New Form – On Aug. 1, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, published an updated version of Form I-9. USCIS has indicated that employers may begin using the new form immediately and that use of the expired form (dated “10/19/2019”) will be allowed through Oct. 31, 2023. Beginning Nov. 1, 2023, employers will need to use the newest version of the form or face potential penalties. The new version of the form can be accessed by clicking the following link: New Form I-9.

Form I-9 Summary of Changes – The new version contains changes to the form and instructions, including shortening the Form I‑9 to one page and reducing the instructions to eight pages. Click the following link to view: USCIS’s Summary of Form I-9 Changes.

Continue reading →

As talent shortages persist across industries, an increasing number of employers are grappling with the need to adapt to the “new normal” to address this challenge effectively. Hiring managers are encountering a significant shift in which they find themselves dealing with an inadequate number of candidates or insufficient resources (e.g., budget and staffing) to meet the high demand for candidates. The 3 infographics below provide tips and tricks to help hiring managers improve their recruiting efforts.

Strategies to Improve Hiring Outcomes – Prioritizing the quality of new hires can improve employee retention and morale, decreasing turnover costs. Employers should analyze their recruitment and onboarding practices for more positive hiring outcomes. Click the following link to view the infographic: Strategies to Improve Hiring Outcomes

Continue reading →

Connecticut Adds Mental Health as Reason to Take Paid Sick Leave – Connecticut has amended the state’s paid sick leave law to require employers to allow eligible employees to take time off for mental health. The amendments, which take effect Oct. 1, 2023, also extend family violence and sexual assault leave to parents of victims. Read more: Connecticut Legal Update

Continue reading →

The U.S. Supreme Court issued several consequential decisions addressing religious accommodations, the Biden administration’s student debt relief plan, and affirmative action as its most recent term ends. These cases’ rulings will likely have major impacts on employers, altering established labor and employment laws and workplace practices. The below article provides additional information regarding these decisions.

Continue reading →

Major health insurers UnitedHealth and Humana are warning about a jump in medical costs this year due to higher-than-anticipated demand for surgeries and other medical procedures. Insurers have benefited from nonurgent surgery delays during the COVID-19 pandemic and hospital staffing shortages. In fact, some individuals, especially older adults, put off elective procedures during the height of the pandemic. As care patterns continue shifting back to pre-pandemic norms, many individuals are catching up on their elective care and now opting for procedures.

Continue reading →

At some point, an employee will eventually move on from an organization. When that time comes, a well-prepared offboarding process can significantly enhance the efficiency and success of the transition. Offboarding refers to how an organization handles a departing employee—with the ultimate goal of an amicable separation. It can encompass a number of steps to support a smooth employment separation, including finalizing payroll, completing tax paperwork, retrieving company property, terminating access to company systems and files, facilitating knowledge transfers, and maintaining a respectable employer-employee relationship.

Continue reading →

Are you looking to start or strengthen a newsletter for your employees? We have an extensive library of employee-facing articles and other content that you can insert into your company newsletters. Our library includes wellness tips, news briefs, videos, infographics, recipes, etc. Topics range from mental health to sunscreen to Ozempic, and many more!

Contact us for more information.

Employees who feel disregarded by their organization are more likely to get frustrated, feel burnt out, and quit. Forbes listed being unheard by supervisors and feeling “overlooked or ignored” as two of the top ten reasons employees leave their jobs. This can devastate employee retention rates, increasing hiring costs and making it challenging for employers to keep talented workers. Conversely, a study by workforce management organization Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG) found that organizations are more likely to perform well financially when employees feel heard, engaged, and have a sense of belonging.

Continue reading →

Florida’s New Immigration Law Requires Employers to Use E-Verify: On May 11, 2023, Florida adopted an immigration bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1718. Among other things, this bill will require employers to use the federal E-Verify system (E-Verify) to confirm their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States. SB 1718 becomes effective on July 1, 2023. Read more: Florida Legal Update

Continue reading →

Check out our PDF chart below for a list of upcoming minimum wage increases (click the image for the full report):

Continue reading →