Employco Blog

What Employers Can Learn from the Mississippi Raids

September 5, 2019Employco USA

Employment expert Rob Wilson discusses how companies can safeguard their staff

Last month, ICE officials detained hundreds of undocumented workers in Mississippi. When the raids (which took place in 7 different cities and 6 different work sites) were complete, 680 employees were in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

As the debate over illegal immigration rages on, the Mississippi raids also raise an important concern for companies. How much blame do hiring managers and employers hold when it comes to using undocumented people for labor? Is this just a public relations nightmare and staffing disaster for companies, or can charges be levied against these employers?

“The answer is yes, to put it simply,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment expert. “It is illegal not only to hire an undocumented person, but also to recruit them or refer them to another employer. Employers who knowingly do so and are shown to have a ‘pattern and practice’ of hiring undocumented workers can be fined $3,000 per worker and even face potential jail time.”

Continue reading →

After #MeToo: New Sexual Harassment Training Requirements for 2020

August 27, 2019August 28, 2019Employco USA

Employment trends expert reveals sexual harassment training requirements in the upcoming year

Policy Manual After shocking crimes of sexual assault came to light thanks to the #MeToo movement, many employers have been inspired to rededicate themselves to making their workplaces safer and more equitable for men and women. But, starting January 1, 2020, new changes to sexual harassment policies will require all companies to pay closer attention to this very important issue.

“We are finally starting to see people take sexual harassment in the workplace more seriously, and the new regulations coming into effect in 2020 reflect that,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “These regulations will vary from state to state and will be dependent upon the size of your company and the number of employees you have, but there are several things that employers need to know.”

For Illinois employers, Wilson points to Public Act 101-0221 (the “Act”) which was created to strengthen sexual harassment policies in the workplace and ensure that all employees are better protected from sexual impropriety and predation.

“Workers in Illinois will now be afforded greater protection under the Act, which includes language that prohibits sexual harassment between employees even when it occurs outside the workplace or online,” says Wilson. “It will also offer greater protection for contract employees and freelance workers, as opposed to only protecting salaried and hourly employees.”

Continue reading →

Salary History Ban Expands to Illinois Employers

August 23, 2019August 29, 2019Employco USA

Employment expert explains why Illinois employees can’t be asked about their past salaries any longer

Salary Employers in Illinois will be required to make changes to their hiring practices in the near future. Starting September 29th, it will become illegal for employers to ask prospective employees to share their salary history.

“Currently, 17 states and 19 localities have banned questions about salary history during the application process, and Illinois will be joining these ranks shortly. Several states like Alabama have banned these application questions for all potential employees, and other states like California go so far as to require employers to provide pay scale information if employees request it,” says Rob Wilson, employment trends expert and President of Employco USA.

Wilson says that many experts agree that salary history questions can lead to income inequality for women and minorities.

“The belief is that inquiring about salary history can create a vicious cycle in which women are paid less presently and in the future, simply because they were paid less in the past,” explains Wilson. “Concerned civil rights activists point to the fact that women are offered less when compared to similarly trained and educated males, even when these interviewees are coming right out of college.”

So, what should employers consider moving forward?

Continue reading →

(Article) “How employers can prepare for active shooters by addressing workplace violence overall”

August 20, 2019Employco USA

Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, was recently quoted in an article for HR Dive:

Police Car Aside from understanding the zero-tolerance expectation, employees also need to know what to do when violence occurs in the workplace. “What are your emergency guidelines? You’ve got an employee handbook. You probably have fire drills, tornado drills — what happens in that type of emergency?” Employco USA President and Employment Expert Rob Wilson said. And what happens when someone fires a gun in the workplace, he asked: “What are your security protocols? Where do people go? Who contacts emergency services?”

Employers need to think through all of these scenarios and define protocols. Employees should be able to access any emergency response guidelines in their employee handbook, but Wilson encouraged leaders to go further. “As a management team, you should dig deeper and have a bigger process,” he said. When violence erupts in the workplace, no one will look in the handbook before making a move, he pointed out. “It’s good to have that, but you really have to have it prepared so as a management team you start with that process.”

Follow the link to read more:

For more on this topic, please contact Rob Wilson at rwilson@thewilsoncompanies.com.

More Companies Commit to Hiring Employees with Autism

August 15, 2019August 16, 2019Employco USA

Employment trends expert explains how companies can make the workplace a more inclusive place for all employees

Work Desk In an effort to establish more inclusive hiring practices, many companies have committed to seeking out adult employees with disabilities, including autism. As outlined in a recent Wall Street Journal article, many artificial intelligence companies are particularly seeking adults with autism to join their staff.

“Companies like SAP and Microsoft have recently made a committed effort to start hiring employees who fall on the autism spectrum. This is timely, as more people than ever are being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD),” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and employment trends expert. “Although varying in degree, individuals with ASD can require several modifications to the workplace. However, 80 percent of people with autism struggle to find employment, likely because employers are not well-versed in this condition and how to manage it in the workplace.”

Here, Wilson offers his top tips for making the workplace more inclusive for employees with autism and other developmental differences:

Continue reading →

How Employers Can Help Workers Cope in the Wake of Mass Shootings

August 7, 2019August 14, 2019Employco USA

Employment expert explains how companies can support employees and ensure that their workplaces stay safe

Coping Another tragic outbreak of mass shootings has left many Americans reeling. As people struggle to cope with the aftermath of this senseless violence, it is important for employers to ensure that their workplaces feel safe and supportive for all workers. Rob Wilson, employment expert and President of Employco USA, says “One in seven Americans say they don’t feel safe at work. But the good news is that small steps can help to build feelings of security and community in your workplace.”

Here, Wilson outlines the steps that an employer should take to help prevent and cope with workplace violence:

1) Put emergency guidelines in your handbook. “Make sure that your employee handbook offers procedures on how to handle the unthinkable. We have everything from fire drills to tornado drills, we should also have steps in place for how to handle a mass shooting. If possible, you can even discuss these steps with a local law enforcement officer to help to ensure that the best procedures are given to your employees.”

2) Offer grief counseling if appropriate. “For people in Texas, heading back to work on this Monday morning is probably frightening and a bit unreal. It can be hard to forget the aftermath of last week’s tragedy and switch back into work mode. A grief counselor can be an invaluable resource when it comes to processing these emotions.”

Continue reading →

Podcast: HR Issues in the Trade Show Industry

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019Employco USA

Rob, Scott, and Jason with special guest Don Svehla (Publisher at Exhibit City News) discuss HR issues in the trade show industry; from historical data on the first modern trade show, to union CBA’s, new hire paperwork, reporting injuries, drug testing, HR training, local wage and hour laws, and more.

Recovering After the Capital One Crisis: What Employers Need to Know About Cyber Security

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019Employco USA

Data breaches are on the rise – here is what employers need to know

Cyber Security The data breach at Capital One is a global security crisis that has impacted millions of people. Sadly, breaches like these are only becoming more common, and employers have a responsibility to protect their employees and their clients.

It is estimated that phishing scams costs the United States half a billion dollars each year. From direct deposit scams to fraudulent PDF files, there has been a shocking rise in these email phishing scams. Indeed, Microsoft’s Security team reports that these malicious phishing emails have increased by a whopping 250 percent.

So, what do employers and employees need to know in order to protect themselves from these scams?

First, it’s crucial that you educate everyone on your team about phishing scams and how to make safer choices online.

“It’s important to understand that it is not enough to simply be aware and cautious when it comes to your own online behavior,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “Your entire company can be negatively impacted across the board if just one employee gives up access to your Office 365 account or similar program. Once the phisher has that foothold, they can access an entire wealth of information, and they can then use this position of power to gain access to more info and phish other people on your team.”

Continue reading →

The Top Five Payroll Pitfalls

July 23, 2019Employco USA

Employment trends expert explains how to circumvent common payroll problems

Payroll Payroll errors cost your company more than just time and money, they also gravely harm the trust between you and your employees.

“When payroll makes an error, even a small one, it can make a major impact on the employee’s personal life,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “They may feel as though their effort isn’t respected or valued by their employer, and it can lead to very costly and pervasive issues like absenteeism and presenteeism.”

Wilson’s employment solutions firm, Employco USA, helps companies of all sizes with their payroll. “We work with companies who still take the old-school approach of handwritten timesheets and we work with companies who do everything electronically,” he says. “Many of our clients come to us after they have experienced expensive errors from doing payroll on their own. While it is possible to submit your own payroll via Quickbooks and other technology, outsourcing payroll can be a wise move especially as our political landscape continues shifting and requirements are changing.”

Here, Wilson outlines the top 5 mistakes which he has seen negatively impact companies’ payroll.

Lack of compliance with state and federal regulations. “Keeping up with the reciprocal agreements between states is really important, yet I have seen clients neglect this issue or be confused about how to approach it,” says Wilson. “For example, if you have an employee who lives in Indiana but works in Illinois, you need to consider which state takes precedent when it comes to payroll taxes.”

Continue reading →

Podcast: The Top Five Payroll Pitfalls

July 19, 2019Employco USA

Rob, Scott, and Jason with special guest Gerri LeCompte (Vice President of Payroll Services) discuss the top five payroll pitfalls; from late filings and tax deposits to staying compliant with changing regulations, voiding and reissuing adjustment payments, incorrect taxation of earnings, and more.

Running payroll is complicated. Small business owners, looking to control costs, occasionally decide to run payroll themselves. But even small errors can result in large fines and penalties, in addition to your time and effort to correct it. Employco can help alleviate the pitfalls associated with payroll, contact us today to see how we can help.