Should You Be Paid for the Time You Spend on Your Commute?

Employco USA

Employment trends expert discusses new research and how it could apply to American employees  

CommuteResearch has shown that the American commute keeps getting longer and longer, with the average worker now traveling 26 minutes to get to their place of employment. No wonder a new survey has found that American workers now say that they should be considered ‘on the clock’ when they are commuting, and that their pay should reflect the time they spend traveling to and from work.

“According to this new research, when Wi-Fi is available to commuters who are traveling by bus or train, these employees use their devices to accomplish work tasks and prepare for their work day,” says Rob Wilson, employment trends expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment-solutions firm. “As a Chicagoan, I have seen this firsthand, as many hard-working individuals taking the El, the Metra or the bus often log-in and start accomplishing work tasks before they even set foot in the office.”

However, the question is, should employees be compensated for this time they spend working while in transit?

“There are many things we need to consider when it comes to this discussion,” says Wilson. “Is the employee hourly or salary? Is their work being monitored? Will employers be able to verify that work duties are completed during a commute? Is there a higher risk of errors or miscommunications when a person is working on a crowded, bustling train as opposed to sitting quietly in their cubicle? And, if the employee is hourly, what potential impact would compensation present to overtime?”

Wilson says we also need to consider the changing landscape of employment as it relates to technology and remote employees.

“As many job tasks can be accomplished with nothing more than an internet connection and a smartphone or laptop, and as more employees are working remotely, it is not far-fetched to assume that an employee can complete valuable and timely job functions while sitting on the train,” says the employment expert.

However, financial compensation might not be the only benefit to consider.

“If an employee works remotely on the train and thus finishes their tasks early for the day, perhaps it would be beneficial to consider letting workers have flexible schedules,” says Wilson. “In essence, you will be paying employees with more free time, rather than higher pay.”

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

The Senate Will Soon Vote on Reversing a Critical Part of Obamacare

Employco USA

Group employment expert explains upcoming vote on H.R. 3798 and why it’s a shame that more Americans aren’t aware of this crucial bill

ACAThe Senate could vote this week on a bill which would take apart a good deal of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, including a key piece of legislation which required employers to offer health insurance to all employees who work 30 hours or more per week.

“The average American doesn’t know too much about H.R. 3798, and that’s a shame, because I can’t think of a vote which would have a larger impact on employees’ pay and their workdays,” says Rob Wilson, group employment expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment-solutions firm which helps companies of all sizes to run more effectively.

Wilson says that H.R. 3798 will reverse President Obama’s prior legislation which required all full-time employees to be offered health insurance…and, then defined full-time employment as workers who put in 30-hours a week.

“Many people in the industry were surprised with the thirty-hour-a-week legislation,” says Wilson. “Forty-hours-a-week has always been considered full-time in American businesses of all industries, so it seemed a bit arbitrary. Unfortunately, it also had a negative impact on employees. Employers slashed workers’ hours to keep them under the 30-hour mark and avoid paying for their health insurance, meaning that these workers had to supplement their pay by getting another job. In essence, many employees wound up working 2 nearly full-time jobs, and still without company-provided health insurance.”

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5 Tips for Mark Cuban to Fix the Mavericks

Employco USA

Human resources and leadership expert explains how to fix the Mavericks’ corporate culture

Mark Cuban“Shark Tank” star and billionaire Mark Cuban is in hot water after accounts of sexual harassment and violence within the Dallas Mavericks came to light in recent weeks. Although Cuban has faced the charges head on, even going so far as to pledge $10M to domestic violence charities, some question whether Cuban can recover…or, if the Dallas Mavericks’ workplace will ever truly be safe for women.

“It’s easy to understand why women might not want to work for an organization like the Mavericks, or why people would be hesitant to trust Cuban,” says Rob Wilson, human resources expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment-solutions firm. “After all, this abuse went on for years within the Mavericks’ workplace, Cuban’s remorse is obvious, but for the impacted employees, the apologies might feel ‘too little, too late’.”

To this end, Rob Wilson has advice for Mark Cuban and other leaders who might find themselves in a similar situation.

“If your workplace is grappling with allegations of sexual harassment, there are several steps that managers and employers need to take right away,” says Wilson.

The human-resources expert offers these 5 tips below:

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Survey: Employers Open to Hiring People with Criminal Backgrounds

Employco USA

H.R. expert explains why the corporate opinion on criminal backgrounds is changing, and what it means for employers

Criminal Background CheckA recent survey of Illinois employers found that companies are more open to hiring those with a criminal past than ever before.

Additionally, many states are changing previous regulations which prevented convicted criminals from working in certain fields.

“In Illinois, for example, lawmakers have made 100 occupations newly available for those with a criminal background, such as jobs in real estate and accounting,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment-solutions firm. “With these legal stipulations out of the way, many employers are looking at such candidates in a new light.”

But, is it wise for employers to take such a risk?

“When it comes to criminal backgrounds, you really have to be judicious in considering what the offense was, how long ago the crime occurred, as well as what position you are hiring the candidate for,” says Wilson. “Clearly, hiring someone with a string of drug offenses to work in a pharmacy environment or veterinary clinic could be problematic, but alternately, a person in recovery could thrive in other positions such as customer service or data entry.”

Wilson says that there is no guarantees when hiring an employee, even those without a criminal background.

“It’s easy to assume that just because a person has a criminal background, they should be avoided or looked at suspiciously, but if the crimes were in the past and they have paid their debt to society, then it is possible to consider that these people may be excellent candidates for employment,” says Wilson. “Yet proceed with caution, we recommend all employers conduct a criminal background screen prior to hiring an employee – and, make sure you are well-versed in what the crime was and what that could mean for your company.”

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

New Study: Employees Won’t Commit to Companies Anymore…Unless They Offer Flexible Work Options

Employco USA

Employment trends expert explains how to retain talent in a competitive market driven by agile employment demands 

FlexWorkAs the economy strengthens and jobs’ numbers improve, employees now have more options and bargaining power than in recent memory. However, a new Emerging Workforce® Study suggests that these new options are changing the way employees consider possible job opportunities, and in turn changing the way that employers attract and retain staff.

“The new research shows that the number of contingent workers has increased by 14 percent since 2017,” says Rob Wilson, employment trends expert and President of Employco USA, a national employment-solutions firm that is renowned for their impeccable service and forward-thinking practices. “Additionally, over 40 percent of employees say they will only work for a company which offers such freelance or work-from-home options.”

Known as “agile employment,” Wilson explains that employees are looking for more control over their work lives and they expect companies to adequately respect those needs and offer such opportunities.

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Study: Employees in the Dark About Their Healthcare Plans

Employco USA

Group employment expert explains new study and how it costs employers big-time

Insurance ConfusionA recent study found that 25 percent of employees do not understand the basics of their healthcare plan, while 32 percent are further confused by their plan’s additional benefits. And, 67 percent say that they are given little to no advanced preparation when it comes to choosing new plans.

“These findings line up with what I have heard from many of my prospects, especially in recent months,” says Rob Wilson, group health employment expert and President of Employco USA. “With President Trump’s new alterations to the Affordable Care Act, many people are confused about their coverage and their requirements for coverage. For example, some people think that President Trump removed the penalty for Americans who do not have insurance, however, this relief actually does not come into effect until 2019, so people can still face financial punishment if they are not covered.”

Wilson says that employees are not the only ones who suffer when they are in the dark about healthcare coverage. “Employers will suffer as well if their employees make uninformed healthcare decisions,” says Wilson. “This includes employees who choose the wrong healthcare plan, employees who neglect to appropriately use their benefits, employees who erroneously have adult children on their healthcare plan, etc.”

For the group employment expert, education is one of the most important steps when it comes to making sure that a company’s healthcare costs are as trimmed and streamlined as possible.

“It’s important to have representatives from your chosen health insurance provider come to your office on a regular basis in order to talk to new employees as well as refresh the minds of older employees, especially as so many changes are afoot in this industry,” says Wilson. “I would also advise employers to regularly send out emails with information about their plans, but more importantly, also snail mail. An informative packet in the mail which an employee can hold in their hands and share with their family to help discuss options and compare benefits will be invaluable.”

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

The Military Money Movement Podcast

Employco USA

Rob was recently a guest on the MilMoney Movement Podcast, covering: “What You Need to Know About Lunch Break Laws and Unfair Bosses.”

“In today’s episode 13 of the MilMoney Movement Podcast, Lacey Langford and Hank Coleman are talking with Rob Wilson, the president of The Wilson Companies and a human resources guru. Wilson Companies is a human resource outsourcing company that helps businesses that do not have an HR department. Rob shares with us a topic that happens to many in the military community, but it’s not talked about a lot, lunchtime judgment. Do you feel like your boss doesn’t think you work as hard if you take lunch? Or, are you a boss that bases your impression of an employee’s work ethic on their lunchtime habits…”

Read more and follow the link to listen below:

MilMoney Podcast

Employco USA Hires an HR Coordinator

Employco USA

A human resource and employment solutions firm, Employco USA is pleased to announce the growing expansion of its staff.

Employco’s newest team member:

Rebecca CejaRebecca Ceja, HR Coordinator – a large portion of her responsibilities include providing 2 days of onsite human resources support for one of Employco’s clients at their headquarters in Itasca, Illinois. The other 3 days per week will be at Employco’s office in Westmont, Illinois, providing offsite support as well as HR responsibilities for several other Employco clients.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” -Steve Jobs, “I loved the first impression of Employco’s culture and with being dedicated to helping others with their HR needs, it is safe to say I found my dream job.” -Rebecca Ceja

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

Why Blue Cross is Slashing the Cost of Premiums Across the United States

Employco USA

Group employment expert explains what employers and employees need to know about the future pricing of the group health plan

Slashing PremiumsBlue Cross Blue Shield is proposing premium cuts in many states across America for 2019, with some states seeing as much as a 5% decrease or more. However, there could be more to this story than meets the eye.

“Blue Cross is cutting prices now because they over-estimated how much they needed to hike their premiums last year,” explains Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and group employment expert. “They set the rates too high, which is understandable as there was so much uncertainty over the fate of the Affordable Care Act and how President Trump would alter Obamacare. But, now that we have a clearer picture of the fate of the Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross can go back to rectify their initial over-estimation.”

Wilson says that, regardless of the cause, a decrease in premiums is nearly unheard of, and a hopeful sign of things to come.

“Blue Cross has not reduced the cost of their premiums in years,” says Wilson. “For example, in Illinois, my home state, premiums have been going up every year, in some cases even jumping up by 17 percent such as in 2015. So, for people of Illinois to finally see price decreases is simply unprecedented.”

Wilson says even the states in which Blue Cross Blue Shield is proposing premium increases don’t have to fear. “Not every state is going to see a decrease in Blue Cross Blue Shield premiums in 2019, and some may even see an increase, but this increase will be very slight.”

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