Yearly Archives: 2018

Ask HR: Employee has been accidentally overpaid.

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Wage & Hour on

Dear HR, Due to a reporting error by my employee, they were over-paid 5.75 hours for the last pay period. We have a signed payroll deduct form authorizing the deduction of those hours from the next pay check; but now we need to terminate this employee for a major policy violation. Are there special rules on deducting from a final check? What is the max amount or {0c2d428c3cefef4a77c472786cabf3d957ca1c1fde265c02f19cd1ec2d7db907} that can be deducted?   HR Answer: […]

Ask HR: Employee is experiencing an odd allergy.

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Employee Retention on

Dear HR, My new cashier has an allergy to the scent of marijuana. There was an incident that occurred last night during an interaction with a customer. Our new employee had an extreme allergic reaction to the fragrance that was on the customer at the front counter.  How do I handle my new employee having a physical reaction to a customer– in terms of both customer service and protecting my staff?   HR Answer:             Just […]

Ask HR: Additional laws for having more employees?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Legal Compliance on

Dear HR, My business is growing! Are there additional labor rules I need to know about when from moving from just a couple employees to 5 or more?   HR Answer: There are many federal and state laws that employers must be aware of, and comply with, even if you have only 1 employee. Many of these laws include rights for employees – such as family medical leave or time off to serve jury duty. […]

Ask HR: Where to find Additional Training?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Staff Training on

Dear HR, Lately I’ve noticed that my supervisors, managers and staff could really use additional training around human resources issues and new employment laws. Does Cardinal offer any training/classes we can provide, or can you recommend any classes locally? (Interested in local because I don’t have the budget for staff travel.) I am trying to put together a training agenda, and we are interested in any help you can provide.   HR Answer: Whether you […]

Get a handle on high-employee turnover.

This entry was posted in HR News on

Besides the obvious factors … low pay, or that the work you offer may be “undesirable” (cleaning sewers), let’s look at what current statistics and surveys tell us.  Employee retention is a complex topic but the complaints are startling in that they have stayed the same for the last 20 years!   According to Forbes and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Labor, the top 10 reasons employees leave are The company does NOT view employees […]

Ask HR: Tips for disciplining employees who are also family?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Employee Reviews on

Dear HR, I have been having discipline and attendance issues with an employee who is also my son. He has missed many days of work and is not getting his work done when he is in. I have talked to him several times, but the behavior continues. I think he feels he can get away with it since I am his parent. How can I get the message through to him? I would like to […]

Ask HR: Can a husband-wife team’s pay go to one person?

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Payroll Wage & Hour on

Dear HR, We employ a husband and wife that work together as a property management team. While they will record their work time separately for record-keeping, they have requested that their total monthly salary and in-kind rents all be paid in the husband’s name. Is this legally permissible?   HR Answer, Cardinal is unable to combine the time reported by both employees into one payment to be made to a single employee each month. Having […]

Ask HR: Employees’ work cell phones keep going “missing”

This entry was posted in Ask HR and tagged Employee Handbook on

Dear HR, We keep having company cell phones “get broke or go lost” and replacing them has become costly. Can we write a policy saying that a company phone will be provided, but replacements will have to be paid for by the Employee? HR Answer, Great question! Yes, the company may have a cell phone usage policy in place – and Cardinal can assist you in writing your new policy. In addition to lost or […]

Ask HR: Payroll Advance vs. Employee Loan

This entry was posted in HR News on

Dear HR, I have several employees that always seem to be short of funds a week before payday and have asked me for a payroll advance. Also, I recently had a long-time employee ask for a loan – with the idea that he can make monthly payments back to me by having my bookkeeper deduct a monthly pay back payment. What are the rules for draws and employee loans?  Are there any issues I might […]

NEW Transit Tax Arriving July 1st

This entry was posted in HR News on

On July 1, 2018 all Oregon employers must start withholding the new statewide “Transit Tax” from each employee’s paycheck. Revenue from the statewide transit tax will go into the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund to finance investments and improvements in public transportation services, except for those involving light rail.   Who exactly will be taxed? • Oregon residents—regardless of where their work is performed. • Non-residents who perform services in Oregon.   Who will NOT be […]