No Jab, No Job? Biden Makes Sweeping Vax Mandates, as United Airlines Puts Unvaxxed Employees on Unpaid Leave

Human resources expert offers commentary on this breaking story

Vaccine MandateYesterday President Biden directed the Labor Department to mandate that any companies with more than 100 employees either require the COVID vaccination or COVID test all their employees once a week.

“Those companies that don’t comply could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee,” says Rob Wilson, HR expert and President of Employco USA, an employment solutions firm with locations across the country. “This means that even those employers who may disagree with the mandate or dislike requiring the vaccination are left with very little choice: They will have to require the mandate or face costly fines that could cost them their business.”

Meanwhile, United Airlines just made international headlines after it was revealed that the airline giant is putting all unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave, even if they have a religious exemption.

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Transgender Rights in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know

Employment trends expert discusses Hobby Lobby ruling and what employers can learn from their costly mistake

Transgender FlagAn Illinois appeals court recently upheld a ruling deeming that Hobby Lobby’s bathroom policies violated a transgender employee’s human rights. Hobby Lobby now must pay the employee $220,000 in damages, along with potential additional damages and fees.

“Denying this transgender woman the right to use the women’s bathroom has cost Hobby Lobby a great deal of money, but as a large corporation, they can easily absorb the damages,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “However, other mid-size and small businesses could be decimated by such a ruling.”

No wonder many employers are wondering what they can do to avoid similar fines. There are many new regulations that companies need to adhere to if they don’t want to wind up facing civil suits like Hobby Lobby.

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COVID-19 Survey

COVID-19 Survey

Employco USA is conducting a quick, 6-question survey related to COVID-19 for businesses. If you are in management or human resources, we’d love to get your input. The survey is completely voluntary and anonymous. We will be sharing the overall results with everyone in a future follow-up post.

Click the following link to take the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LC9TNDY

Thank you in advance if you are able to participate!

Survey Question

HR Chat w/Employco USA: HR Bootcamp on September 16th!

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 discuss our upcoming HR bootcamp. This event is focused on the food industry, but open to all. We have partnered with Food Industry News and GARC Restaurant Cooperative to present 90 minutes of valuable information. HR topics we will be covering include: COVID-19, recruiting and onboarding, employee retention, compliance issues, and more.

This event will be taking place at Chicago Italian Prime in Schaumburg on September 16th at 3:00pm.

RSVP to Dawn Nelson at 630-286-7356 or dnelson@employco.com.

We hope to see you there!

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Preventing Employee Turnover During a Burnout Pandemic

HR expert advises on how to safeguard your company against the ‘Great Resignation’

Employee BurnoutNew research shows that employee burnout rose sharply in 2021, with a recent survey showing that only 25% of employers say that they believe their workers have been mentally engaged and productive in the past year. And 41% of workers worldwide say that they are considering quitting their current posts and finding a new job or a new industry altogether.

Employee turnover is at a record high right now. The ‘Great Resignation’ has left companies scrambling to find staff, with many workers rebelling against the prototypical 9-to-5 work model,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employee trends expert. “The pandemic gave many people a taste of a different schedule and a different way of structuring their lives. Now that it’s time to return to a new version of the old normal, many workers just aren’t interested.”

Wilson says that employers need to be cognizant of the fact that COVID has irrevocably changed the way many people look at their work/life balance.

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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

HR Newsletter: The Increasing Demand for Pet Insurance

Pet Insurance

Many American households have at least one pet. In any given year, 1 in 3 of these beloved family members will need costly veterinary care, even if it is for routine exam visits and vaccinations. Should a pet become severely ill and need emergency care, costs can sometimes be more than pet owners can bear. However, if they have pet insurance, owners will less frequently have to make a decision about their pet’s wellbeing based on cost.

Though pet insurance is a nontraditional benefit and is generally paid for by the employee, it is becoming increasingly popular in the workplace to help employees care for their pets without going bankrupt. This benefit is particularly valuable, as pet care is increasingly expensive. In fact, offering insurance for man’s best friend is a great marketing and PR initiative for companies that want to add to their image of being a great place to work.

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HR Newsletter: Voluntary Benefits Benchmarking: Where Do You Stand?

Employee Benefits

In early 2021, employers across the country were surveyed about various employee benefits and human resources topics, and roughly 150 organizations responded. The information collected demonstrates how employers across the country are utilizing their voluntary benefits. Most importantly, it shows how some are using voluntary benefits to combat the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some key takeaways from the survey:

Employers Are Exploring Holistic Benefits – Employers are beginning to expand offerings to include more holistic benefits. These include cancer insurance, critical illness insurance and financial counseling. In fact, employers who do not offer such holistic benefits say they are likely to add them in the future.

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