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Employer Bootcamp | Today’s Workplace

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Learn the unwritten rules that face today’s employers. How have Technology and Demographics changed the workforce? How can employers benefit from this knowledge? This workshop will look at generational comparison and common threads to help business owners understand people today. it will also consider technology and its role in the workplace, its effect on workers, and how the employer can benefit. It will also provide an  over view of management trends. This Employer Bootcamp originally […]

Delay in the Employer Mandate

This entry was posted in HR News and tagged Affordable Care Act (ACA) on

Once again there is a change in one of the key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The employer mandate requires all large employers to either provide health insurance to their employees or pay a penalty/tax of $2000 per employee per year (the first 30 are tax exempt).  A large employer is defined as having 50 or more employees (IRS determination of a full time employee). Originally the employer mandate was to take place in […]

2014 Legal Update – Part 1

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This two part 2014 legislative update will look at new and changing laws as well as general trends on the local, state and federal levels. MUNICIPAL Effective January 1, 2014 sick pay leave changes came into effect for Portland OR. The key is that it applies to employees that physically work in Portland. Accrual rate is one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked- capped at 40 hours.  If you already have a […]

Love us and the Error

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

With love in the air surrounding Valentine’s Day, workplace romance is a hot topic for HR. Now might be a good time for your organization to consider your stance on workplace romance policies. Intracompany romance is fairly common these days as the office is where we spend so a third or more of our weekdays. Preventing employees from coupling is nearly impossible. Many companies have implemented policies because you cannot stop staff from having romantic […]

When to Break the Rules – Oregon Unemployment Tax and HR Best Practices

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Each state has its own unemployment tax system and each are slightly different but they generally operate within a similar framework.  Employers are assessed a tax that goes into a fund that is used to pay for unemployment claims.  The tax rate each business is assigned varies according to two primary elements.  First, how much your former employees take out of the general fund in the form of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.  The second is […]

Automatic Gratuities: Service Charge not Tips

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Effective January 1, 2014, automatic gratuities in the hospitality industry (for example, an automatic 18% tip for parties of six or more) will be treated by the IRS as service charges rather than tips.   Unlike optional tips which the employee bears the responsibility of reporting, these service charges will be viewed as wages and the employer will be responsible for reporting them. Additionally, employers should be aware that any such service charges will be […]

New OSHA Hazard Communication Rules

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There are changes coming to the hazard communication rules.  These changes focus on how risks associated with chemical hazards in the workplace are conveyed to employees.  The new communication standard is based on the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).  As the name indicates, GHS is meant to be universally adopted to simplify hazard communication.  These changes go into effect for employers on December 1, 2013.   OSHA’s training on the upcoming changes are broken down into […]

Should Your Small Business Offer Health Insurance in 2014

This entry was posted in HR News and tagged Affordable Care Act (ACA) Oregon Health Insurance Exchange on

For a good part of 2013 I have been speaking to small businesses about the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  At those speaking engagements employers have expressed concern about what should they do in 2014.  Should they provide health insurance, can they afford it or is it better to just wait and see what happens in the latter part of 2013 before making a decision?  There is no easy answer. The answers to these questions vary […]

Battle Claws: Santa vs. the Establishment

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Santa Claus. Some of us dress like him. Many of us sit on him. Almost all of us have seen him. He’s BIG. He also evokes a range of emotions in our diverse culture. Some people fondly recall memories of family holiday celebrations. Others find religious meaning. For some, Santa Claus represents exclusion. They may not be excluded intentionally. It just works out that way. It’s a numbers thing. Title VII of the Civil Rights […]

Federal Bonding Program

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Wanting to hire an applicant but not sure if you should put them in a position of trust due to a criminal background check?  (For example, a theft conviction would normally bar employment where an employee would handle cash.) There is an option with the no cost Federal Bonding Program.  A bond is provided for 6 months at no cost.  After that period there is an option to purchase a bond from Travelers Insurance. The […]