19