We receive a number of questions from our clients as we consult them on a variety of HR issues related to COVID-19.
In this video, Rob and Jason cover employer responsibilities during the upcoming election. They discuss state and local level laws, paid or unpaid time off to vote on election day (whether you are in office or remote), employer posting/notice requirements, if voting proof is needed, and more.
Questions? We’re here to help, info@employco.com
Employment trends expert explains voting rights and workplace regulations
As Election Day approaches, millions of Americans have already voted via absentee ballot or early in-person voting. Yet due to unprecedented long lines and concerns around the coronavirus, many people still haven’t managed to cast their ballot. Here is what employers need to know about employees’ rights around Election Day, for those who still need to make their voice heard.
“Some states require that employers give employees time off to vote, provided that the employees’ working hours will prevent them from making it to the polls either before or after their shift,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA. “For example, Illinois requires employers to provide up to 2 hours of paid time off for employees casting a ballot. Other states such as Wisconsin and Arkansas will provide employees time off to vote, but it is unpaid.”
Wilson says employers should become familiar with state laws regarding election rights in their area, as these laws take precedence even during national elections.
Human resources expert explains why online behavior is leading to terminations
A South Carolina fast-food worker was recently fired for a political joke she made on her social media page. In the last month alone, police officers and teachers alike have lost their positions after expressing their views online.
Several other employees across the country have faced workplace consequences for comments on their social media pages, with a mayoral aide in Massachusetts saying he lost his job due to his vociferous support of the Black Lives Matter movement on his social media.
So just how much freedom of speech is an employee permitted to have, and how can employers encourage responsible social media behavior while still respecting an employee’s privacy? Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and a human resources expert, weighs in on this timely topic below.
Rob, Scott, and Jason discuss the 2020 Kaiser Health Survey, including: renewal rate increases, employer and employee premium contribution rates, the most common plan designs (PPO, HDHP, HMO, POS) and their enrollments, higher deductibles and employee cost sharing, the uncertainties that insurers and employers have to deal with right now, and more.
Contact us with any questions you may have, we’re here to help: hr@employco.com
Employment expert discusses drug testing and how employers can monitor substance use among WFH employees
A recent survey revealed that positive drug tests among American employees reached a record high in 2019. But drug testing employees in 2020 will be much different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. How can employers monitor substance abuse among workers when millions of employees are working-from-home?
“We know that alcohol use has skyrocketed during the pandemic, and presumably drug use has as well, although those statistics are harder to track,’ says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and an employment trends expert. “Understandably, many employers are concerned about substance use among their workers, especially if it is occurring on the clock. Since so many people are working from home, it can be really hard to know if an employee is abusing drugs or alcohol during work hours, yet by the same token, drug-testing can also feel risky during a time when people are afraid to go to the doctor or health clinic or expose themselves to unnecessary germs.”
So how can employers safely continue drug testing their employees while still respecting the very real dangers of the pandemic?
HR expert explains what employers need to do if employees have a positive COVID-19 test
As COVID-19 cases climb around the nation, many employers are struggling to find a balance between keeping their businesses afloat and their employees safe. Along with putting safeguards into place such as plexiglass barriers and mask mandates for workers and customers, employment experts say that companies also need to have a COVID-19 plan in place for when employees test positive for the novel coronavirus.
“It’s no longer an ‘if’ one of your employees becomes infected, but when,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm. “Sadly, it’s a given at this point that one of your employees will likely contract the virus at some point in the near future, if they have not already. Your company needs to have a well-thought-out plan for how you’re going to pivot immediately into action when this occurs.”
Wilson says that sanitizing the workplace and informing potentially impacted coworkers and clients is just the beginning. Employers also need to consider whether or not the COVID-19 case can be traced back to the workplace.
Rob, Scott, and Jason discuss payroll tax deferral (employer options and liability), including: what happens if an employee leaves, what large companies are doing, employer options, and more.
Contact us with any questions you may have, we’re here to help: hr@employco.com
HR specialist discusses how voters could alter minimum wage for millions of Americans
Earlier this week, presidential candidate Joe Biden took to Twitter to share his proposed changes to minimum wage if he is elected, including ending tipped minimum wage and raising the minimum wage to $15/hr.
In addition to these national campaign promises, Floridians will have a proposed minimum wage amendment on their ballots come November, potentially raising their minimum wage to $10/hr on September 20, 2021.
“If voters pass the amendment, the plan would be to raise the minimum wage to $10 next year, and then gradually continue to increase the wage until it hits $15/hr by 2026. This would double the current minimum wage in Florida, and mirror similar amendments which have already been put into practice in states like Illinois,” says employment expert Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm with locations across the country.
Human resources expert comments on President Trump’s newly implemented tax break
Starting today (Sept. 1), employers now have the option to stop withholding payroll taxes for their staff. The Treasury Department announced the option last week, detailing the new guidelines in a statement that offers a temporary deferral of the payroll taxes which employees pay into Social Security.
“Employers can opt to stop withholding payroll tax, provided an employee makes less than $4,000 on a biweekly pay period,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “But this is only a deferral. Workers will need to repay the taxes by April 2021.”
Generally, employees and employers each pay 6.2% tax into Social Security, for a total amount of 12.4% per employee. However, under Pres. Trump’s new deferral, employers will have the option of not collecting the employee’s share. As a result, workers could see a bump in their paycheck – but next year, they will have to pay that money back or face financial penalties.
Wilson, who is the president of a national employment solutions firm, says that this will spell a major human resources headache for employers.
Employment expert discusses new findings which show a bleak economic future and increasing despair among employees
Mental health in the workplace has never been so tenuous. New research shows that both employers and employees are under extreme strain due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A recent survey performed by Employco USA found that many employers have a very bleak outlook for their economic future. 85% of employers don’t have a strong outlook on the economic conditions in the U.S. over the next 6 months, and over half of employers say that they are anticipating the need for more layoffs and furloughs in the next 6 months.
“According to our survey, we are seeing that the worst is far from over,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm with locations across the country. “Although many areas of the country are slowly opening up, it’s not going to be enough to help businesses make it to 2021 without laying off more employees.”