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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
