Are you confused by the various procedures required to confirm the legal status of your new employees? Are you overwhelmed by the new hire paperwork that is required when hiring a new employee? Do you know which newly-hired employees are required to complete the Federal I-9 form? Do you know who in your company is completing and reviewing all the forms for your new hires? Are they trained to fill out an I-9 form correctly […]
Dear HR, My employee has complained that a co-worker sent offensive text messages to their personal device outside of work hours. I told my employee to delete the messages and deal with it outside of work. I don’t feel like this is something I should have any concern about, since it did happen outside of work hours. My business partner seems to think we could be liable, especially seeing all the recent headlines. Should we […]
What is the difference between an employee handbook and a procedure manual? A separate procedural manual and an employee handbook? Seems excessive. This is a common reaction; many feel there is already too many required forms and paperwork in employing workers. Cardinal’s basic employee handbook has grown by 1.5 pages per year in the last 15 years. Due to the current level of complexity, separating out your company procedures and handbook is a necessary best […]
Dear HR, I want to take some precautions in our workplace to prevent harassment but I don’t have the budget to hire a trainer. Any suggestions? HR Answer: You are right to be proactive and take preventative steps. Fortunately, there are several free and low-cost options to train supervisors and employees. It’s critical to also be sure that you have the proper policy in place and that you know how to respond to a […]
The Oregon House of Representatives recently introduced House Bill 4105 which would require employers to pay a monetary penalty if an employee enrolls in the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). The OHP extends Medicare to more people than the federal law requires; this is a legacy of a former governor trying to be innovative in delivering better health care to more of those in need. The OHP is a significant portion of the Oregon’s budget—a budget […]
According to the law, Employers statewide must register a retirement plan with the State of Oregon on the state mandated schedule. Recently OregonSaves, the state-run program has announced they are opening registration to all employers ahead of schedule. But just because you can sign up early, should you? When OregonSaves was created, the Oregon Treasury obtained a waiver from ERISA requirements from the United States Department of Labor. ERISA is the Federal law governing […]
When the Oregon Sick Leave Law was unveiled there were several parts of the law that were unclear. The short timeline between passage of the law and the effective date meant the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) had to rush out Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs). Unfortunately, the OARs did not address all of the uncertain parts of the law. Senate Bill 299 was passed to try to help clarify some items of concern. […]
Dear HR, May I deduct the cost of the additional uniforms from my employee’s paycheck? I provide two uniforms to each new employee upon hire. A few of my employees have requested to purchase additional shirts for their own convenience so they do not have to do laundry as often. I am willing to offer a 50{0c2d428c3cefef4a77c472786cabf3d957ca1c1fde265c02f19cd1ec2d7db907} discount for additional shirts. My employees are hoping to have the balance deducted from their pay check. […]
Dear HR, Can an employer deduct for the purchase of uniforms or tools from an employee’s paycheck? HR Answer: No. Payroll deductions may not be taken for any item required to perform the job. Many states actually require the employer pay the cost of the uniform if the employer requires that an employee wear a uniform, including Oregon and California. The only exception to this rule is the requirement of a “generic uniform” which […]
OregonSaves is the new savings plan employers must implement if they are not offering a qualified retirement plan to employees. The new law mandates all employers must offer employees access to a retirement savings plan. If there is only one employer, the requirements are clear. For clients who co-employ* with Cardinal Services, the new mandate had the potential to be more complex. Not to worry – Cardinal has your back! Here’s how co-employment and the […]
