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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Dear HR: My supervisor verbally talked to the employee about these issues prior to a Performance Review a few months ago. During the Review, the concerns were discussed again and the employee was given 60 days to correct her performance. According to supervisor, as of today – her 60th day, there has been no improvement. The supervisor is going to give her a written warning with an additional 30 day probation period to correct the […]
Dear HR: One of my supervisors called me about performance concerns with an employee. Evidently, these concerns have been going on for some time, and I was not informed. Please advise me on how to handle both my employee and supervisor. HR Answer: Performance problems typically arise and fester when supervisors allow employee performance issues to accumulate. A supervisor’s responsibility is to effectively guide and re-direct employees to ensure they are meeting expectations. Oregon […]
Dear HR: We decided to give each of our staff an extra two days of paid time off (PTO) to use around the holidays this year. These two days are in addition to the 14 they normally receive to use throughout the year. This is something we have never done before, and we want to be fair to our staff. We value our staff and appreciate all their hard work this year, so we want […]
Dear HR: I am moving an employee into a full time Operation Manager’s position and the employee will no longer do any field work. I will be paying him a salary and he will be supervising three employees and be able to make recommendations on hiring and terminating employees. Does this make him an “exempt” employee now? HR Answer: It depends upon the salary amount you intend to pay your employee. There are exemptions […]
Dear HR: My deli cook is not documenting proper food temperatures and “use by” times for perishable food items that are sold to the public. She has failed to do it every week, and I have gone over this procedure with her multiple times. This is a major health violation and I could be liable for big fines and be shut down, putting public health and my company at risk. I have given a written […]
