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 preparing your business for another shutdown. They discuss technology and remote connectivity, higher risk employees and underlying health conditions, FFCRA pay, remote employee engagement, federal relief, over communication (on company decisions, home work environments), and more.
Questions? We’re here to help, info@employco.com
Employment trends expert explains what employers in newly-legalized areas need to know
Five more states including Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use, medical use, or both yesterday. This leaves just a handful of American states in which marijuana use of any kind is fully illegal. So what does this mean for employers and drug use in the workplace?
Rob Wilson, an employment trends expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm, offers his timely expertise on this breaking topic.
“The federal government still classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 substance, which is the same class as heroin and ecstasy,” says the human resources specialist. “However, since many more states now permit the use of marijuana, either medically or recreationally, this leads to very murky waters for employers, especially as it can potentially be illegal to discriminate against employees with a medical marijuana card.”
So how do these changes to long-standing drug laws impact the way that employers can monitor possible drug use among their staff?
“Your ability to monitor drug use among your employees is going to depend on whether or not you are a unionized or private workplace,” says Wilson. “While you have the right to expect and require sobriety from workers on the job, it can become a bit tricky when you suspect drug use and want to act on your fears.”
Wilson says that if you work in a non-unionized environment, you should ask a supervisor or human resources team member to help you determine if an employee is under the influence of marijuana.
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
Each year, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducts a survey to examine employer-sponsored health benefits trends. On October 8, 2020, Kaiser released this year’s survey results – the following notes summarize the main points of the 2020 survey:
Worker Contributions – The average worker contribution toward the premium (payroll deduction) was 17% of the total premium for single coverage and 27% for family coverage. Employees at organizations with a high percentage of lower-wage workers (where at least 35% make $25,000 or less annually) made above-average contributions toward family coverage—35% vs. 24% when compared to employees at firms with a smaller share of lower-wage workers. In terms of dollar amounts, workers contributed $1,243 and $5,588 per year toward their premiums for single coverage and family coverage, respectively.
Plan Enrollment – The following were the most common plan types in 2020:
On September 30, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published two additional answers to its list of COVID-19 frequently asked questions (FAQs). The new answers clarify when employers must report COVID-19 in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities.
Reporting Hospitalizations – OSHA requires employers to report in-patient hospitalizations only if the hospitalization occurs within 24 hours of an exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. As a result, employers must report COVID-19 hospitalizations only if the hospitalizations are:
The report must be submitted within 24 hours of the time the employer determines there was an in-patient hospitalization caused by a COVID-19 case. Hospitalization for diagnostic testing or observation only is not “in-patient” hospitalization.
Reporting Fatalities – OSHA requires employers to report fatalities that occur within 30 days of an exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace. Fatality reports must be submitted within eight hours of the time the employer learns that the fatality took place and that it was due to a work-related exposure.
Election season is upon us and we’re likely to see some heated discussions. We also need to be ready for employee time off requests to vote during work hours.
Keeping Political Discussions Civil at Work – Political discussion has and will continue to be a reality in many work environments. Work can already be a stressful place for many, with political discussion adding an additional stressor for employees—and in many cases, an additional concern for employers. While disagreement in and of itself isn’t always a detriment to all workplaces, political discussion can negatively affect the work environment for many employees.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed what a normal day looks like for many across the country. And the pandemic has also increased the stress of many Americans. Prioritizing mental health and well-being in the face of a pandemic, which has caused many to lose their jobs or work from home, is something that every single person should be doing, but it often falls by the wayside.
More than 1 in 5 Americans have diagnosable mental disorders at some point in their lives, yet only about half of those individuals receive professional mental health treatment. A study from the Mental Health in the Workplace Summit also found that mental illness is the leading cause of disability for U.S. adults aged 15 to 44 and that more workdays are lost to mental health-related absenteeism than any other injury or illness.
Given its prevalence, you can expect that employees at your organization are experiencing mental health challenges or mental illness. That’s why it’s so important that your organization creates a culture that supports employees’ mental health. While this may sound complicated, creating a workplace that is supportive of mental health and illness is easier than it seems. Here are five simple ways that your company can support employees and their mental health.