Employco Blog

Effective new hire orientation plays a pivotal role in integrating employees into the company culture, setting expectations, and providing essential information for a successful start. It sets the tone for the employee’s experience and influences their productivity and long-term commitment to the organization.

• Gallup reports that only 1 in 8 employees strongly agree that new hires at their organization receive an excellent orientation and onboarding experience.

Employee orientation serves as the initial welcome of new hires to a company, marking the beginning of their employment journey. Orientation provides a general overview of company policies, procedures, and culture. It is one of the first steps in the overarching onboarding process, which encompasses a series of events and training sessions. This process is designed to facilitate new hires’ transition into their roles, help them evolve into successful and productive employees, and acclimate them to the organization. As part of the broader onboarding process, orientation is critical to setting up a new hire for success—and often tenure—at the organization.

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On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to issue a final rule that would prohibit employers from entering into or enforcing noncompete clauses with most employees. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on May 7, 2024, and is scheduled to take effect 120 days after such date on Sept. 4, 2024. 

Subject to very limited exceptions, the final rule provides that:

• The use of noncompete clauses will be banned as of the effective date;
• Any existing noncompete clauses (other than those entered into with senior executives) will be invalidated;
• Employers must notify all employees (other than senior executives whose existing noncompete agreements will remain enforceable) that their existing noncompete agreements will not be enforced.

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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). The final rule will take effect on July 1, 2024.

Increased Salary Level – The FLSA white-collar exemptions apply to individuals in executive, administrative, professional, and some outside sales and computer-related occupations. Some highly compensated employees may also qualify for the FLSA white-collar overtime exemption. To qualify for this exemption, white-collar employees must satisfy the standard salary level test, among other criteria. This salary level is a wage threshold that white-collar employees must receive to qualify for the exemption.

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