HR Compliance System
Our workforce is changing and keeping pace with current regulations can be a headache for small business owners. You are obligated to know and comply with all state and federal laws dealing with employees and independent contractors.
Business owners can build goodwill and limit liability risk by strategically planning out steps for Hiring, Onboarding, Evaluating, Training, and Terminating Employees as well as the independent contractors who may perform services for you. Every business is different and generic forms will set you up to fail when a claim is filed.
TRAINING YOUR TEAM
Don’t let your workplace BE the next headline. Train your workforce about what is – and isn’t – acceptable in your office. Training does not cost money, it saves money!
DOES A SMALL BUSINESS NEED TO WORRY ABOUT WORKPLACE HARASSMENT TRAINING? YES!
The reality is that it only takes ONE employee to file a complaint. Training is NOT just for big companies! Training your people, especially SUPERVISORS, on their legal responsibilities is vital in today’s climate.
PLAIN LANGUAGE POLICIES
Make your POLICIES a tool, not a stumbling block! Ensure all policies and procedures governing employees and independent contractors are:
- Tailored to specific business needs and circumstances.
- Clear. Use plain language and avoid legal jargon in Handbooks, Codes of Conduct and other policies. People cannot follow rules they do not understand.
- Simple. Avoid excess detail. Simple policy language allows you to exercise discretion.
- Reasonable. Use common sense when evaluating whether policies are fair. Fairness is a primary consideration for juries and judges evaluating legal claims brought by disgruntled employees.
- Realistic and relevant. Do not impose unrealistic or irrelevant expectations on your team.
- Accessible. Provide easy access to the policies. You should be able to demonstrate the individual had notice of the policies.
- Professional. Avoid excessively casual or overly friendly language in policies.
- Supported by a business purpose. Connect every policy and procedure to a legitimate business justification.
- Consistent with one another. Review your policies as a whole to ensure they are consistent.
- Current. Failure to comply with new or amended laws may create additional exposure for litigation.
- Consistent with at-will employment status. Be careful not to modify at-will employment status if applicable to your state.
- In line with contract requirements. Discipline involving individuals working under a contract must be consistent with their contract terms.
- Respectful of protected activity. Be careful to not maintain policies that impose discipline for protected activities.
Let's Get You On Track
When it comes to legal issues for small businesses, the overwhelming cost of fixing a problem outweighs the investment of doing it right from the start.