HR Chat w/Employco USA: Employer Guidance on Current COVID Topics

We receive a number of questions from our clients as we consult them on a variety of HR issues.

In this video, Rob and Jason give some employer guidance on current COVID topics. They cover mask requirements, mandating the vaccine vs not, what to do if an employee tests positive, CDC guidelines, best practice recommendations, liability, tips, and more.

Questions? We’re here to help, info@employco.com

Podcast: The Current State of the Food Industry

On this month’s HR podcast Rob, Scott, and Jason with special guest Cary Miller (Vice President of Food Industry News) discuss the current state of the food industry. They touch on COVID protocol questions (testing, masks, vaccines), CDC guidelines, employer liability, creative ways to hire and attract talent, unique employee benefits, saving money, cutting costs, and more!

Podcast: The Current State of the Food Industry

Contact us with any questions you may have, we’re here to help: hr@employco.com

Should Unvaccinated Staff Suffer Premium Surcharges on Company Health Plans?

Employment trends expert weighs in on whether unvaccinated employees should be penalized  

Health Insurance IncreaseWith hopes of a return to normalcy slowly deteriorating thanks to the Delta variant and concerning upticks in COVID cases across the country, employers are struggling to find ways to stay afloat. One way that employers are trying to cut costs?

By asking employees who have refused the COVID vaccination to pay a premium surcharge on their company’s health plan.

“Many companies have led with a carrot approach when it comes to encouraging employee vaccinations, but unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy is leading many employers to reach for the stick now,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert.

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Are You on the Hook for COVID Cases in Your Workplace?

Employment trends expert Rob Wilson comments on why employers are requiring masks once again

Masks in OfficeAs the Delta variant rages on, Facebook, Target, Home Depot, and McDonald’s all put masks back on the table for workers. Yet the decision to require masks once again has not been an easy one for employers.

“Right now, protests are happening across the country as employees push back against mask mandates as well as mandated COVID-19 vaccinations,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “From California to North Carolina to New York, crowds of employees and concerned citizens have gathered to express their dismay at tightening COVID restrictions.”

But do employers have the right to require masks and vaccinations?

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Starting Today, ‘Ban the Box’ Amendment Goes into Effect in NYC

Employment expert speaks on the Fair Chance Act and what employers need to know

Ban the BoxToday New York City’s “Ban the Box” Amendment officially went into effect. The amendment offers new protections for job applicants with a criminal history.  And effective Dec. 31st, states across the country will be required to follow suit.

“Currently, 35 states, along with Washington D.C. and several cities, have ‘Ban the Box’ regulations in place. Corporations like Starbucks and Facebook also have similar hiring regulations in place,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “But come December, this is will be the first time that a federal amendment is put into place protecting the 70 million Americans who have a criminal offense in their past.”

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Podcast: Biden’s Executive Order and Topgolf’s Biometric Settlement

On this month’s podcast Rob, Scott, and Jason cover some recent topics, including – President Biden’s executive order on promoting competition as well as Topgolf’s biometric privacy lawsuit. They discuss curtailing non-compete agreements, client poaching, job offer templates, recommendations for employers, biometric timeclocks, employee consent and disclosure, storing information, destroying records, and more.

Podcast: Biden's Executive Order and Topgolf's Biometric Settlement

Contact us with any questions you may have, we’re here to help: hr@employco.com

Can Employers Re-Instate Mask Mandates?

Employment expert addresses whether employees should be required to mask up again

COVID-19 MaskWith the Delta variant complicating our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, many local officials are starting to reinstate their mask mandates. However, this poses a tricky issue for employers, particularly those who encouraged vaccines among their employees with their promise that vaccinated staff could drop their masks at work.

“Many employers tried to encourage vaccine compliance among their workers by saying that vaccinated workers would be able to go mask-free,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm. “But, now, we’re looking at new mask requirements across the country in which Americans are being asked to mask up once more. So can employers go back on their original agreement and tell everyone, even vaccinated employees, to put their masks on again?”

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New Survey: Americans Don’t Want Their Boss to Require Vaccines…but Should Employers Do So Anyway?

Employment trends expert talks requiring employee vaccines & other COVID-19 considerations in the workplace

COVID Vaccine CardA new survey found that while many Americans say they support employers requiring vaccines, that number greatly decreases when it comes to their own employer requiring the jab.

“The recent poll results from the Kaiser Family Foundation show that while many Americans support the idea of requiring the COVID-19 vaccination, a far greater number have a strong opposition to their own employer requiring them to get vaxxed,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert.

Wilson says Americans report they will be more likely to get the vax if they are offered incentives like paid time off. However, the HR expert cautions that employers can’t go overboard when incentivizing the jab.

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