Holiday Hours on July 3rd and 4th

Happy 4th of July!

In observance of the 4th of July holiday, our office will be closing early at 2 pm on Wednesday, July 3rd, and will be closed for the day on Thursday, July 4th. We will reopen during normal business hours on Friday, July 5th.

Recap:
Wednesday, July 3rd = Closing early at 2 pm
Thursday, July 4th = Closed for the day

Please contact us if you have any questions or special requests.

Thank you and have a safe and happy 4th!

(WGN Radio 720) How Will Cook County’s New Minimum Wage Law Impact Employers?

“Rob Wilson, the President of Employco USA, joins Lisa Dent to talk about Chicago and Cook County’s minimum wage increase that went into effect today and how that increase will impact employers. Rob also talks about the increased access to guaranteed paid leave for Chicago workers and who is eligible for the increase.”

Listen to the full interview here:
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/how-will-cook-countys-new-minimum-wage-law-impact-employers/

(Fox 32 Chicago) New Illinois Laws Take Effect on July 1, 2024

Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, was recently on Fox 32 Chicago to discuss new laws going into effect in July.

“A number of new laws are going into effect today that includes one involving minimum wage. In Cook County, those workers will see an increase. Joining us to explain this is employment trends expert and President of Employco USA Rob Wilson.”

Watch the full interview here:
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/new-illinois-laws-july-2024

HR Chat w/Employco USA: Chicago Paid Leave July 1st

Join Rob and Jason in this HR chat as they discuss the new Chicago Paid Leave ordinance that takes effect on July 1st. This significant update affects employers in Chicago and its suburbs if they have employees working in the city. They provide an overview of what the ordinance entails, highlighting the key aspects and changes employers need to be aware of.

Reach out to hr@employco.com if you have any questions or would like a handy side-by-side comparison of the paid leave regulations in Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois, emphasizing the similarities and differences.

HR Newsletter: State Legislative Updates

HR Newsletter: State Legislative Updates

California: Preparing for the New Workplace Violence Prevention Law – On Sept. 30, 2023, California enacted the California Workplace Violence Prevention Law (WVPL), enforced by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). The WVPL takes effect on July 1, 2024, and requires most employers in the state to comply with expansive workplace violence prevention requirements.

Read more: California HR Compliance Bulletin

Continue reading

HR Newsletter: New Quest Drug Testing Index Results

HR Newsletter: New Quest Drug Testing Index Results

On May 15, 2024, Quest Diagnostics released their review of the 9.8 million workforce drug tests from 2023. Here are the key findings:

  • Workforce drug test cheating increased over 600%
  • Marijuana continues upward climb in general U.S. workforce
  • Marijuana drug test positivity decreases in federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce
  • Post-accident marijuana positivity continues to climb
  • Positivity increased in industries associated with office work
Continue reading

HR Newsletter: Checklist for Conducting Employee Terminations

HR Newsletter: Checklist for Conducting Employee Terminations

Employee terminations are often complicated and, if not conducted properly, employers can open themselves up to costly legal challenges and negatively affect their business or reputation. Establishing procedures for employee terminations can help employers ensure that employee terminations are conducted in a manner that minimizes legal risks and accounts for various business considerations.

Continue reading

HR Newsletter: New Overtime Rule – July 1st

HR Newsletter: New Overtime Rule – July 1st

As we approach the new overtime rule’s July 1st effective date, employers should prepare for the upcoming changes as soon as possible. On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule to amend current requirements employees in white-collar occupations must satisfy to qualify for an overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

With this in mind, we recently released 2 new documents aimed at helping employers with the analysis and potential changes that could come as a result of the new rule.

Continue reading

HR Newsletter: Employees Are Satisfied With Their PTO, but Don’t Exhaust It

HR Newsletter: Employees Are Satisfied With Their PTO, but Don’t Exhaust It

A new Harris Poll survey found that most employed Americans are satisfied with their company’s paid time off (PTO) policy; however, 3 in 4 said they didn’t use the maximum PTO permitted by their employer. PTO broadly covers any paid absence from work – it includes various reasons such as vacation, illness, and personal days.

According to the survey, most U.S. workers get between 11 and 30 PTO days yearly. Consider these additional key findings from the survey:

  • Most Americans (83%) are satisfied with their company’s PTO policy. Over half (60%) are given more than 10 PTO days annually.
  • Most (78%) do not use the maximum PTO allowed by their employer. The average worker took 15 paid days off last year despite half (49%) being allowed more than that by their employer.
  • The top barriers preventing workers from taking more time off are “pressure to always be available and responsive to demands” (31%) and “heavy workload” (30%).
Continue reading