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.

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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

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

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On May 16, 2023, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2023-23 to provide the inflation-adjusted limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and high deductible health plans (HDHPs) for 2024. The IRS is required to publish these limits by June 1 of each year.

These limits include:

Contact us with any questions or needed guidance related to employee benefit plans.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released technical assistance focusing on preventing discrimination against applicants and employees because of employers’ use of algorithmic decision-making tools when making employment decisions. The document explains how key aspects of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Title VII) apply to an employer’s automated systems, including those that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI).

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its April Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. The monthly report revealed an unexpected 10.1 million job openings in April—compared with a revised 9.745 million in March—following three months of declines.

Economists expected 9.375 million job openings in April, according to consensus estimates on Refinitiv. Monthly job openings have dropped from the record of 12 million in March 2022 but remain well above the pre-pandemic benchmark of 7 million. The number of job openings is viewed as an indication of the strength of the labor market and the broader economy. The largest increases in job openings were in these sectors: retail trade; health care and social assistance; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities.

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Small businesses play a crucial role in the U.S. economy and are frequently regarded as a major contributor to the nation’s financial growth. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the majority of U.S. businesses have less than five employees. What constitutes a small business is typically the number of employees and the amount of money the organization brings in, but these can differ based on the industry.

Compliance obligations can present major challenges for small businesses and hinder an organization’s growth and future success. Small business compliance is complicated, as an organization’s legal obligations often depend on its size and location. Most small businesses must navigate many of the same complex legal and regulatory obligations as large employers but must do so with fewer resources.

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Are employees allowed to say whatever they want if it relates to their views on politics, LGBTQ+ rights, and working conditions?

The First Amendment protects Americans’ freedom of expression, but it doesn’t prevent a private employer from setting its own rules or terminating an employee for saying something the organization doesn’t like. Although employees don’t have a constitutional right to free speech at work, employers should still be aware of any laws that protect workers’ speech in certain situations.

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